Guess what appeared recently on my tab selection: Watch Now -- an entree to streaming video, included with my membership, that works simultaneously with my queue.
That is to say, views selected to "Watch Now" are not deducted from my monthly allotment (the overt one we've agreed to or the covert one Netflix enforces in its limit setting).
In my workplace, they are fond of the word "decrement," as a verb, even though no such usage exists outside of this workplace. But that's not the story I'm telling.
How it works
For each dollar you are spending on Netflix per month, you are granted an hour's worth of online viewing from their available library of on-line titles.
Junk, though, right? Like Shirley Temple shorts?
This is not like the BOGO selection of frames at Lenscrafters, or the free literature on Librivox, but a decent selection of titles you would like to see and perhaps not like to wait for by the mailbox. Netflix will also show you titles available from your queue, and in my case, this included the eclectic range of "Funny Face," Korea's "Memories of Murder," a documentary about the Gardner Museum art heist, "Chinatown," and "Reality Bites."
Do the hours roll over if I don't use them?
No, but Netflix has figured out that they save on postage and overhead, (and ok, jobs etc) if they eventually get rid of the DVDs at all. 60 Minutes recently reported that Netflix is now the Postal Services single greatest customer. All without actually buying stamps.
Do I have to download something?
Yes, the Netflix movie viewer.
Is it spying on me?
Oh, probably. It will get bored with you, don't worry.
Do I have to be on line?
Yes, it is streaming video, not a download. This is no good for you travelling business types unless the internet connection is free. You may still want your wallet of DVDs for that.
I don't see this tab. What's up with that?
You have to be in the account owner's profile to see the tab. Those of you on secondary spousal accounts will have to hold on to the main password, and the system won't suggest films from a secondary profile's queue. So flick back and forth.
Thanks Netflix Guru! You've saved my viewing schedule again!
Anytime, citizen. Anytime.
That's pretty cool. I used to do NetFlix, but now I just use Pay-Per-View over the Direct TV. I can still record it to my TiVo, in case I want to watch it again and I don't even have to worry about walking my butt out to the mailbox to return one. Obviously not as much selection, but it feels like I have so little time to watch movies, anyway.
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