geekosystem

According to a recent report by computer security company McAfee, Mac OS X and iOS may become juicier targets for cybercriminals in 2011. Per the report, more and more companies and consumers are using Apple computers and mobile devices, making them more attractive for people looking to cause widespread problems. Not only is Apple's presence in mobile technology huge and growing, but users regularly (and proudly) broadcast their allegiance to Apple devices via social media, making them even more susceptible to hackers targeting Apple's operating systems.

Yesterday, The Consumerist talked with the Vice President of Netflix Corporate Communications, Steve Swasey, and asked him if Netflix would ever consider offering video games by mail, as its biggest rival Blockbuster seems to be considering. Swasey answered in the negative:

Video games are a different economic model than movies and TV episodes, on which Netflix concentrates to provide the greatest convenience, selection and value to consumers... Movies are perennial. A great movie from 1972 is still a great movie but who wants to play Madden '95?

So... you're backing up your claim that video games are not perennial by bringing up a franchise that is released yearly? Of course the Madden games aren't perennial! I don't imagine many people have Dr. Jekyll y el Hombre Lobo (1972) in their queues, and I'm sure Netflix has a correspondingly low number of discs in stock. We're not asking you to keep a billion copies of Madden '95, just maybe some of Warcraft III, or Smash Bros Brawl, or Ico. Setting aside the poor argument Swasey presents, here's why Netflix should seriously consider getting into video game rental: It is estimated that Netflix will gain 2 million new subscribers from consoles alone in the next year. That's half of their projected subscriber growth for 2010.

First, Google whittles away at IE6; now, Microsoft itself is cutting off original XBox owners from XBox Live, effective April 15th. Is no 2001 Microsoft release sacred?