YouTube Rolls Out Movie Rentals In The UK

Jordan Crook studied English Literature at New York University before entering the tech space. Prior to joining TechCrunch, Crook dabbled in mobile marketing and mobile apps as well as doing device reviews for MobileMarketer and MobileBurn. Crook is fascinated with alternative energy production and greentech. She is now a writer for CrunchGear. ? Learn More

YouTube today delivered its movie rental service to UK customers, making it the third country to gain access to the service. Both Canada and the U.S. have enjoyed YouTube movie rentals for a while now. At this point there’s plenty to choose from, with over 1,000 different titles ranging from blockbusters to indie films.

Each rental will last 48 hours, and cost between £2.49 (USD $3.87) to £3.49 (USD $5.42). Users can access their rented videos from any computer as long as they’re signed in to their YouTube account, along with Google TV, any Honeycomb-powered Android tablet and select Android smartphones.

Here’s what YouTube had to say about it in a blog post:

We’ve got some cracking films to keep everyone entertained through the upcoming winter months and beyond. From blockbusters like The Dark Knight and Reservoir Dogs, to new releases such as Hanna, Fast Five, and Red Riding Hood, and even British classics like Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Sounds like a nice rounded-out collection to choose from, and it doesn’t stop there. The service has partnered with studios such as Universal, Lionsgate, Entertainment One along with independent British film makers such as Metrodome and Revolver Entertainment.

YouTube was founded in 2005 by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim, who were all early employees of PayPal. YouTube is the leader in online video, sharing original videos worldwide through a Web experience. YouTube allows people to easily upload and share video clips across the Internet through websites, mobile devices, blogs, and email. Everyone can watch videos on YouTube. People can see first-hand accounts of current events, find videos about their hobbies and interests, and discover the quirky...

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Sphero Sports New Body, Rolls Closer To Official Release

Chris Velazco is a mobile enthusiast and writer who studied English and Marketing at Rutgers University. Once upon a time, he was the news intern for MobileCrunch, and in between posts, he worked in wireless sales at Best Buy. After graduating, he returned to the new TechCrunch to as a full-time mobile writer. He counts advertising, running, musical theater,... ? Learn More

Orbotix has spent the last few months hustling, and it shows: they landed a $5 million dollar Series B investment in April, and now they have made it known that fans won’t have to wait much longer to purchase their robotic balls.

That’s right, robotic balls. For the unfamiliar, the Colorado-based company has been hard at work on the Sphero, a small robotic ball that can be controlled via smartphone. The applications for a controllable ball may seem a bit limited, but Orbotix fancies itself as creating a “mixed-reality” experience where games take place both on the phone and in the real world.

The final Sphero production design differs a bit from what we’ve seen in the past, with a slightly different, translucent white chassis replacing the original. Spheros will also ship with a nifty induction charger: just drop the ball in the dock in between rounds of office golf and you’ll be golden.

While the $130 price tag may elevate the Sphero out of “impulse buy” status, the inclusion of an open API means that people can develop new games and applications that take advantage of the Sphero hardware. If the concept of a hackable robo-ball piques your interest, the Sphero is currently up for pre-order, but those of you on the fence can watch our hands-on video from CES and imagine the fun.

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PSA: Netflix Price Hike Rolls Out Today

Matt is currently working as a writer for CrunchGear. Matt Burns is a family man first and attempts to be a freelance writer second. Born and raised in the heart of the automotive world, only cars eclipse his love of gadgets. He previously wrote for Engadget and EngadgetHD before moving into the party house that is CrunchGear. He learned the... ? Learn More

Netflix adjusted its pricing back in July. The new two-plan system started immediately for new subscribers with current subs having until today, September 1st, to opt out of the higher-priced plans before they’re charged 60% more.

The good news, in case you forgot like, is that as Hacking Netflix points out, it really doesn’t hit current customers until their first billing date after September 1st. This of course means more procrastination!

It only takes a few seconds to determine your billing date. Jump over to Netflix, sign in and click the link in the top right corner labeled Your Account & Help. The top most section should have your billing date listed. In case you’re still raging from the price increase, this screen will allow you to give Netflix the finger and cancel your account entirely or drop down to a lower-priced option.

Netflix claimed that the 60% price increase was required to keep the DVD rental side of the business profitable. The company also internally separated streaming and DVD into their own divisions for better management and growth. Hopefully this change, along with the increase in price, will allow Netflix to grow and expand the streaming library. I’m getting rather tired of watching the same Power Rangers episodes over and over again.

With more than 23.3 million members in the United States and Canada, Netflix, Inc. is the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. For $7.99...

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