As an avid movie fan, a Netflix account was the first app I downloaded. Any movie inside the “watch instantly” feature is accessible for streaming anytime you are connected to the internet. The Netflix App for iPad is free but you must have an account with Netflix to be able to use it. Netflix is ridiculously cheap, just $8.99 per month, and with the ability to watch movies 24/7 it is a steal when you realize that movie tickets these days are north of $10. For those unsure if Netflix is for them, there is a free trial account.
Highlights:
* Price: Free
* Netflix account is just $8.99
* If you have a Netflix account, part of your unlimited membership. Non members can start a FREE trial.
* Watch movies as often as you wish
* Pause and replay movies on your TV, computer, or iPad
* Manage your movies and order queue on your iPad
While not 1080p BlueRay quality, you cannot complain about the picture quality watching movies on your iPad with Netflix. Movies were clear and crisp when viewing on our Wi-Fi network. You can watch movies in either portrait or landscape. There is a full screen mode but users must remember the iPad is not 16:9 format so the picture does not fill the entire screen edge to edge in all directions. Installation was very simple. Setup takes less than a minute and all you need to begin is sign in with your account. The minimalist video controls allows you to rewind 30 seconds, volume controls, play and pause, and skipping to end. You can zoom into the video while tapping the screen like other Apple devices.
Other notable features included in the Netflix App worth mentioning are that the app saves the spot where you stopped watching the movie for later on. Netflix also has a user powered rating system that allows you to see other viewer ratings on movies as well as reviews. Netflix allows you to have up to 6 media devices to watch movies on. As you upgrade and replace devices, you simply can de-authorize any device you no longer with to use. It’s a great buy for the whole family allowing everyone in most families to watch what they desire instead of fighting over the remote.
The only negatives we found with this app are you really have to be connected to Wi-Fi to watch in its highest quality. While movies play when I was on the AT&T 3G Network. The movies sometimes became choppy in mid play or stopped occasionally. This was due to a signal disconnection with AT&T and not a Netflix error. Netflix adapts the movie quality to your bandwidth therefore watching movies on the cellular 3G network will reduce video quality correspondingly. There is a noticeable quality drop while watching on the 3G network when compared to the WIFI output, but the video is still clear and crisp. If you do decided to watch movies on a 3G iPad, make sure you subscribe to the $29.99 unlimited AT&T data plan. AT&T smaller plan is $14.99 only allows for 250 GB which will barely allow you to finish one movie. Also, we would recommend getting a stand if you intend to watch videos as holding the device can get tiresome after an hour or so.
