Why I Might Just Re-Subscribe to Netflix (Hint: XBOX 360)

I was never a movie person.  Well, I don't mean it that way, in the sense that I never watched movies or didn't enjoy them - in fact - I enjoy movies immensely.

What I do mean is that in my "adult" life (when THAT started still remains subjective) I have spent relatively little time actually carving out a few hours on a regular basis to watch movies... until now.  The extent of my movie-watching experience usually extended to dates in theaters, which as you can imagine, didn't lead to me watching the movies I REALLY wanted to watch anyway.

Now, my life has settled down considerably, and I've learned the value of just chilling out with either a new adventure or a classic favorite.  Which brings me to my hugest problem... I just don't have a lot of movies.  I've collected a few of my must-haves on DVD, but my available selection is severely lacking.  Like the wimpy nerdy kid who was always picked last for kickball, my collection simply can't go the distance. 

In addition, this new found desire of mine has been ill-timed with another event; my canceling of my Netflix service.  I did this out of a want to save money, of course, but the anticipation of getting shiny new discs delivered to my doorstep is starting to become too hard to ignore.  But, there's a few new features of Netflix that just may make me pull the trigger.

Finally, A Mac "Instant Watch" Netflix Client

Why did it take so long, people?  One of the main reasons I put the kabosh on my recurring monthly payment was the lack of a Mac instant watch client.  I understand that us Mac people are a small portion of your business, but I was sad.  No longer, as through the magic of Microsoft Silverlight (shudder) I could now watch Netflix digital movies through my Mac if I wanted to.

An iPhone Queue Management Application

I heard recently about an independent iPhone app called PhoneFlix that lets you manage your queue on the move.  Even if it's simple and stripped down, I don't care... all I need is the ability to add a movie on the go, during a hurried conversation or a side mention while waiting in line somewhere, so I don't forget.  No more "hey what was that movie you wanted to add again honey?"  

Netflix Streaming to XBOX 360

This is the clincher for me, or at least, the near-clincher.  Apparently, XBOX 360 Gold subscribers with Netflix accounts will have access to the "Instant Watch" movies right on their television, courtesy of the XBOX 360.  It should get rolled out with the launch of the new XBOX Dashboard, around November 19th.  This works perfectly for me, requiring no extra work or equipment.  The only downside, of course, is that I would have to pay for a Gold subscription... resulting, in essence, with a "double charge."  That's assuming I would only subscribe to Gold for the Netflix option... but I may be able to justify it through other means.

Conclusion

Overall, I think that Netflix is a pretty inexpensive way to entertain yourself, given that you can get a 1 DVD unlimited plan for under nine bucks, which also includes unlimited instant watch access.  Costs about as much as one lunch I had at Quizno's last week, and I won't have to waste gas driving to the video store.  In addition, I'd get the opportunity to stream to my 360, ending my need to tote my laptop around whenever I want to watch a new digital movie.  Sounds like a deal, if you ask me :)