Google Photos has been backing up images and videos from social media apps by default. But going forward, it is no longer going to be business as usual as they are putting the backup feature on hold. Previously, the app would automatically upload images and videos on your iOS or…

If you have received a text message claiming to be from Netflix, and telling you that “We have a new policy in place, please visit and review today”, along with a link and, possibly, a random set of characters in parenthesis such as “(ybpldcjyop)”, it is definitely a scam, do NOT click on it! The text message may also appear to come from phone number 141-010-0001 or just 410100001, but even if it comes from another number, it is definitely a scam.

If you’ve been enjoying watching Netflix on your iPad, and your Netflix app has suddently stopped working, read on. The excellent – and free – Netflix app for the iPad allows you to instantly stream and watch both movies and television shows to your iPad, for nothing more than the cost of an $8.99/month Netflix membership. But some users are finding that after enjoying the Netflix iPad ‘Watch Instantly’ experience for a while, suddenly the ‘watch instantly’ option stops working. After selecting a show to watch, the Netflix application just hangs and hangs. After a great deal of testing, we have determined that a problem with Netflix ‘watch instantly’ is almost always caused by the same thing. Here’s how to fix it. (Bonus: We also explain what the Netflix “six digit phone service code” is.)

If you have a Netflix account, you may have received an email from them much like the one below, advising you that the rate increase that they announced some time ago is about to go into effect. You may also recall that they actually raised their rates in 2014, but existing accounts were grandfathered in for as much as two years. Here are the new prices.

Apparently some folks in the UK have bigger problems than breaking up with the EU on their minds. UK ice cream maker Cornetto has come up with Netflix “commitment rings”, to keep partners from binge watching their favourite shows unless they are together, so that one can’t commit Netflix adultery on the other. Yes, really. Because, says Cornetto, “Love should last longer than one season.”

If you are reading this article, chances are that you were trying to view a web page or other web content, and ran into an error that advised you that in order to view this web content you need to install this, or do that.

The Netflix purge where nearly 100 movies will be removed from the Netflix catalogue, including Titanic, Being John Malkovich, and Braveheart, will take place just past midnight on 12/31/13.

For all the hand-wringing about how downloading of pirated material takes up bandwidth, or even downloading programs, etc. impacts Internet use, the real bandwith glutton turns out to be streaming video. Really, when you think about it, it’s not a surprise. But even then, it was a surprise to learn that every night, between 9:00 p.m. and midnight, audio and video streaming accounts for 65% of all bandwidth use, and Netflix accounts for fully half of that! That’s right, during those hours, Netflix accounts for one-third of all Internet traffic!

A settlement over the class action lawsuit against Netflix for privacy issues, which included retaining personally identifiable data with respect to customer video renting and viewing habits, has been reached, and if you are a current or former Netflix subscriber, you may have received an email notice of the class action settlement. The email, sent from “Online DVD Class Action Administrator” has a subject of “Video Privacy Lawsuit – Current and Former Netflix Subscribers”, and goes on to tell you what your rights are with respect to the settlement, which settlement includes Netflix ‘decoupling’ your video rental and viewing data from your personal information. It also advises you that you have to opt out of the settlement in order to retain any rights you may have to sue Netflix directly over the privacy violation.

Netflix has just had a big legislative win with the Feds. The legislation, HR 2471, removes a decades-old federal restriction (part of the Video Privacy Protection Act) banning public disclosure of video rental records. This means that Netflix could share what movies and television shows you’ve viewed with your friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, etc.. HR 2471 just passed in the House, and is up for vote with the Senate.

In one of the fastest corporate about faces in history, Netflix has just announced that they will not make customers subscribe to two separate services – streaming and DVD – and they are dumping Qwikster. While many will breath a financial sigh of relief, this also leads many to wonder: “Does Netflix have any idea what the fnck it’s doing?”

Retail giant Walmart is now offering streaming video rentals right from its website. Having acquired the VUDU streaming video service last year, Wal-mart is now mainstreaming (pun intended) its streaming service by making it available front and center on the Walmart.com site.

Netflix has announced that they are raising their rates, effective for new customers immediately, while the new fees for existing customers will be effective September 1st. The rate hike is said to be necessary to reflect the increased cost of doing business, particularly with respect to postage rates for mailing DVDs. While the new prices apply to everyone, the new pricing plans will most affect those who had the unlimited streaming plus unlimited DVD plan, as Netflix is now separating the two plans, and you must pay a fee for each separately.

In a clear sign of the times, Netflix has just unveiled a new monthly plan in which you don’t get any DVDs at all. While this may sound like a page out of The Onion or other satire rag, we promise you that it’s true. The new Netflix “Watch Instantly Unlimited” (only) plan is a nod to the many Netflix customers who now only watch Netflix via real-time streaming, such as to an iPad or a Netflix set-top device, and don’t check out DVDs at all.