Indispensable iOS App: Netflix

It was 2001 that Steve Jobs announced the original iPod with "1,000 songs in your pocket". At the time, that was very impressive. Prior to the MP3 player, we all walked around with the Sony Walkman (I loved the 80's!). This solved a problem for music lovers (no more lugging around CDs with us).

Fast forward about 10 years, and a small company Los Gatos, California announced a similar concept, only instead of music, they offered movies and TV shows, and instead of hardware, they offered an app.

Netflix has been offering streaming multimedia content since 1997. As with Apple and the iPod, Netflix solved a problem... on one hand we want to be ultra-portable. On the other hand, we want to consume content whenever and wherever we are, without having to lug around DVDs or store movie files on external hard drives.

In my circle of influence, I would say that 9 out of 10 people have, use and love Netflix. That's a pretty staggering number. What makes Netflix (and services like Netflix) valuable is their iOS app. This app (free, with paid subscription) is the window to their massive online library of content. Netflix (along with other services like Hulu, iTunes, etc) has really enabled those (like myself) who want to become "cord-cutters" (meaning no traditional cable service).

As you would expect, the Netflix iOS app is easy to use, and navigate. You are able to browse by category, genre, time-period, etc. The search feature makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for.

What's really nice about their app is that if you begin watching a movie on your Apple TV, you can pick up your iOS device and continue right where you left off.

Netflix is especially great for those who travel. It's a great companion when you're ready for a little downtime in the evening. For this, and many other reasons, it's one of my highly-recommended and indispensable iOS apps.

Posted on March 14, 2014 and filed under iOS, iPad, iPhone, Opinion, Mac.