Upcoming Netflix family plan allows four simultaneous streams

Netflix recently announced some new family-oriented changes to the streaming service. In a quarterly letter to shareholders, CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells noted the company intended to launch a new family plan that would allow up to four simultaneous streams for just $11.99 per month.

The plan will likely solve the conundrum affecting a number of families nationwide – who gets to use the service at any given time (or letting your buddies “borrow” your account credentials). The existing $7.99 plan only allows for two streams at the same time. With four simultaneous streams possible as part of the new plan, the only issue likely to arise is a lack of bandwidth with four concurrent streams on the same Internet connection.

Interestingly enough, Netflix anticipates that only one percent of existing customers will take advantage of the upcoming plan. It would seem that Netflix is pretty confident that the vast majority of their members are perfectly happy with the two stream limitation. Of course it’s also entirely possible that Netflix is hoping the family plan will lure new customers that have been weary of commitment due to existing limitations.

It’s not entirely clear when Netflix will roll out the new family plan but we do know it will be limited to the US when it does arrive. It’ll be interesting to see if other streaming media players like Hulu Plus follow in Netflix’s footsteps. At current, Hulu Plus allows for just one stream at a time.

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By: Unknown On 9:27 PM

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Insert Coin: MiiPC promises a kid-safe Android PC that allows surfing, gaming for $99 (video)

Kickstarter launched for MiiPC – the first family friendly Android Computer

eMachines Founder Aims to Disrupt PC Market through Crowd Funding

San Mateo, CA-March 25, 2013- MiiPC, a new Kickstarter project, has been launched today by Young Song, the founder of eMachines. Young is looking to upset the traditional PC market again by launching the first family computer on Android, starting from $89 on a Kickstarter early bird discount. MiiPC allows parents to give their young children access to the Internet under their supervision from a companion mobile app.

MiiPC offers parents the chance to let their children surf the web, play games, watch media and do their homework, safe in the knowledge that they can make sure their children are not exposed to disturbing videos, unsuitable apps and inappropriate websites. The device comes
with a HDMI connection, so it can be hooked up to computer monitors and most modern TVs and with two USB ports the whole experience is optimized to provide a true keyboard and mouse experience.

Parents also have access to a MiiPC companion mobile app giving them complete peace of mind knowing that they can monitor the real-time activities of their children from anywhere - work, the supermarket, a restaurant. While they're on the move, parents can instantly adjust
the settings that allow their children access to games, YouTube, Facebook and other distractions from homework and learning at home.

Young Song, co-founder of eMachines which was acquired by Gateway in 2004 for $265m, is the brains behind this new concept of PC and admits that kids should be trusted to use the internet, under supervision: "MiiPC came out of my experience with my two kids. We think the Internet has opened up all sorts of possibilities and I love my children have access to information for their classes at the tip of their fingertips. However at the same time the Internet poses significant challenges for parents.

Traditional software or hardware solutions simply block kids from going to certain websites. This is inherently limiting and it also does not address what we believe is a key challenge with kids and the Internet: its addictiveness."

"We developed MiiPC as a simple and elegant solution. It allows you to monitor your child's activity, but at the same time start an open and honest conversation with them about the content they're looking at and the time they spend on different tasks."

Time Management

MiiPC has been developed to stop family squabbles over the computer use, too. Multi-user accounts can be set-up for different family members, giving each different access to suitable apps and games. A parent can register any number of family members and can carefully
monitor use (and misuse!) in real time on the MiiPC companion mobile app. You can see if one member is hogging the computer and make sure that every child gets their time online.

Specifications

MiiPC runs on top of Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and is compatible with many popular Android applications. To complete the desktop computing experience MiiPC comes with pre-bundled Android apps and access to a Web Apps Center which will include productivity,
games, entertainment, multimedia and educational selections.

Full specifications include:

· Processor: Marvell® ARMADA® 1500 Series Dual Core1.2GHz SoC /
Memory: 1GB DDR System RAM
· Storage: 4GB Internal Flash (expandable via SD Slot and USB port)
· Connectivity: WiFi (802.11 b/g/n), Ethernet Port, and Bluetooth (4.0)
· Connect to TV: HDMI (1080p/720p) output
· I/O: 2 USB 2.0 Ports, Speaker & Microphone Jack
· MiiPC Companion Mobile App for iOS and Android

*Keyboard, mouse & HDMI cable are sold separately

MiiPC is hoping to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter to test the market for a PC aimed at bringing back 'power to the parents' and can only become a reality by being backed by parents from around the world. To back MiiPC please visit: www.miipc.com/kickstarter and as an early bird
backer you will receive your MiiPC before June 15th 2013.

About MiiPC

www.miipc.com

MiiPC has been created by a team of developers at ZeroDesktop, Inc, based in Silicon Valley.

ZeroDesktop, Inc. is a leading developer of next generation Cloud Operating System and Cloud Service Brokerage Solutions for Consumers, Telecoms, OEMs, ISVs and Enterprises. The ZeroDesktop Infrastructure aggregates scattered digital content from local storage, network
drives and cloud services providing unified access by PCs, tablets andmobile devices.

Combining their software expertise in Cloud technologies along with their own personal understanding and experience of family struggles with the Internet led them to conceive of MiiPC.

This is ZeroDesktop's first product that combines hardware and software aimed at the consumer marketplace. ZeroDesktop is headquartered in San Mateo, CA and has 18 employees worldwide with development centers in both Silicon Valley and Europe.

Find MiiPC on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Miipc/164658463684389 and Twitter@MiiPC4kids

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By: Unknown On 8:33 PM

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Bump app now allows transfers of any file between phone and computer

We've seen the Bump app evolve from just a way to transfer contacts to a version that allows for mobile payments and one that lets you share photos between your phone and your computer. Now the company has expanded its feature set to transferring files of all kinds, be they photos, videos or Word documents. Simply enable the location feature in your browser, tap the files you want to move over, slap that spacebar button with your phone and the files will be on their way. They'll actually head over to Bump's servers and not your desktop, but you can still easily download them if you so choose. The updated app is available on iOS and Android today, so you can start bumping your files over right now.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Bump

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By: Unknown On 8:23 PM

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Local web server trick allows Wii U Gamepad to moonlight as a PC controller

It may not be as easy to crack as the Bluetooth powered Wiimote, but the Wii U Gamepad is finally getting a little hacker's limelight -- one clever modder has figured out how to use it as a PC controller. By pointing the Wii U web browser at a local web server running a custom script, Chris Manning is able to read the Gamepad's input and map it to keyboard functions -- giving gamers with time and patience a complicated way to use the Wii U tablet as a simple PC gamepad. Manning told Kotaku that a future update will include touch-screen input, and he's also trying to crack Gamepad streaming, for PC gamers who can't quite wait for NVIDIA's Project Shield. The Wii U is still a long way from being properly hacked, of course, but we certainly won't shake a Wiimote at clever workarounds like this. If it works, it works. Skip on past the break to see the trick in action, or read Manning's video description at the source link to grab the necessary files.

Via: Kotaku

Source: YouTube

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By: Unknown On 9:58 PM

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