Up until now, PlayStation 3 owners who 
wanted to stream a film through Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” feature had to manually insert a disc into their devices. As of Oct. 18, they won’t have to bother anymore.
Next week, a system update will make instant Netflix streaming a native application on the game console – putting it in parity with the Xbox 360, which had exclusivity on dashboard streaming until now.
News that an adult entertainment industry 
performer tested positive for HIV has prompted most porn film studios to shut down production to ensure the safety of their actors and actresses.
Most big companies, including Vivid Entertainment, Digital Playground, Hustlerand Wicked Pictures, have voluntarily suspended production for an unspecified period.
If all goes according to plan, the video game industry 
could see its first positive sales growth since March in September—but in a year that has been filled with disappointing results, game publishers and developers know any plan is tentative at best.
Analysts expect software sales to be up slightly in September, largely on the strength of Microsoft’s “Halo: Reach,” which took in $200 million in its first 24 hours. No one is expecting a blowout month, though. Wedbush Securities is forecasting a rise of just 2.4 percent compared to last year’s $649 million.
The NPD Group, which is the chief reporting 
agency for video game sales, is making some changes in the way it releases data – changes that will obscure insight into how the industry at large is faring.
Starting this week with the September sales numbers, the organization says it will no longer release any hardware sales information and will cease offering specific sales data for the industry’s top selling titles.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
Bite-sized snacks fill the grocery stores. Bite-sized 
gaming is taking that industry by story. So it was only a matter of time before bite-sized eBooks hit the market.
Amazon has unveiled a new initiative dubbed “Kindle Singles” – snacky novellas or essays from thought leaders. The mini-books will range from 10,000 to 30,000 words and will be priced considerably lower than full-length titles.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
[Following Microsoft’s new details on Windows Phone 7, Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris talks to the company and analysts to examine how Xbox Live 
may help the smartphone OS thrive.]
Microsoft’s gamble with Windows Phone 7 is anything but a sure bet – but the inclusion of Xbox Live as a prominent part of the operating system could be the ace up the company’s sleeve.
Mobile gaming has been evolving rapidly over the past three years – and tying it to a service that has been so phenomenally successful for Microsoft could position the company to regain market share.
Symmetry Shuffle is a much harder game than it initially seems 
to be — but that’s not a negative for die-hard puzzle fans. The game’s premise — moving objects around on screen — is basic, but players quickly learn that there’s strategy involved. There are two modes: Timed and Solve. The former is a stress-filled affair, challenging you to solve puzzles and advance before time runs out. The other is more casual, letting players learn the game and begin to figure out their strategy. In either mode, though, hours can slip by as you try to figure out the best methods to win. It is a great app for challenging kids to use higher level thinking skills.
When Electronic Arts announced its reboot of its 
“Medal of Honor” franchise would be set in modern-day Afghanistan, it probably didn’t expect to come under this much fire.
Game industry detractors have skewered the company for its initial decision to make the Taliban playable in the game’s multiplayer portion. And analysts (along with investors) worried that the game’s release date put it squarely between two of the year’s biggest titles, which could have a dramatically negative impact on sales. Now, the game’s fate is in the hands of gamers.
While Microsoft’s previous efforts in mobile 
technology haven’t generated a lot of support or enthusiasm, the company is incorporating a variety of entertainment elements into its upcoming phones — which could be key to winning marketshare.
A trio of handsets featuring Windows Phone 7 — which many analysts feel is the company’s last chance to make a real impact in the mobile space — will hit AT&T stores on Nov. 8. Other carriers will follow shortly thereafter. (Some European customers will get the phones on Oct. 21.)
Hulu.com may be getting ready to go public.
Reuters reports the Web video service is preparing for an initial public offering and could file the prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission before the end of the year. Morgan Stanley is likely to lead the underwriters.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
Chris Morris: Journalist 