Netflix rolls out game-like interface to recommend movies and shows. June 28, 2013 6:53 AM PDT (Credit: Netflix) Thought you were excited about "Grand Theft Auto V," PS3 users? Netflix is introducing PlayStation 3 users Friday to Max, an interface that recommends movies and television shows based on past viewing and a quick game-like interaction. Netflix gave demos of the feature at the E3 conference earlier this month. Max, which the online video company somewhat troublingly calls the "child of Siri and HAL 9000," asks a few questions about the user's mood and tastes to bring up a suggestion, which is also based on the same algorithms that Netflix has always relied on to recommend content. Sometimes, the features will ask one simple question personalized to the user -- "Monkeys or UFOs?" -- to generate a suggestion, and other times it'll proffer a "mystery" recommendation that will start streaming automatically once a user clicks on a wrapped gift-box icon. PS3 is the most popular way Netflix users funnel the site's content onto a TV. The company it will expand Max to other devices, like iPad first, if usage and key metrics on PS3 -- like much do members stream and do they stay subscribers -- warrant it. Netflix says Max is simply a more conversational way to get members to stream. While it has a "ratings game," in which a subscriber can pick a genre and then assign a star-ranking to a few titles, Netflix spokesman said the program isn't meant as a play to get more user ratings engagement. The feature should be available to almost all Netflix members in the U.S. who use a PS3 by the end of day Friday.
Netflix rolls out game-like interface to recommend movies and shows.
Thought you were excited about "Grand Theft Auto V," PS3 users?
Netflix is introducing PlayStation 3 users Friday to Max, an interface that recommends movies and television shows based on past viewing and a quick game-like interaction. Netflix gave demos of the feature at the E3 conference earlier this month.
Max, which the online video company somewhat troublingly calls the "child of Siri and HAL 9000," asks a few questions about the user's mood and tastes to bring up a suggestion, which is also based on the same algorithms that Netflix has always relied on to recommend content.
Sometimes, the features will ask one simple question personalized to the user -- "Monkeys or UFOs?" -- to generate a suggestion, and other times it'll proffer a "mystery" recommendation that will start streaming automatically once a user clicks on a wrapped gift-box icon.
PS3 is the most popular way Netflix users funnel the site's content onto a TV. The company it will expand Max to other devices, like iPad first, if usage and key metrics on PS3 -- like much do members stream and do they stay subscribers -- warrant it.
Netflix says Max is simply a more conversational way to get members to stream. While it has a "ratings game," in which a subscriber can pick a genre and then assign a star-ranking to a few titles, Netflix spokesman said the program isn't meant as a play to get more user ratings engagement.
The feature should be available to almost all Netflix members in the U.S. who use a PS3 by the end of day Friday.
