Comcast no longer following net neutrality principles.

Comcast should apply caps equally, or not at all.

I spent the weekend enjoying four good internet video apps on my Xbox: Netflix, HBO GO, Xfinity, and Hulu.

When I watch video on my Xbox from three of these four apps, it counts against my Comcast internet cap. When I watch through Comcast’s Xfinity app, however, it does not count against my Comcast internet cap.

For example, if I watch last night’s SNL episode on my Xbox through the Hulu app, it eats up about one gigabyte of my cap, but if I watch that same episode through the Xfinity Xbox app, it doesn’t use up my cap at all.

The same device, the same IP address, the same wifi, the same internet connection, but totally different cap treatment.

In what way is this neutral?

Net neutrality is a principle that advocates no restrictions by ISPs or governments on consumers’ access to networks that participate in the Internet.

DreamBox assesses the mathematical abilities of students and provides them with hints if they cannot figure out the answer. DreamBox provides teachers with assessment tools so that they can track the progress of children.

“DreamBox Learning has cracked the code on improving early educational outcomes for every child – regardless of zip code,” stated Doerr in a release. “Their robust math curriculum and adaptive learning technology is a game-changer, transforming education across the country.”

About 500,000 elementary students have logged in to DreamBox since fall 2010 from all 50 states. About 11 million lessons have been viewed altogether. DreamBox will be using the funds to expand their curriculum and for future product development.

[TechCrunch]

We think that $7.99 for unlimited streaming and $7.99 for unlimited DVD are both very aggressive low prices, relative to competition and to the value of the services, and they are the right place for Netflix to be in the long term. What we misjudged was how quickly to move there. We compounded the problem with our lack of explanation about the rising cost of the expansion of streaming content and steady DVD costs, so that absent that explanation, many perceived us as greedy. Finally, we announced and then retracted a separate brand for DVD. While this branding incident further dented our reputation, and caused a temporary cancellation surge, compared to our price change its impact was relatively minor. Our primary issue is many of our long-term members felt shocked by the pricing changes, and more of them have expressed that by canceling Netflix than we expected.

He also added:

Investors and members will be relieved to know we are done with pricing changes, and that at $7.99 each for streaming and DVD we can move forward for a long time.

Only about 7% of new subscribers signed up for a combined streaming and DVD plan. Less than half of all streaming subscribers also pay for the DVD-by-mail plan.

* John Doerr, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
* Carol Bartz, president and CEO, Yahoo!
* John Chambers, CEO and chairman, Cisco Systems
* Dick Costolo, CEO, Twitter
* Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO, Oracle
* Reed Hastings, CEO, NetFlix
* John Hennessy, president, Stanford University
* Steve Jobs, chairman and CEO, Apple
* Art Levinson, chairman and former CEO, Genentech
* Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google
* Steve Westly, managing partner and founder, Westly Group
* Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, president and CEO, Facebook

Netflix Launches U.S. Subscription Plan for Streaming Movies & TV Shows Over the Internet for $7.99 a Month

Company is also Increasing, by One Dollar a Month to $9.99, the Price of Popular Subscription Plan Combining Unlimited Streaming plus Unlimited DVDs

LOS GATOS, Calif., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — With its members now watching more content streamed over the Internet than on discs delivered by mail, Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) today introduced a $7.99 streaming-only subscription plan in the United States, the first time it is promoting a 100 percent streaming option in the U.S. The plan, which allows members to instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix to TVs and computers, is available now to both new and existing members.

“We are now primarily a streaming video company delivering a wide selection of TV shows and films over the Internet,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and CEO. “Today’s action reflects the tremendous customer value we’ve injected into streaming from Netflix, our initial success with a pure streaming service in Canada for $7.99 a month and what our U.S. members tell us they want.”

The company also announced that the price of its popular subscription combining unlimited movies and TV shows streamed instantly over the Internet and unlimited DVDs delivered quickly by mail, with one DVD out at a time, will increase by a dollar a month to $9.99. Prices of subscription plans allowing for more DVDs out at a time will also increase and are detailed at http://blog.netflix.com. Price changes take effect now for new sign-ups and in January for existing members.

Instantly watching movies and TV shows streamed over the Internet has become the preferred way members enjoy the Netflix service. The company recently announced that in the current quarter, which ends December 31, its members will watch more content streamed over the Internet than on DVDs and that in the same period Netflix will invest more money to license streaming content than to acquire DVDs.

Netflix members in the U.S. now have access to an ever expanding library of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly, and there are more than 200 consumer electronics devices – including the three major game consoles and scores of Blu-ray disc players, Internet-connected TVs and digital video players – capable of streaming from Netflix right to members’ TVs.

Over time, Netflix has added significantly to the streaming content available to its members. This year alone, licensing deals with NBC Universal, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, EPIX™, Relativity Media and Nu Image/Millennium Films have added a wealth of first-run theatrical films, hit TV series and movie classics to the Netflix streaming offering and have helped make streaming the most popular way to enjoy a Netflix membership.

In late September, the company introduced its service in Canada, the first availability of Netflix outside the U.S. Canadian members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV shows streamed from Netflix for C$7.99 a month. The company recently said its Canadian service has surpassed initial expectations and encouraged it to accelerate plans for further international expansion in 2011.

[SlashGear]

Agreement Includes $10 Million R&D Investment and Newly Appointed Board Members; Company Poised for Accelerated Growth as Leading Innovator of Effective E-Learning in the Classroom

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 20, 2010 — DreamBox Learning (DreamBox Learning K-3 Math), today announced that it has been acquired by a new partnership between Reed Hastings, a renowned education philanthropist and Chief Executive Officer of Netflix, Inc. and the Charter Fund, a non-profit venture capital firm (“the Fund”). The news was issued at the Education Innovation Summit being held today at Arizona State University where Mr. Hastings is speaking about emerging education enterprises and initiatives. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The DreamBox Learning agreement with Mr. Hastings and the Fund includes an additional $10 million investment that will serve to expedite the company’s aggressive growth strategy to significantly increase its footprint in U.S. schools with the development of new e-Learning content across a variety of core disciplines as well as ongoing technology advancements to the DreamBox Learning Platform.

“I have evaluated many companies in the K-12 e-Learning marketplace and DreamBox Learning clearly stood out. They have already shown strong results in a short period of time, and the DreamBox Learning Platform has the best underlying adaptive technology, giving every student the opportunity to thrive through innovative online learning,” said Mr. Hastings. “My end goal of bringing DreamBox Learning and The Charter Fund together is to fuel the movement of e-Learning and help millions of students.”

The acquisition also gives the Fund the ability to reach a broader range of students. “This investment allows us to further deliver on our commitment to help public education thrive by providing critical resources and tools to traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools and schools on a global basis,” said Kevin Hall, CEO and President of The Charter School Growth Fund.

Since the Bellevue, Washington-based company’s launch in April 2008, DreamBox Learning has released a series of effective online math products for the school and home environments, targeting young students in kindergarten through third grade. The products’ patent pending “engine” constantly assesses each student’s mathematical understanding, provides the most suitable hints and encouragement at the right pace for that child, and offers the next personally appropriate activities as subsequent choices. Teachers and parents are able to integrate DreamBox Learning products into the classroom and home to help reinforce foundational math concepts through effective, individualized instruction while kids embrace the experience as a fun and engaging adventure-style game.

The company’s first product, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, debuted in January 2009 and has since won more than 20 education and technology industry awards. In April 2009, at the prompting of teachers, DreamBox Learning released DreamBox Math Classroom, a version designed exclusively for the school environment. Earlier this month, the company released the latest version, DreamBox Learning K-3 Math, which expanded the original K-2 content to include 3rd grade, delivering a total of more than 500 core lessons and unlimited variations based on the Focal Points set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

Moving forward, Mr. Hastings will serve as DreamBox Learning Chairman of the Board. His executive role at Netflix will remain unchanged. The acquisition also brings two new additional members to DreamBox Learning’s Board of Directors, each with exceptionally deep education expertise — Kevin Hall, CEO and President of Charter School Growth Fund and John Danner, Co-Founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, and former CEO of the public firm NetGravity.
About DreamBox Learning (www.dreambox.com)

DreamBox Learning was founded in 2006 in Bellevue, Washington and acquired in April 2010 by the Charter Fund in partnership with Reed Hastings, a widely recognized educational philanthropist and CEO of Netflix, Inc. The company launched a Web-based platform and its first adventure-themed online learning product called DreamBox Learning K-2 Math in January 2009, followed by the DreamBox Math Classroom in April 2009 and DreamBox Learning K-3 Math in April 2010. The products target young students in kindergarten through third grade and are designed to reinforce and teach real math through effective, individualized instruction in an engaging and fun manner. DreamBox Learning K-3 Math is based on NCTM Focal Points, reflecting lessons taught in the classroom. More information can be found at www.dreambox.com.
About The Charter School Growth Fund

The Charter School Growth Fund is a social venture investment fund founded in 2005 to significantly increase the capacity of proven education entrepreneurs to serve more children. By providing financial resources and strategic expertise, the Charter School Growth Fund enables some of the nation’s most innovative entrepreneurs to build scalable, self-sufficient schooling organizations that provide quality educational options to thousands of underserved families in diverse communities. More information can be found at www.charterschoolgrowthfund.org.

Reed supports the Swedish government model where there is a “50% levy on the ultra-rich.”  The “ultra-rich” includes “hedge fund managers, star athletes, stunning movie stars, venture capitalists, and the chief executives of private companies.”

“The president should take advantage of our success by using our outsized earnings to pay for the needs of our nation,” stated Hastings. “Please tax me more.”  Netflix hit 10 million customers as of 3 months ago.

[via Fool/BusinessInsider]