Smartflix Review: An app that lets you access Netflix’s global content catalog
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The India launch of Netflix was met with a lot of excitement, but the euphoria didn’t last long after users realized that 93 percent of the content available in the US won’t be available to them. Netflix has said it will keep adding more content — Breaking Bad, which wasn’t available on launch day is now available in India — there is still no denying the temptation to somehow get access to global content immediately than waiting for Netflix to flip the switch. There are multiple ways to do that — either by using a VPN or even use a DNS proxy. But if you don’t want to tinker around much, Smartflix is an app that will do the trick for you.
Smartflix uses an optimized proxy service, and features built-in browser that embeds the Netflix web player. The app, however, is only available for Windows and Mac, which means you will be only able to use the service on your laptops and PCs.
Things you will like about Smartflix
One of the best things about Smartflix is the access to global library of Netflix. It is not country dependent and gives you access to the entire catalog from across the world. It’s free right now, and you can log in to your account on Smartflix using your Netflix credentials. Smartflix also addresses concerns about safety of credentials.
“Your Netflix credentials are only saved on your computer (they are never transmitted to Smartflix servers). They are automatically deleted when you sign out of Netflix or when you uninstall the app,” it says.
Another highlight is that you can directly control your Netflix account through the app itself. Clicking on the Account section, you are directed to Netflix’s account where you can make changes such as change passwords if you require.
Downloading and setting up Smartflix is fairly easy. On launching the application, the home page shows you Netflix’s global library. The number of categories and titles will show you the difference between the global and India versions of Netflix. For an example you can watch Wrong Turn 6 on Smartflix, which isn’t available on Netflix India.
The interface of Smartflix is very similar to Popcorn Time, with some resemblance to Netflix as well.
Things you will not like about Smartflix
Well, the app is currently in beta and isn’t going to remain free forever. After it exits the beta phase, you will be charged a one-time fee of $7.99 (Rs 535 approximately). This fee is separate from what you are already paying Netflix. We are not sure Netflix users will be keen on having additional paid service only to access Netflix content.
Since it’s in beta mode right now, there are a few restrictions with the Smartflix. Things such as browsing and navigation from home page to categories are fine. But, it really gets cumbersome when you are trying to watch third or fourth episode of a series. For an example, when you click on Breaking Bad, the app will automatically launch the first episode of the first season. You can change that through an icon within the player. There’s a trick though, right click on the thumbnail image of a show to switch to different seasons and episodes, which isn’t intuitive, especially if you are already using Netflix and naturally expect the same user interface.
Also, you don’t get synopsis of the shows or an overview of what each episode has to offer. The app currently pulls synopsis from IMDB, which appears when you hover the cursor over the thumbnail image.
While the player works fine, right now you cannot add subtitles, which is again a major flip side for watching shows like Narcos, which has lots of parts in Spanish. Smartflix says it is currently working on this feature and will push it out in coming weeks.
Another disadvantage is Smartflix doesn’t have an Android or iOS app right now. The company is working on an iOS app.
Verdict
Right now the Smartflix app is available for free. The biggest advantage it gives you is the access to the global library. Despite a few restrictions, the app is definitely worth trying, especially for the first month of your Netflix subscription when it is free.
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