Latest news with #ElizabethStone
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Secret codes and shortcuts: 15 ways to use Netflix like a pro
Netflix is the UK's favourite streaming service – around three in five households have a subscription, as of the start of the year. It's all grown up – offering ads, sports, video games and live programming – but it's basically looked the same since launch while all its rivals caught up. So, the streamer is launching a full redesign on May 19. The current set-up was built for streaming shows and movies, according to Eunice Kim, the company's chief product officer, but the new look is supposed to be more flexible. There's more on-screen information about each programme, the navigation buttons have slid from the left-hand panel to a row at the top of your screen and the recommendations – it is claimed – will get better at responding to what viewers want. The new recommendations 'will pull in more signals' chief technology officer Elizabeth Stone told Vulture – including noting which shows you give a thumbs up to, which trailers you watch and which actors or genres you search for. Previously, it might take 24 hours for the recommendations algorithm to adapt to this info. It's now going to be faster. Which is welcome news for those of us who flop in front of Netflix almost every day and are starting to find it a bit annoying. The recommendations can be way off beam, despite all the tech sucking up our data. The algorithm often seems to show us whatever it is the company spent the most money on recently. And why is it always trying to persuade us to play mobile solitaire, watch the wrestling or tell us what it deems binge worthy? But you don't need the new interface to take back control of your viewing. There is so much more to the streamer's library than what's visible when you log in. At best, you're being shown the tip of the programming iceberg stored in the system. Unless, that is, you take positive action including one or two things Netflix absolutely disapproves of. So: here are our tips for using Netflix like a pro. 1. Netflix secret codes Watch on your laptop using a browser to use Netflix's own numeric genre codes. These can be incredibly specific. The code for comedy is 6548, but there are separate codes for musical comedies, dark comedies, political comedies, satire, screwball, slapstick and on and on. There are some 36,000 codes including a lengthy list of movie genres including Deep Sea Horror Movies (45028), Witchcraft and the Dark Arts (81552046) and Feel-good Sports Movies for Ages 8 to 10 (855). There are even codes for 90 Minute Movies (81466194) and Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon (81614959). Netflix adds to this list all the time – recently Jools Lebron curated a Very Demure, Very Mindful selection (81931239). All are listed at sites like or Type into your browser, where XYZ is the code of your chosen genre, and discover titles like slasher flick The Revenge of Robert the Doll, alien horror sex comedy Spaced Out and the appropriately named MILF. 2. Use the codes on your phone You can't search for any codes from within the app, but if you find a show/film/documentary deep in the Netflix basement using your laptop, just add it to My List for later viewing. 3. Pick the right browser
CNET
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Gemini Is Coming to Google TV to Help You Find Your Next Binge
We've all been there: aimlessly searching through Netflix or Hulu for something, anything, to watch. Instead, we spend as much time sifting through titles as it would take to just pick and finish an episode. But fear not: AI is here to save us. Hooray! My AI fatigue and unyielding skepticism aside, I'm admittedly pretty thrilled about a new Gemini feature for Google TV, which, in part, can help you figure out what the heck to watch. Announced as part of the Android 16 launch on Tuesday, Gemini can be summoned on your TV to offer a breakdown of the latest NBA game or a summary of the top headlines, for example. You can ask Gemini to explain the solar system to a third grader, and then be served a batch of relevant YouTube videos. But to me, what's most exciting is the potential for Gemini to solve our most pressing first-world problem: what to binge next. Gemini will be available on Google TV, the company's smart TV software, later this year. Google showed CNET an early demo of the feature at its headquarters in Mountain View, California. You can ask Gemini for film and TV show recs based on what you already like, or for an age-appropriate action movie for your kids. You can even pose a hot take like, "Which Mission Impossible movie is the best one?" (Gemini, being ever so diplomatic, will likely hedge that response as it did in our demo, with, "Ultimately, it's really a matter of personal preference," after offering up some suggestions.) Google's new feature arrives on the heels of a similar AI-powered search capability on Netflix, which is currently available in beta on iOS. You can use more conversational language to find title recommendations, by saying something like, "I want something scary, but not too scary, and also maybe a little bit funny, but not like haha funny," Netflix Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone suggested during a press preview event. The streamer teamed up with OpenAI to develop the feature. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) It's not surprising that companies like Google and Netflix are tapping AI to help us find the right entertainment, as it seems to be the tech industry's answer to just about everything these days. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu already lean on AI-based algorithms to analyze our viewing habits and serve up recs, so these latest conversational search capabilities are merely the inevitable next step. Watch this: Preview: We Got Early Access to New Android 16 Features 06:25 Just because it's new and shiny doesn't mean it'll stick, though. In 2023, Tubi launched an AI-powered search tool powered by ChatGPT called Rabbit AI to help viewers find what to watch. But it ended up discontinuing the feature, presumably because it didn't quite land with users. After all, it's hard for most of us to keep track of – or care about – the endless barrage of AI capabilities that just keep coming. Google's strategy to add Gemini everywhere, from your phone to your car to your smartwatch and TV, appears to be part of an effort to make the AI assistant your constant companion, whether it's helping you figure out what to say in a text or choosing your next movie marathon. You know, the way a human friend would. It's totally not creepy if you don't dwell on it. After all, what better way to silence your crippling anxiety over the rise of AI than settling in with a nice, distracting movie or TV show – with the help of AI.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
All the changes coming to Netflix
On Wednesday, the streaming platform announced the most significant redesign of its homepage since November 2013. Alongside the visual update, Netflix revealed it will begin small-scale tests of generative AI-powered search and a TikTok-style vertical video feed on mobile devices. While these tests won't be available to everyone right away, the company hinted at a larger rollout given their global reach. The redesigned TV interface will relocate the main navigation from the left side to the center of the screen – taking a page from Apple TV's playbook. Viewers will notice tighter content descriptions and more tailored recommendations that update in real-time based on personal viewing habits and even the time of day. Netflix also plans to spotlight live events and gaming options more prominently, especially for users who have shown interest in those areas. Chief Product Officer Eunice Kim (pictured) and Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone unveiled the updates during Netflix's first-ever virtual 'Product & Tech' event on Tuesday. Kim said the refreshed experience will start rolling out 'in the next weeks and months'. The AI-powered search will launch first as an opt-in beta on mobile, allowing users to search with phrases like 'I want something funny and upbeat'. The vertical video feature, launching soon, will offer short clips from Netflix's library, giving users a new way to discover shows and movies with just a tap. These announcements follow Netflix's record-breaking profits reported last month, calming investor nerves amid market turbulence sparked by President Trump's tariffs. And with Netflix's May 14 advertiser event just days away, the timing couldn't be more strategic—even if, as Kim put it, 'this wasn't … timed to influence the upfronts'.
Broadcast Pro
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Netflix rolls out redesigned homepage and tests AI-powered features
The updated features will offer easier access to shortcuts and real-time recommendations tailored to viewers' moods and preferences. Netflix has revealed a major update to its TV and mobile interface, aimed at making it easier for users to discover and enjoy content. The refreshed homepage design will be rolled out globally in the coming weeks and introduces a more intuitive, responsive experience that puts personalised recommendations and key information front and centre. The redesign marks a broader push to modernise how users engage with Netflix, not just on TVs but also on mobile devices. Alongside the updated TV interface, the company is testing a new vertical video feed for mobile, designed to make it easier to browse and share content. Users will soon be able to scroll through clips of Netflix titles and take instant actions such as watching, adding to My List, or sharing with friends. In addition, Netflix is experimenting with integrating generative AI into the user experience. A small beta test on iOS will allow members to search for titles using natural language prompts like 'I want something funny and upbeat,' streamlining content discovery through conversational input. Unveiled by Chief Product Officer Eunice Kim and Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone, the update is part of Netflix's ongoing commitment to blending technology with entertainment. 'The new Netflix TV experience is still the one you know and love — just better,' Kim said, highlighting that the design was developed to be more flexible and reflective of the platform's diverse content offerings. Stone emphasised the role of technology in enhancing engagement, calling it Netflix's 'superpower' in areas like recommendations and reach. She noted that the redesign will enable the platform to innovate more easily in the future and better connect members with the shows, movies and games they love. Among the new features, users can expect to see more prominent shortcuts to essential tools like Search and My List, cleaner design elements and smarter real-time recommendations. Labels such as '#1 in TV Shows' or 'Emmy Award Winner' will also be featured more prominently to help viewers make quicker, informed choices. As Netflix continues to invest in both technology and entertainment, the platform's evolving interface signals a future where finding something to watch becomes faster, easier and more personalised than ever before.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Netflix goes AI! Can't decide what to watch? OTT streamer's special feature reads your mood, helps avoid scroll struggle
Netflix has redesigned its app after a decade, using generative AI to offer conversational, mood-based show suggestions, aiming to simplify decisions, boost engagement, and enhance the overall viewing experience. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What's New on Netflix? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Do you always feel confused when you open Netflix to watch something? Does it take you two hours just to decide what to watch? Well, the newly revamped version of Netflix might just be the solution to your problem. No more endless scrolling, no more arguments, well, maybe a few, but definitely quicker decisions than you don't know what to watch and think, "I want something romantic, but not cringe, maybe a little light, but not boring," Netflix's new feature can help you find is using generative AI to make it easy. A small opt-in test which will help viewers search for shows and movies using conversational phrases, said Elizabeth Stone, Netflix's Chief Technology Officer, while speaking to update is part of a big redesign of the app, its first in over 10 years. The goal is to help users decide what to watch more quickly, using real-time, mood-based recommendations. Netflix calls this strategy 'press play and stay,' aiming to keep viewers engaged for redesign has been in development for a couple of years. The features have been tested over the past year and will roll out gradually to all users in the coming weeks and new design is set to be more modern and clean. Title cards will show quick details like '#1 in TV Shows' or 'Emmy Award Winner' to help you decide faster. Also, shortcuts that were once on the side are now moved to the top of the screen for easier Kim, Netflix's Chief Product Officer, said feedback has mostly been positive, although not everyone is happy. Some users on platforms like Reddit said they liked the old design Netflix mobile app will now show a vertical feed on the homepage. Here, you can browse clips and trailers. You can tap on a title to watch it, save it, or share it with Netflix is improving its user experience, it's also facing some economic concerns. President Donald Trump's proposed 100 per cent tariff on foreign films could cost the company up to $3 billion each year. However, Netflix says it is continuing business as the challenges, Netflix remains a top player in streaming, with hit shows like The Four Seasons, Raw, Ransom Canyon, The Diplomat, and Black Mirror. The platform recently cracked down on password sharing, increased its prices, introduced live sports and games, and launched the Q1 alone, Netflix connected 18.9 million new subscribers. Going forward, the company says it will focus more on how much users engage with the platform rather than just counting how many people sign up.A1. Netflix now uses generative AI to offer mood-based, conversational show suggestions that reduce scrolling time.A2. The new design includes a modern layout, vertical video feeds on mobile, and quicker access to title details and shortcuts.
