Netflix's streaming-video audience of more than 20 million subscribers has led many to label it a kind of digital TV network, and one that may grow into an HBO rival - if it's not already.

Netflix's streaming-video audience of more than 20 million subscribers has led many to label it a kind of digital TV network, and one that may grow into an HBO rival - if it's not already.

LOS GATOS, Calif. - Netflix Inc. will start showing movies and TV episodes over the Internet this week, providing its subscribers with more instant gratification as the DVD-by-mail service prepares for a looming technology shift threatening its survival.

Netflix, the largest online DVD rental service, is opening a distribution center in Tempe to provide faster delivery of DVDs to its Valley subscribers. With the official opening today of the shipping center at 2727 W. Baseline Road the company will be able to mail DVD movies to area subscribers overnight instead of two to three days, said Chief Executive Reed Hastings.

SAN FRANCISCO - DVD-by-mail service Netflix Inc. will begin delivering movies and other programming directly to televisions later this year through a set-top box that will pipe entertainment over a high-speed Internet connection.

SAN FRANCISCO - Manuel Villanueva realizes he has been getting a pretty good deal since he signed up for Netflix Inc.'s online DVD rental service 2 1/2 years ago, but he still feels shortchanged.

Nerdvana: Nintendo and Netflix announced Wednesday that customers of the online rental giant will be able to stream movies directly to their television sets through Wii consoles starting this spring.

One of the biggest video game publicity events is happening this week at the E3 Media & Business Summit in Los Angeles. That means lots of gaming news, updates and a sick amount of eye candy.

LOS ANGELES - Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console will be able to stream thousands of movies over the Internet, thanks to a deal with Netflix.

Grab your lawn chair and economy-sized package of Huggies: “Raising Arizona” is coming home. The 1987 screwball comedy is part of the 2006 Netflix Rolling Roadshow.

October 1, 2004

Blockbuster has decided to go head-to-head with Netflix in the $280 million online video subscription business. The Dallas-based video store chain has launched its own Blockbuster-branded DVD rent-by-mail service to compete with industry pioneer Netflix.

NEW YORK - Netflix Inc. has come up with another way to get movies to people without sending DVDs in the mail.

SAN FRANCISCO - Home entertainment trendsetters Netflix Inc. and TiVo Inc. are finally joining forces to deliver more movies and old TV episodes to their mutual subscribers, consummating a relationship that was supposed to come together four years ago.