Netflix launches a way to make and share mixtapes of your favorite shows
I'd start with a little Arrested Development, into a block of 30 Rock, followed by a few choice Parks and Recreation episodes, finished by only the most depressing episodes of Bojack Horseman.
Netflix announced on Friday that it has launched Flixtape, a way to make playlists on its streaming video service.
"Flixtape is a short playlist of Netflix titles based around a theme, a mood, or message. It’s like a mixtape, but for Netflix," the company noted on its website.
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Users start off by naming their Flixtape, then editing to include up to six titles. To finalize it, users add a customizable cover "with doodles that match just about any theme." You can then share the Flixtape on Twitter or Facebook, as well as over email and text.
The service will also suggest titles based on what you name your Flixtape. I tried "funny stuff," and Netflix suggested a Bill Burr standup, The Princess Bride and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Suggestions are (thankfully) removable.
It appears that for now only entire titles can be added, not particular episodes or clips.
Netflix also has a variety of pre-made Flixtapes to choose from.
It's a fun and slightly ingenious tool that should help Netflix continue to refine the data it uses to suggest titles.
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Netflix has been refining how it suggests content to users for years, having overhauled the system in February. Previously, the system had been primarily about where you watch and less about what you watch.
Netflix is now pushing harder to suggest content based on what you already watch, which is harder than it sounds.
Now, with Flixtapes creating a way to simply tell Netflix that if I like Arrested Development that I'm probably going to like 30 Rock, it could get a lot easier.
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Topics Netflix
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
