In September, Netflix announced that it would be introducing a feature allowing viewers to skip intros to TV shows, ostensibly to help them get through even more episodes of a weekend-long binge session. Some thought this was an unusual move, seeing as Netflix had a hand in bringing back the intro with shows like Stranger Things, but the positives seemed to outweigh the negatives. The feature has been available on computers and mobile devices for some time, but now it has arrived for Chromcast users as well, according to Android Police.
There hasn’t been an official announcement of the feature, which makes sense, as it appears to be rolling out in stages. While the skip button is now available via the Android app, the iOS version of the Netflix app has yet to show the button. Whether it will begin to roll out soon, or if the iOS app will be updated in the future remains to be seen, but it’s almost certain that the same skip functionality present in the Android app will be available for Apple users at some point. The Chromecast still isn’t listed on Netflix’s Help Center page for the Skip Intro feature, so it’s possible that iOS will roll out before the feature is considered official.
With the addition of Skip Intro functionality, the Chromecast joins Android devices, iOS devices, Windows 10, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game consoles, and various smart TV brands in supporting the functionality. The Skip Intro feature is also available when viewing via the Netflix website. Unlike the commercial skip feature found in many DVRs, this isn’t just a button to skip forward by an arbitrary number of seconds. Instead, the idea is to skip the exact length of the intro or title sequence. While this should work flawlessly, Netflix says you can report if a title isn’t skipping to the proper place.
If you’re a Chromecast user and looking for a series to try out the new feature, be sure to take a look at our list of the best Netflix TV shows or our list of the best Netflix originals.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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