Netflix Coming To Sony PS3

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Posted by Soulskill on Monday October 26, 2009 @11:16AM from the inclusively-exclusive dept.

itwbennett writes "'Microsoft has always seemed rather enthusiastic when it comes to throwing around the word 'exclusive,' and here is another case in point,' says blogger Peter Smith. Netflix and Sony have announced that Netflix streaming is coming to the Sony PlayStation 3 as early as next month. Back in August, when Microsoft was rolling out its new dashboard update, one of the features it was talking up was Netflix streaming, says Smith, and it said, 'This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience...' Apparently, in Microsoft parlance, 'exclusive partnership' means 'we launched it first' and not 'we inked a deal with Netflix preventing this feature from appearing on the competition's hardware.' All this is good news for PS3 owners who can now sign up to be notified of Netflix availability for their system."

21 of 145 comments (clear)

exclusive partnership by DesertBlade · 2009-10-26 11:20 · Score: 5, Funny

They did have an exclusive partnership for about 3 months.

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1. Re:exclusive partnership by XPeter · 2009-10-26 11:25 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Until it became popular and Netflix wanted more cash.
  
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2. Re:exclusive partnership by schon · 2009-10-26 11:44 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Methinks you don't understand what "exclusive" means.
  It doesn't mean "nobody else is doing it".
  It means "nobody else is is *allowed* to do it" (examine the root "exclude")
3. Re:exclusive partnership by maharb · 2009-10-26 12:54 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  You also might want to note we live in a world that has time and exclusivity doesn't necessarily include all times past and present. Microsoft may have been told that for X period of time the service would not appear on any other consoles thus their statement, at that point, was true.
  I think it is fairly standard human behavior to judge statements based on when they occurred and not the present situation. That is why newton is considered 'genius' despite getting lots of physics wrong.
4. Re:exclusive partnership by nacturation · 2009-10-26 13:50 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I think you're getting a bit worked up because some marketing guy spun this in a way favorable to Microsoft.
  Bizdev guy: "Hey, we just signed a deal to get Netflix streaming on the XBox 360!" Marketing guy: "Do any other consoles have this functionality?" Bizdev guy: "Nope, just the XBox."
  [Two hours later]
  Press release: "This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience..."
  Next thing you know, someone will try and claim IBM is going exclusively Linux...
  
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5. Re:exclusive partnership by Blakey+Rat · 2009-10-26 13:59 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I thought Slashdotters hated marketer-speak. Why is everybody debating this? Who cares?
  
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6. Re:exclusive partnership by Toonol · 2009-10-26 18:35 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  It's not being an MS apologist, you paranoid git. It's being cognizant of the meaning of words. Limited exclusitivity is common, particularly in the gaming field, and typically referred to as, yes, "exclusive". If you had asked MS if "They could guarantee that NetFlix could never, ever, offer a movie on any other console ever", of course they would say there was no such agreement. Fallout 3 was touted as an MS exclusive; it's now made its way onto the PS3. There's been similar Sony exclusives that are now on the 360. They were exclusives, now they're not.
  
  I don't own a 360; but I don't twist words to try to find excuses to hate. The summary is guilty of that. Geez. Unreasonable hate directed at MS just makes the REASONABLE hate directed at MS seem less valid. I'd tone it down.
More by elsJake · 2009-10-26 11:21 · Score: 2, Interesting

Power to the people! Is it an international feature at least ? I Have yet to see a video streaming service that works for non-US folk.
It was by Luthair · 2009-10-26 11:27 · Score: 5, Insightful

This is a non-story, it was exclusive to the X360 at the time. There is no difference than the umpteen movies (some of which Sony is undoubtedly behind) which exclaim 'only in theatres!' in their trailers.
Inclusive by StikyPad · 2009-10-26 11:31 · Score: 4, Insightful

Apparently, in Microsoft parlance, 'exclusive partnership' means 'we launched it first' and not 'we inked a deal with Netflix preventing this feature from appearing on the competition's hardware.
Isn't that what exclusive usually means? It makes a statement about the present, not the future. Exclusive interviews, for example, are seldom exclusive for very long. iPhones are exclusive to AT&T (in the US, for now). Some vehicle has exclusive feature X, until next year when they all do. Etc., etc...

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1. Re:Inclusive by registrar · 2009-10-26 11:57 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Isn't that what exclusive usually means?
  No. Exclusive has some sense of "to the exclusion of others" even though that exclusion might not exist forever. In the case of interviews, "exclusive" means that the interview was carried out with only our interviewer---as opposed to a press conference or similar, where the competition is not excluded. "Exclusive" hotels and cars purport to cater only to the good and great, excluding others. Exclusive features in cars or phones? rot---unless they are, by contract, not provided to competitors.
  In the case of partnerships, if it doesn't mean "to the exclusion of others" then the word is being used deceptively. Put it this way: I have an exclusive partnership with my wife, and will be sorely disappointed if it means anything other than "to the exclusion of others."
2. Re:Inclusive by nilbog · 2009-10-26 14:20 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  TFA says "Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience..."
  Seems to me that they are defining the time period as any point in the future and making that statement that Xbox will continue to be the only game console to offer netflix. Key words "will be the only."
  
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Re:Handy for some, less so for others by Afforess · 2009-10-26 11:35 · Score: 3, Informative

There are new movies on it, have you looked? Walle, for instance in on Netflix instant view. That qualifies as a new movie in my book.

Better than that though, they often have TV shows from Europe or the UK, like the IT Crowd on Instant View.

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Using BD-Live is the real story by RalphBNumbers · 2009-10-26 11:55 · Score: 5, Interesting

The report on this this that I saw at ars technica said this is implemented using BD-Live. If that's right, then it means that any fully featured BluRay player could do it.
So Netflix will have effectively co-opted the next generation physical media installed base for their online distribution system. I think that's a pretty big deal compared semi-supporting one more console, don't you?

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1. Re:Using BD-Live is the real story by Dremth · 2009-10-26 12:12 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  There's actually several BluRay players that already have Netflix streaming capabilities. http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevicesList?lnkce=nrd-l&trkid=425738&lnkctr=nrd-l-m
2. Re:Using BD-Live is the real story by moniker · 2009-10-26 13:20 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  That's why I don't think this is the case. Netflix has said that they had help from Sony, so I think it is more likely a PS3 application and not a BD-Live Java application.
  According to this article, it was an analyst who believed that the implementation was BD-Live, rather than citing some inside source. I'm still hoping for some more interesting BD-Live Java homebrew....
Re:Handy for some, less so for others by BlueBoxSW.com · 2009-10-26 12:27 · Score: 2, Informative

10% new movies
30% classic movies
20% New and Old TV shows
20% Indie Movies
20% Foreign Movies
Joystiq has a Q&A with Netflix by moniker · 2009-10-26 12:29 · Score: 5, Informative

from http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/netflix-ps3-disc-must-remain-in-system-until-2010-update/
Joystiq: Was the PS3 application developed internally by Netflix?
Netflix: Yes, with the help of the Sony team.
Can the Netflix application be installed to the PS3 hard dive from the disc? Or must the disc be inserted every time a user wants to access Netflix?
Yes, the Netflix disc has to be inserted every time to access the Netflix service.
Why not distribute the application via PSN download or firmware update, and then embed it into the XMB?
Again, the instant streaming disc represented the fastest and easiest way to let PS3 enthusiasts get Netflix on the PS3. Late next year we expect to have an embedded solution available for PS3s via a system software update slated for release through the PlayStation Network.
1. Re:Joystiq has a Q&A with Netflix by Cornelius+the+Great · 2009-10-26 15:50 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  My PS3 handles 1080p non-BD video just fine, and will handle a 1080p mp4 file on a USB drive- though there is a limitation in the movie file size due to FAT32. Also, you can rent and buy HD movies on the PSN store and download/stream them.
  
  I believe the Netflix BD is required for the interim because Sony isn't planning on updating the firmware for a while.
  
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Goodbye cursed Silverlight by SuperKendall · 2009-10-26 13:26 · Score: 2

I installed Silverlight on my media PC (a Mac mini) only because of Netflix streaming, and that with great reluctance. I'll be more than happy to ditch it and just use the PS3 for streaming.

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Re:ok, so I'll get one then. by dAzED1 · 2009-10-26 13:42 · Score: 2, Informative

....but they can't play dvds or bluerays. nor are they available for that occasional use as a game console. And I also don't subscribe to cable, so...