In the Good News/Bad News department, Netflix recently sent out a message to current subscribers announcing a change to their monthly subscription fees. Prior to the change, Netflix customers could rent an unlimited number of DVDs (one at a time) for $8.99/month and also get unlimited online streaming. This was the least expensive option for unlimited streaming of Netflix content. After the change, the 1-DVD unlimited plan goes up to $9.99/month, but now Netflix is offering a "Streaming Only" plan for $7.99/month.
Personally, I've had the same red Netflix envelope sitting next to my TV for about the past six months unopened, but I've been streaming HD and SD content to various devices in my home multiple times per week. So I will finally watch "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle," send it back and switch over to the streaming-only option. With Netflix streaming now available on virtually every device in my home (except my toaster... it's a pretty cheap toaster), I have less of a need for physical media in the home. And for those movies that I really enjoy, I'll just buy the Blu-ray. Netflix streaming is available on our Wii, our Blu-ray players, our TVs and our PS3. On the PS3, it even streams select titles in 1080p (so Netflix and Sony tells us) and in Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (which we have confirmed).
The PS3 recently became the first platform to support 1080p/5.1 streaming of select titles from Netflix
Other Netflix plans have increased variable amounts. View the announcement on the official Netflix Blog for details. It seems that Netflix is edging their subscribers toward the streaming option as the distribution costs are virtually nil, and they don't have to worry about lost, dirty or damaged discs. Will the future of Netflix be completely disc-free? We shall see. But they are called "NET" Flix for a reason.
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