Techmeme: Netflix renames DVD-by-mail service ‘Qwikster,’ will add video games (Nilay Patel/This is my next)

10:25 AM ET, September 19, 2011

Top Items:

Reed Hastings / The Official Netflix Blog:

An Explanation and Some Reflections — I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation. — It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes.

Discussion: Redeye VC, SiliconANGLE, Digits, The Tech Trade, Between the Lines Blog, PC World, VatorNews, PC Magazine, DSLreports, Bokardo, BGR, Business Insider, GigaOM, GigaOM, Mashable!, Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, Ars Technica, Technologizer, CNNMoney.com, Geekosystem, AllThingsD, Company Town, 9to5Mac, abovethecrowd.com, GamePro.com, Media Decoder, NBC Bay Area, TechCrunch, Mark Ramsey Media LLC, Wired, Deal Journal, @tapbot_paul, GeekWire, GottaBeMobile, LaptopMemo, blog.chron.com, Electronista, Stowe Boyd, Lifehacker, CNET News, VentureBeat, DailyTech, Engadget, paidContent, Softpedia News, Geek.com, ZDNet, SlashGear, Neowin.net, @harrymccracken, I4U News, Gawker, Kotaku, PhoneArena, BetaNews, The Technology Chronicles, Engadget, @sarahtavel, @harrymccracken, Techland, Gizmodo, Deadline.com, @marcoarment, gdgt, @gsterling, Pocket-lint, Examiner, New Media Age, Blue's News, Geek News Central, Webomatica, parislemon, silicontap.com, Poynter, Gamasutra, IGN Gear and Hacking NetFlix

Erick Schonfeld / TechCrunch:

Breaking: Netflix Splits DVD And Streaming Businesses; Creates Qwikster For DVDs — Netflix CEO Reed Hastings just dropped a bombshell. In the wake of a rapid decline in Netflix's stock price last week, Hastings is taking a bold step by separating the DVD and video streaming services.

Discussion: Business Insider, John Graham-Cumming, Android Phones …, @parislemon, @dcurtis, Mashable! and A VC

Dan Frommer / SplatF:

Netflix wants to get rid of its DVD business so badly that it's changing the name... to Qwikster — Netflix's latest move to get its customers to forget DVDs is to rename its DVD service: Starting in a few weeks, it will be called Qwikster, and will also include a videogame rental option.

Discussion: CNET News, @ashleyesqueda, @arnoldkim, @felixsalmon, The Loop, Technologizer, @hunterwalk and @ryan

Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:

Uh Oh ... Qwikster Already Has A Lively Twitter Account, But It's Not Owned By Netflix — Movie delivery service Netflix has just announced that it is rebranding its DVD-by-mail service as Qwikster and that it will keep calling its streaming service Netflix.

Discussion: CNN, Gizmodo, Business Insider, @techathewcrunch, Mashable!, @mttmsgrv, @amaeryllis, @siracusa, @mat, @sointerrupted, @sacca and Hacking NetFlix

Mark Suster / Both Sides of the Table:

Why Reed Hastings Should be Applauded for Netflix Split — By now you probably know that Netflix is splitting its business into two parts: its digital streaming business (retains the name Netflix) and its DVD mailing business, which was its original business (to be called Qwikster).

Thanks:msuster

Nilay Patel / This is my next:
Netflix renames DVD-by-mail service ‘Qwikster,’ will add video games

Discussion: Between the Lines Blog, Business Insider, TechCrunch and Front Side Bus

Ryan Lawler / GigaOM: Netflix's DVD business: Does Qwikster have a future?

Om Malik / GigaOM:

Google Wallet, Confirmed — M.G. Siegler reports that Google might be launching its somewhat delayed Google Wallet service sometime today. From the looks of it, it might actually be out in the wild. Our own Ian Kennedy snapped this photo at a Peet's Coffee shop near our offices in downtown San Francisco.

Discussion: 9to5Google and I4U News

MG Siegler / TechCrunch:

Google Wallet Likely Launching Tomorrow — Last week, Google posted an awesome teaser video for Google Wallet featuring George Costanza. The implication: Google Wallet would finally be launching soon. Now we think we know when: tomorrow. — As you can see in the above image …

Discussion: CNET News, Ubergizmo, PhoneArena, Stuff, Pocket-lint, Softpedia News, Geek.com, everwas, Android Community, SlashGear, Electronista, FT Tech Hub, Business Insider, 9to5Google, Front Side Bus, New Media Age and Slashdot

Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land:
Google Wallet Launch Largely Symbolic But Important

Discussion: jacquesmattheij.com

Josh Ong / AppleInsider:

Samsung planning legal offensive against Apple's unreleased iPhone 5 — Samsung has already planned out an aggressive legal strategy to block sales of Apple's unannounced iPhone 5 when it arrives in Korea, a new report claims. — Insiders at the South Korean electronics giant indicated …

Jake Smith / 9to5Mac:

As iCloud and iOS 5 launch nears, Apple plans iCloud backup reset for Sept. 22 — According to a posting on the Apple Developer boards this afternoon, Apple will be resetting iCloud Backup data on Thursday, September 22nd. We believe Apple is performing this reset for the release of iOS 5 GM …

Discussion: BGR, PhoneArena, iPhone, Redmond Pie, How To Arena, The Next Web, Cult of Mac, TiPb, Business Insider, App Advice, Electronista and iClarified, Thanks:jakeosmith

Ina Fried / AllThingsD:

Ahead of Possible iPhone Launch, Sprint Tightens Upgrade and Return Policies — Sprint plans to do away with a program that gave longtime customers the ability to upgrade their phones as often as every year. — The company last week said it plans to kill off the Sprint Premier program …

Discussion: Business Insider and everythingiCafe

Ben Sisario / New York Times:

Facebook Is Expected to Unveil Media-Sharing Service — For cloud-based digital music services like Spotify and Rhapsody, which stream millions of songs but have struggled to sign up large numbers of paying users, being friended by Facebook could prove to be a mixed blessing.

Discussion: ZDNet, Fast Company, Daily Patricia, CNET News and Friending Facebook Blog

Matt Brian / The Next Web:

Google buys European Groupon clone, snaps up German website DailyDeal — With reports that Google's Groupon competitor Google Offers has gotten off to a slow start, the company has announced another acquisition in the Daily Deals space, snapping up German deal site DailyDeal.

Discussion: GigaOM, paidContent, The Register, PE Hub Blog, TechCrunch, Softpedia News and Ubergizmo

Jean-Louis Gassée / Monday Note:

Windows 8: BFD — Big Forking Decision — Whether we're living in a post-PC world, as many think today when they look at growth rates and profits, or it's PC-Plus, For Ever, as Microsoft's very literate chief ideologue staunchly maintains, it doesn't really matter.

Discussion: Within Windows, GottaBeMobile and Cult of Mac

Horace Dediu / asymco:
OS turning circles: Questioning Windows' maneuverability

Discussion: Technologizer

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