Netflix API open to all: let the developing begin

Good news, developers of the world -- the Netflix API will be open to all starting tomorrow. As of October 1st, absolutely anyone can self-signup by visiting the read link, and while details are a tad sketchy at the moment, it sounds like this could hold some serious promise. The API itself allows access to data for 100,000 movie and TV episode titles, is completely free and (most importantly) allows commercial use. In other words, it's kosher if a bright developer out there somewhere feels like "creating an iPhone app to sell for $0.99 (Netflix's words, not ours)." On the technical side, the API includes a REST API, Javascript API and ATOM feeds, and it also uses OAuth standard security "to allow the subscriber to control which applications can access the service on his or her behalf." It's time to get creative, folks.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 8:14PM]

This sounds too good to be true...Any word on ridiculsly consealed catches?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 8:35PM]

username and password???

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 8:52PM]

Note the reference that you'll need to wait until October 1st for it to be active.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 8:57PM]

Reading - so over rated :-P

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 9:01PM]

"In other words, it's kosher if a bright developer out there somewhere feels like 'creating an iPhone app to sell for $0.99 (Netflix's words, not ours).' "

Yea right! Like Apple would allow that to be sold in the app store. They'd get shot down for "duplication of functionality" in record time.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 9:25PM]

Sweet! vmcNetflix is already a solid program. I can image what will be possible after this goes live. Hell, I may even have to play around with this API and see what's what.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 30th 2008 9:27PM]

Like the 3 netflix apps that are already in the store?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 1st 2008 2:22PM]

does this mean i'll be watching netflix on my ps3 soon, or am i misinterpreting what this means??

[Slarity Posted Oct 1st 2008 9:46AM]

That would be nice, Im getting tired of hooking the laptop up to the tv all the time i want to use it.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 1st 2008 1:24PM]

You can already do this on PS3, Xbox, Popcorn Hour, and more using MediaMall's Playon (I'm not sure why Engadget hasn't covered this yet). I have it running on a popcorn hour, it was dead simple to install/setup, and it's great. You can see it on action on the popcorn hour on metacafe and youtube, just search for Real HT Info.

Marshall
The Real HT Info Podcast

[MiggityMikeB Posted Oct 1st 2008 12:38AM]

Streaming Netflix on my XBMC Xbox! Hooray!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 1st 2008 12:55PM]

i think the answer to my own question is no. I am downgrading this from a "WOOT!!" to a "meh"

"The Netflix Web APIs provide the ability for you to integrate Netflix user services into your application. The APIs provide the following capabilities:

* Performing searches of movies, TV series, cast members, and directors
* Retrieving catalog titles, including details about the title such as name, box art, director, cast, etc.
* Determining the subscriber's relationship to a specific title, e.g, in queue, saved, available on DVD, etc.
* Managing and displaying queues for users
* Providing conveniences such as auto-completion of partial search terms typed by a user.
* Displaying a user's ratings and reviews.
* Including functional Add and Play buttons in your web application."

the last one sounds promising, but i think that just means that if you could otherwise play the content on the specific machine/browser, you can now integrate into your onw wbepage/app...or something like that