PS3 owners no longer have to be jealous of Xbox 360 owners. Now, they too can stream Netflix goodness through their gaming console of choice. That is, with a little help from a free Netflix disc they can.

Well, Netflix streaming on the PS3 works. Of course, you need to use the special disk (can’t just download the software eh? how quaint). But it appears to be working correctly. Check out the video inside, which demonstrates that it’s working, and working smoothly.

It appears that reports of 360 exclusivity for Netflix have been greatly exaggerated. You could always hack it onto your console, but this is a little more official. The streaming-video service will arrive on PS3s next month, and current Netflix subscribers will be able to watch to their heart’s content at no extra charge. However, in a rather absurd turn, streaming will only be enabled when you have a special Netflix disc in your PS3. What the hell is that about?

Some Netflix news for you this morning. It looks like a 49-year-old post office worker is facing a maximum of five years in federal prison after having plead guilty to federal theft charges. What was he stealing? Oh, you know, some 3,000 Netflix DVDs over the years.

Well, it’s official buckaroos, Netflix announced today exactly who won that $1,000,000 prize. If you remember, they announced that one of two teams had finally reached that magical 10% rate they were looking for, but they didn’t tell anyone exactly won. Well, the cat is finally out of the bag.

Microsoft might have scored an exclusive deal to keep Netflix Xbox 360 only and off both the PS3 and Wii. But if you’re willing to forgo the fancy UI on the Xbox, there is still a way to get Netflix on the PS3 and eventually the Wii too.

Widgets and gadgets are the latest trend to hit HDTVs. Vizio is upping the game by equipping its soon-to-be-released HDTVs with an impressive suite of Internet applications and video streaming sites. So much so, that this portfolio will place them on top of many people’s wish list as these TVs will be better equipped than a TiVo or even Windows Media Server.

Xbox 360 owners-

On June 16th, the Xbox team is shutting down Live and Xbox.com for maintenance. This will cause your Netflix streaming on your Xbox 360 to cease while Microsoft fiddles with your console.

There hasn’t been too much buzz lately about that Netflix programming contest. You remember the one: Netflix ponied up $10M US dollars to any team that could improve their movie recommendation system by 10%. When I was a Netflix user I was never really dissatisfied by the recommendation system, so it’s hard for me to imagine how they’d gauge that it was 10% better than it was before. Nonetheless, lots of very smart people took the challenge, and an awful lot of progress has been made.

Looks like Windows Media Center, that hub for video and audio which I’ve never used, is getting full Netflix streaming support. This is good news for those of you running HTPCs with Vista on them — no need for an extra layer or frontend, just open up WMC, enter your info and you’re on your way.

If you’re not a member, hit up some free trial action and you could be watching a movie in about two minutes without leaving your chair.

Again with the Plex. I know, I know. But! Today’s news is legitimately interesting: Netflix is now fully functional within Plex, the best damn Mac media player out there.

Today, Viacom and Netflix announced a new agreement that will bring hit shows from various Viacom networks, like, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon to your Xbox, laptop, etc. Yes, that means you can stream all 139 episodes from the first nine seasons of South Park right now. And for the kids – there’s a slew of Nickelodeon programming available so you don’t have to tend to your own flesh and blood.

To all 1 million or so Netflix subscribers who’ve opted for Blu-ray discs, you’re in for another price hike in the coming weeks. What started as a $1 surcharge last September will eventually amount to an increase that’s triple or quadruple what you’re paying now for your online DVD rental service. Before steam starts blowing out of your ears let’s see what that increase actually amounts to.

Oh. My. God. Neflix on the PS3. Can it be real? Please let it be real! I need yet another way to see a dodgy stream of a dodgy movie.