Games and entertainment

Netflix is planning to expand the availability of its streaming service to the U.K. and Ireland in early 2012, the company announced today.

Consumers who access Netflix will be able to stream both movies and television shows from the service, though the company has stopped short of providing information on its library. Netflix has also not commented on which devices will support its streaming service in those countries, but it did assure customers that it will be available on computers, mobile devices, and products that connect to their televisions.

Netflix's plans to expand to the U.K. and … Read more

Hulu Plus will be arriving on the Nintendo Wii and 3DS by the end of the year, the game company announced today.

As with other Hulu Plus integrations, Wii and 3DS owners will be able to access the streaming company's entire library of movies and television shows, including "Modern Family" and "Battlestar Galactica." In order to watch Hulu Plus content from the devices, users will need to pay the $7.99-per-month fee required to access the service.

The addition of Hulu Plus to the 3DS comes just a few months after Nintendo announced that Netflix's streaming service would be made available to the portable's owners. Both integrations are part of a broader strategy on Nintendo's part to bring more consumers into the 3DS fold.… Read more

Amazon's Prime Instant Video streaming service is growing again, thanks to a deal the e-commerce giant has struck with Public Broadcasting Service.

According to Amazon, over 1,000 episodes from PBS' popular shows, including "Nova," "Masterpiece," and "Antiques Roadshow," will be available to the service's users. In addition, Ken Burns documentaries "The Civil War," "Baseball," and others will also come to the streaming service. Folks who watch PBS' news programs, "Frontline" and "Washington Week," will be able to watch the latest episodes the day … Read more

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement that discouraged electronic media use by children under the age of 2. Today, the same group is releasing a follow-up statement that not only maintains its previous recommendations, but backs them up with a great deal of data to boot.

In 1999, as display screens were making their way into parents' and children's bedrooms alike, the pediatricians had limited data with which to work. But they had something of an expert hunch that kids younger than 2 reaped more negative than positive effects from media exposure.

In today's … Read more

A new service called Vdio will join the growing number of companies with sights set on Netflix's streaming service, the company confirmed to CNET today. And the person behind the company is none other than Skype and Kazaa co-founder Janus Friis.

In a statement to CNET today, Vdio Senior Vice President of Operations Scott Barrow, confirmed that Vdio will "let you instantly watch the best in TV and movies, right now." The spokesman said that the service is "currently in closed beta" and will initially only be available in the U.K. The service's … Read more

An overwhelming number of American children between the ages of 2 and 17 are playing video games, a new study released today by the NPD Group has found.

According to the research firm, 91 percent of kids between 2 and 17, or about 64 million people, are playing video games, up 9 percentage points compared to 2009.

NPD says that the growth has been measured across the market, but the strongest gains have come from kids between the ages of 2 and 5, which have increased their "gaming incidence" 17 percentage points since 2009. Females and teens between … Read more

The popular Mafia Wars franchise, which has entertained millions and annoyed just as many, has a new addition.

Dubbed Mafia Wars 2, the sequel to the popular game from social-gaming company Zynga, is debuting today in 16 languages, including Italian, French, and German, in addition to English. Once they sign up for the title, Facebook gamers around the globe will be able to "rise up, get revenge, and build the largest crime empire the world has ever seen."

According to Zynga, players will take the role of a person who has just left prison, and welcomed back to … Read more

As Hulu executives determine the proper direction for the future of their company, the firm that was first to show interest in acquiring the streaming-video provider has withdrawn from the race, a new report claims.

Currently, Hulu's board of directors is mulling bids from Dish Network, Amazon, and Google, The Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing anonymous sources. However, Yahoo, which first met with Hulu to discuss a possible acquisition, has backed out of trying to acquire the firm as it prepares to potentially sell off its own company.

With Yahoo out of the way, it appears Dish Network … Read more

Netflix has expanded its partnership with AMC Networks to bring many more shows to its streaming service.

The companies today announced that they have inked a multiyear agreement that delivers AMC hit "The Walking Dead" to Netflix. In addition, content from AMC's other networks, including IFC and the Sundance Channel, are also available on Netflix, thanks to the deal.

However, as with other deals Netflix has signed with television networks, there are some stipulations in this latest agreement. According to the companies, new seasons of "The Walking Dead," as well as "certain future AMC … Read more