By: Nick Gambino
Netflix is mainly known for their streaming platform and the plethora of movies, TV shows and comedy specials that you can access and watch with the simple tap of a finger.
But it wasn’t too long ago that Netflix was a promising mail DVD service that was giving Blockbuster a run for its money. For only a few bucks a month you could have either 1 or 3 DVDs shipped to you at a time from a collection that seemed endless. This is the backbone on which the media giant was built before they transitioned into streaming.
Now that Netflix is synonymous with instant viewing and chilling, you might think the DVD service received the unceremonious boot. But this is not the case. In fact, there are still 4 million subscribers to the service. Including myself.
Though I have Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz and anything else you can think of, there are still those movies that you can’t find on any streaming platform. And as I have a strict no pirating policy, I refuse to find other shadier means to watch my favorite movies.
For a mere $7.99 a month I have access to Netflix’s endless supply of DVDs. That’s only a couple dollars more than renting one title through Amazon or Vudu. And those expire after a day or two.
While there were signs that Netflix was slowly trying to extinguish the service when they removed the DVD manager feature from the app a few years back, it no longer seems this is the case. In January they released a dedicated Netflix DVD app for iOS that allows you to manage your DVD queue right from your phone.
And now, doubling down on that move, they’ve released the Android version of the app. You can browse and search for any title that tickles your fancy from brand-new to classic fare from long ago. Adding titles to your queue is as easy as hitting the little “Add” icon. Within the queue itself, you can re-order titles easier than you can through your browser.
With effort and attention placed on the DVD service with its own easy-to-use app, I have a feeling it’s here to stay. And that’s good news (for me).
You can download the DVD Netflix app from the Google Play Store.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Gambino is a regular script writer and tech beat reporter for NewsWatch. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and daughter.
