Netflix is going to be removing the ability to have numerous “profiles” within your account. If you were unaware, User “Wife” could have her own queue as could “Husband”, and they could get a certain amount of DVD’s allocated to each profile per month.

As of Sepember 1st, 2008, these separate queues will no longer be available:

We wanted to let you know we will be eliminating Profiles, the feature that allowed you to set up separate DVD Queues under one account, effective September 1, 2008.

It looks like the folks at Netflix underestimated just how large the demand was for streaming movies directly to your home. According to multiple reports, the Roku set-top box that Netflix recently promoted has alread sold out.

California based Netflix is pushing Roku hard to produce more boxes quickly to appease anxious consumers. This is just step one in a plan to move Netflix’s rental service predominately online by 2010. They are currently working hard with DVD manufacturers and video game systems (XBox 360 perhaps?) to increase their distribution.

Floating through the blogosphere the other day and I came across a unique story from Silicon Valley Insider about Mahalo founder Jason Calacanis playing in a poker game at the D6 Conference. While the story focuses in on him using Twitter during the game, there was one minor note that caught my attention. Here is what he wrote on his twitter at 2am:

Rumor/prediction at D poker table: netflix to get bought by apple or msft. Thinking is 2m customers to boost online/offline movie service

Greencine is one of the more popular DVD rental services out there for hardcore movie buffs. They have a ton of independent and foreign films that include some extremely hard to find cult classics. We’re a member there right now and love spending an hour or two finding obscure titles that are exclusive to them.

One of the biggest gripes about Greencine however is that they don’t offer a free trial. When we try to tell friends about their service, they always balk at the fact they can’t try them out and see for themselves. Well that’s changed, as we worked out a deal with them to offer a 14-day free trial to new members. This trial is not available to you by going directly to their website. Below is the link to the free trial:

As the movie world slowly shifts from mail order rentals to streaming, Netflix has taken the first step in streaming directly to television screens with the release of a set-top box. The new player which is made by Roku, is 5 inches by 5 inches and retails for $99. Users can hook it up directly to a high speed connection or purchase a wireless signal for an additional charge.

The rumor mill is running rampant today as word this afternoon is that Best Buy may be interested in buying Netflix for $44 a share. The move comes on the heals of speculation that Blockbuster may purchase electronics chain Circuit City.

Compliments of the folks at the Netflix Community Blog, Netflix has added a tab at the top of your queue to the “Play Instantly” movies and TV shows you have. It’s a nice tough to the site and makes it a little easier to see what movies you can avoid having shipped and just watch online. We’d like to see a feature in the future that lets users mark a title as “Instant View Only” which would queue it in your instant selections, but not mail it out to you. I find myself occasionally coming up to a title that can be viewed online and realizing they just mailed it out to me. Kind of feels like a waste of a movie.

Move aside HBO, Showtime, and Starz!, Blockbuster is currently in talks with Viacom to start it’s own premium channel. The move would involve Blockbuster investing in a partnership with Viacom in return for the digital rights to the new channel.

The network which is expected to debut in the fall of 2009, would mix movies and television shows from Paramount, MGM, and Lions Gate. Currently those studios have an agreement with CBS owned Showtime, but talks have stalled on renewing that deal.

After a tough first quarter financially, DVD rental giant Netflix has announced that it will be raising monthly membership fees for those renting Blu-Ray discs. Currently there is no extra charge for renting Blu-Ray as opposed to the standard definition DVDs. The move is not entirely unexpected as the increase in Blu-Ray players in households coupled with the higher cost of the high-definition discs has risen

On Monday, Netflix announced that they will soon be partnering with three companies that will help bring movies from the web to your TV. Netflix refused to comment on the names of these companies but did state the deals were similar to one that was made with LG awhile back. CEO Reed Hastings acknowledged that two of the companies were well-known to the public and that the full disclosure would take place sometime around the 4th quarter of the year.

The hottest rumors have all centered around Microsoft and their Xbox