Netflix 'Recommendations' Sure Look Like Commercials...
*By Conor White*
Netflix's newest feature may only be in the testing phase, but it's causing an uproar on social media. The streaming giant will insert "recommendations" between episodes of shows, and many critics argue these suggestions are [just commercials](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/business/media/netflix-commercials-videos-ads.html) by another name. Users complained over the weekend that promotional videos ー which can last up to 20 seconds ー were interrupting their viewing time, and some even threatened to cancel their subscriptions.
Austin Powell, managing editor at the Daily Dot, said it's a "bad look" for Netflix.
"I just want the content, I just want my show," he said Monday in an interview on Cheddar. "It's a regressive move, and I think it's indicative of a lot of other issues."
Netflix posted [less-than-stellar](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-07-16/netflix-troubles-may-have-ripple-effects-research-affiliates-ceo-says-video) second-quarter numbers in July, with new subscriber tallies [falling short](http://fortune.com/2018/07/16/netflix-stock-drops/) of expectations.
With more than 80 original series slated for release this year, Powell said this may be an act of desperation for Netflix.
"They just don't know how to market all of that content," he said. "There's literally too much for them to work with and for you to know what to watch, and so they're having to really force this onto the user in a way that's not really that pleasant."
While Netflix seems to believe viewers are having trouble discovering new content, Powell said it's a simple matter of quality, not quantity.
"To me, the real issue here is content. Netflix in 2018 hasn't had a breakout hit like 'Stranger Things' or 'Making A Murderer' and they're just trying to force this."
Still, investors seem to be shrugging off user backlash ー shares of Netflix ended a six-day losing streak and were up more than 3 percent on Monday.
For full interview, [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/new-on-netflix-commercials).
Daniel O'Brien, president and global head of enterprise at HTC America, joined Cheddar's "Closing Bell" to discuss new products and services the virtual reality brand showed off at CES 2022, including a wrist tracker — in lieu of controllers — for more accurate interactions connected to its all-in-one headset, the VIVE Focus 3. O'Brien also described a cloud-based, 5G content delivery system. "We partnered up with Lumen Technologies and from six miles away we delivered high bandwidth VR to a headset directly in the Wynn Hotel during CES," he said. "And people were able to walk around in their virtual experience through a wireless signal."
Samsung unveiled a slew of new electronics and upgraded designs at CES 2022. With a heavy focus on gaming and the future of work, the company showed off its all new Odyssey Ark, which boasts a massive 55 in. curved display designed to give users a more immersive and captivating experience. Sang Kim, SVP, Samsung Electronics joined Cheddar's Michelle Castillo to discuss the company's biggest launches as well as major trends to watch in 2022.
The UK's Information Commissioner's office is scrutinizing Facebook's parent company Meta over child safety practices linked to the Oculus headset, according to a report. The agency is looking to question the tech giant about how it's protecting children from harmful experiences in virtual reality.
Disney has secured a patent for a digital world simulator for headset-free augmented reality expected to be accessible in parks by tracking smartphones and projecting personalized 3D displays, an indication that the entertainment giant is gearing up for its entry into the metaverse.
John Deere is getting on board the autonomous vehicle craze with its own self-driving tractors. The farming and forestry equipment manufacturer made the announcement at the 2022 CES convention in Las Vegas. Jahmy Hindman, chief technology officer at John Deere, spoke to Cheddar about the shift to self-driving to agriculture and how it will help farmers produce even more food as the world's population continues to grow. "It's all about trying to do more with less in farming," he said. "Labor's already a problem on the farm, and it's only getting to be more of a problem in the future. And we really view autonomy as a way to solve that problem."
