Quick Take: Netflix's Whatchamacallit
By
Alyce Lomax
October 2, 2007
|
One of Netflix's (Nasdaq: NFLX) features seems to have an identity crisis.
Yesterday, my Foolish colleague Katrina Chan and I were discussing that it's unclear what Netflix's streaming movie service is actually called.
A recent Netflix press release calls it Instant Watching, but in the body of the release it's referred to as the "instant watching feature." Members use a tab on the home page that says "Watch Instantly." Related questions on the site mention "instant viewing." The truth is, it seems as though this isn't a nameless product, it's more of an activity. Anyone want to nominate "I Want To Watch It Now Darn It" or "Instant Gratification, click here"?
The week before last, I ranted that Netflix's instant whatever-it-is shuts out members who use Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Macs. (Many thanks to the Foolish readers who gave me the heads-up that the feature is available for Firefox users who use an Internet Explorer plug-in.)
I am a big fan of Netflix (and very bearish on Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI)), but I can't say it's so impressive that Netflix doesn't even have a proper name for its streaming movie service. Does that signify an inability to commit?
Instant bummer.
For related Foolishness, see:
“The Next Great Investment”… That’s how a top global investor describes India’s potential. On Nov. 28, The Motley Fool’s Tim Hanson returns to India to prove it. Follow along in real time and get his TOP pick first (Hanson returned from China in July with a stock that’s up 169%!). Enter email below.