There is no denying the success of Netflix, which now has well over 30m members in the UK, US, and a number of other countries. Consumers are starting to understand the benefits of streaming TV content, and while in some cases it’s being forced upon them with Connected TVs, Sky TV software updates that promote On Demand content, and a number of other services in all corners of the globe. You’ll find Netflix on your iOS and Android device thanks to apps, also on the PS3, other consoles, Apple TV, and a lot more, so why is it that Netflix for Linux is such a problem?

Netflix for Macs and PC is not a problem, but it seems there are a lot of Ubuntu Linux users that want to use Netflix and are upset about the lack of support. Within the last few days some hope has come in the way of an article that claims “Netflix on Ubuntu linux works“, although it might not be as simple as some people hope. The install instructions have been improved and updated within the last 24 hours, which can be seen in this article here. The Netflix Desktop app allows Linux users to benefit from the streaming service with Wine on 32-bit Ubuntu, and it starts with opening a terminal window and running a few commands. Again these can be seen in the above link, although we’ve seen a few users complain of problems but there’s a lot of support from those behind this app, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble in getting everything up and running.

Do you want Netflix for Linux, and if so have you tried the above solution? We’ve heard some unfounded claims that Microsoft want to “stop Linux from growing“, and might be using some methods to stop certain software from being supported by Linux, although again these are claims by upset Linux users, but at the same time it is interesting discussion.

According to an article over at businesswire.com, the new free-to-play model is not only designed to expand the Heroes of Newerth community, but also enhance the gameplay for its existing fan base. Although the game mechanics and the style of play will remain the same, existing player accounts and brand new accounts will now be separated.

The new free-to-play model will now introduce three different account types: Basic, Verified and Legacy, with Basic being the standard, free account that is given to brand new Heroes of Newerth players when they sign up to the game. Verified on the other hand is a basic account that has been upgraded through a show of commitment to the account.

This can be achieved either by surpassing a specific threshold of playtime or by purchasing Goblin Coins. Meanwhile, Legacy is a paid user account that existed before the developer introduced the free-to-play model. Legacy accounts receive a lifetime of free access to all Heroes of Newerth heroes, and gives users the ability to play in Verified Only games.

However, the article does point out that Legacy accounts can no longer be purchased. Marc DeForest – CEO and co-founder of S2 Games – said that changing the game over to free-to-play would open it up to new audiences. He also went on to say that new account types and matchmaking standards will benefit both existing and novice players.

Both Basic and Verified accounts will have access to a rotating pool of fifteen free heroes, while those that own a Legacy account will have free and permanent access to all of the heroes. Those who own a Basic or Verified account will have the option to purchase a new hero when it’s released, which will then add it to permanently add it to their personal pool of heroes.

In order to ensure that all Heroes of Newerth players have a positive gameplay experience, each account type will be given a different level of access to the game’s matchmaking system. Those gamers with Basic accounts will only be eligible to participate in one mode of matchmaking, which will assign them to All Pick games.

Players with Verified and Legacy accounts will be eligible to queue up in matchmaking for Verified Only games. This will enable them to play in higher quality games with players that are more experienced. The Heroes of Newerth game is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Have you played the HoN game yet?

According to Alexandru Ion from gizmocrave.com, the Ekoore Perl tablet is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, measures in at just 0.55-inches and features a large 11.1-inch display with multi-touch input and a resolution of 1366 x 768. The Perl also comes with stereo audio, Bluetooth 2.1 and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) connectivity and an HDMI output for connecting the device to your TV.

The Perl is available with either a 32GB or 64GB SSD. Meanwhile, the Python tablet – which measure slightly thicker than the Perl at 0.62-inches – is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N455 processor and comes with a GMA 3150 graphics processor and a 10.2-inch multi-touch display. Although the processor on the Python is not really designed for HD video, the tablet still comes with an HDMI port.

This model is also available with a choice of 32GB or 64GB SSD. Other features include a 1.3-megapixel webcam, an internal accelerometer, 3 USB ports, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a battery that provides around 4 hours of usage. Last but not least is the Pascal, which boasts a 1.2GHz Telechips dual-core ARM Cortex-A8 processor under its hood and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS.

The Pascal – which is the thinnest of the three tablets, measuring in at just 0.48-inches thick – comes with a 7-inch multi-touch display, 512MB of RAM, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, 4GB of internal storage, internal accelerometer, a mini-USB 2.0 port, Wi-Fi connectivity and a memory card reader. We’ve embedded a video below this post, so you can see the Ekoore Pascal tablet in action.

Although the gizmocrave.com article did not mention release dates or prices for any of the three devices, you can check out more information over on the manufacturer’s website. By the looks of things the Perl will start from €559 (including VAT), while the Python and the Pascal will start from €539 and €229 (including VAT) respectively. Do you like the sound of any of the three Ekoore tablets?

Because the Unity UI is more demanding on your computer hardware you may need to install additional drivers to allow it to work, this is a very simple process thanks to Ubuntu’s built in “Additional Drivers” menu option.

All we had to do was go to System, Administration and then select “Additional Drivers”, here we found that Ubuntu had found some propriety Nvidia drivers which we could install, they had not been enabled as standard as they were not open-source.

Hopefully you will see a driver which is recommended by Ubuntu, simply click on it and then click Activate, the driver will now download and install itself. Once complete click on the power button in the top-right hand corner of the screen and then select restart and apply updates. Once your PC restarts you should see the new Unity UI.

We are still not convinced about the Unity desktop interface, therefore we switched back to Gnome, this can be done simply logging off, clicking on your name to log in and then at the bottom you will see some options, click on “Ubuntu” and then click on “Ubuntu Classic”, now you are permanently using Gnome again (Thanks Tom).

Do you like the new Unity desktop interface?

What we are worried about is MyBroadBand News has pointed out more dislikes than likes with the new software. The unified global menu seems to be a hit, as well as how the shortcut keys are used. This version of Ubuntu Unity seems to rely much more on these shortcut keys, as it makes life much easier.

The only other positive is how you can search for files and folders from the dash; again this has been developed to make things easier. Now on to dislikes, and these are extensive; the launcher seems to be a huge turn off. The reason for this is because of its erratic behavior, not knowing if it wants to open fast or slow.

Three clicks to open an application is also another downside, people do not want to spend ages each time they wish to open file or applications. There are suggestions that Unity has that unfinished feel, which you would not expect from Ubuntu Linux. We just hope that version 11.04 is just a stop gap, and that an update to the interface will not be long down the line?

What are your thoughts on the Ubuntu 11.04 Unity Interface?

I recently checked Twitter to see if there seemed to be any major problems with the release, however so far it seems as if people are more than happy, some people are very impressed with the revamped installer, whilst others are also very complimentary of the new Unity UI.

There seems to be a slight problem affecting people who are upgrading from a previous version of Ubuntu to Maverick Meerkat, apparently if you are having problems upgrading Ubuntu you should change the upgrade server.

If you are experiencing crackling/skipping audio there is a fix you should check out here, also this link has instructions for how to fix graphical problems which may occur if you are using Virtualbox.

I have fished around for common problems and to be honest with you the release looks solid as there is a severe lack of complaints, if you are experiencing problems describe your issue(s) in the comments section below and we will do our best to point you in the direction of a fix.