Netflix and AMC sign expanded deal, includes ‘The Walking Dead’

By Mike Flacy October 7, 2011

the-walking-dead — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Announced by AMC Networks and Netflix Inc. earlier today, the partnership between the two companies has expanded to include more AMC shows, including exclusive access to the modern-day zombie survival tale The Walking Dead. The entire first season of The Walking Dead is currently available on Netflix’s streaming video service and future seasons will become available shortly prior to the airing of the following season. For instance, the second season of the series will become available to Netflix users in 2012 right before the third season airs. Users that prefer to watch the second season of the series this year will have to tune into AMC next week for the premiere or purchase the episodes on services like iTunes or Amazon for a premium cost.

In addition to The Walking Dead, Netflix has gained non-exclusive streaming rights to provide a variety of AMC-owned properties such as IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv content to subscribers. Programming includes WE tv’s Bridezillas, My Fair Wedding and Braxton Family Values as well as IFC’s Portlandia and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. Sundance Channel’s provided programming includes All On The Line with Joe Zee and Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys. Since July, Netflix has been home to all four seasons of AMC’s Mad Men and seasons one through three of AMC’s Breaking Bad have been available on Netflix since mid-September.

Netflix has been on a barrage of content related announcements as of late. During late September, Netflix announced an expanded deal with the Discovery Channel bringing previous seasons of shows like Man vs. Wild, Say Yes to the Dress, and River Monsters to subscribers. Netflix also signed a deal with Dreamworks during September that secures exclusive rights to DreamWorks’s films and TV specials, but won’t kick in for subscribers until 2013. Netflix’s content library has also received a bump in early October from NBC Universal as the most recent seasons of The Office, 30 Rock, Psych and other popular shows came available for online streaming.

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The Moto Buds in Forest Gray.

Three new phones under the Edge 50 branding weren't enough for Motorola this week. The venerable manufacturer also dropped a pair of earbuds to go along with the new Android fare.

The main contenders for North America will be the Moto Buds+, which are available now for $129 in the U.S., and $179 in Canada. They look as you'd expect wireless earbuds to look; that's worth mentioning because Moto had some wood-clad phones in its drop this week. They're sleek and stylish and apparently available here only in Forest Gray, though press images show other colors, too. (More's the pity -- those other colors look slick.)

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People watching sports on the 50-inch Vizio V-Series 4K TV.

Walmart is frequently the home of some of the best TV deals around with the retailer being particularly great right now. It’s currently hosting a clearance sale on Vizio TVs with many models on sale ranging from HDTVs up to feature-rich 4K TVs. If you’re looking to buy a new TV, you need to check out this sale. Hit the button below to check it out for yourself or keep reading while we take you through some of our favorite highlights.

What to shop for in the Walmart Vizio TV sale
Vizio is one of the best TV brands for variety and this sale shows how varied it is. One TV that we instantly gravitate towards is the It usually costs $628 but it’s currently $100 off so it costs just $528. The instant highlight is the large screen but it’s packed with features too. It has Dolby Vision Bright Mode for more lifelike accuracy, color saturation, black detail, and brightness. There’s a full array backlight to ensure LEDs are evenly distributed across the backlight, while active pixel tuning provides intelligent pixel-level adjustments that tune the contrast levels frame by frame in over 2,000 zones. An IQ Active Processor ensures excellent 4K upscaling while the V-Gaming Engine ensures you get the optimal gaming experience automatically with sub 10ms input lag, variable refresh rates, and a finely tuned picture mode. It’s sure to be the best TV for many people.

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Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds are next-level sleep aids to block out noise

Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds worn while sleeping on side

If you had asked me years ago what kind of earbuds I'd be wearing while I sleep, I would have called you crazy. To sleep, I need silence, and anytime someone has a TV or tablet on or makes any noise, it makes me restless. With two kids and a wife who are all loud sleepers, it's safe to say I often have trouble sleeping. Believe it or not, there are earbuds for that. Anker's Soundcore Sleep A20 TWS earbuds, for example, are the second generation of its sleep-aid product. They're specifically designed to be worn while you sleep, thanks to a sleek form factor that doesn't protrude out of your ears or create discomfort while resting your pretty little head -- they're meant for side sleepers.

They also purportedly offer much more substantial snoring reduction than the previous generation via soft ear tips and ear wings that help block out ambient noise. If you like a little background audio, they pair with a mobile device that’s using the Soundcore app and allow you to play sound effects to serenade your slumber. A 4-point noise masking system uses not just the twin-seal ear tips and wings but also masking sounds and smart volume controls to drown out distracting noises. If you snore or your partner snores, it won't wake you up anymore as long as you're wearing these.