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Buying Guide: How to Watch Netflix Anywhere
Contents
- How to Watch Netflix Anywhere
- Blu-Ray / DVRs / HDTVs
- Game Consoles
- Mobile
- Streaming Set-Top Boxes
Gone are the days of walking into a store to rent a video—at least they are for most folks. And if they're not gone totally, they're certainly rare…and probably numbered. Heck, we're no longer even satisfied to swap DVDs via the mail. We want to watch our video content—whether it's a movie or TV show—instantly.
In a time when anything less than instant seems to be unacceptable, Netflix is taking great strides to be your streaming service of choice. You can watch movies and TV shows instantly and from almost anywhere. You can even authorize up to six devices and stream two simultaneously.
It's hard to find a device these days that can't do Netflix streaming. It's even on a lot of HDTVs that hook up directly to your home broadband connection. It's all part of the company's master plan to become the primary way you get your entertainment, eventually crushing the TV networks like it did DVD rental outfits (sorry Blockbuster).
One complaint remains, however: Netflix's Instant Queue offerings are limited, at best, and mediocre, at worst. You don't typically find the latest Hollywood releases and TV shows appear many seasons after they originally air. Odds are this won't last forever and you'll want to be on board when the studios and networks that limit what Netflix can offer all buckle under the power of its distribution channels (we hope). After all, the company is even taking on the TV networks, with its own show to star Kevin Spacey, coming sometime next year.
To help you take advantage of the service as much as possible right now, we've rounded up the devices you can use to stream Netflix. We explain the set-up process for each and give you the basic rundown of the experiences they offer. You should note, though, that you can't manage your DVD queue from these devices. For that, you'll have to turn back to the computer.
And one more thing: As of July, the company announced that it was separating its streaming and DVD rental businesses. So, if you still want both, essentially, you'll be paying at least twice as much. Unlimited streaming is $7.99 a month and unlimited DVD rentals start at $7.99 a month for one DVD at a time (up to $43.99 per month for eight DVDs at a time).