Would you like a side of Netflix with that Blu-ray player?

Samsung and Netflix have just announced a new partnership that will bring Netflix video streaming to a handful of Blu-ray players. The models that will be compatible are the BD-P2550 and BD-P2500, both of which are currently available and retail for $399.99. It was also stated that in the future they hope to bring Netflix support to a “range of home entertainment products,” of course, they did not go into any specifics.

The Netflix support for both players will come courtesy of a free update from Samsung. Both the BD-P2550 and BD-P2500 offer similar functionality and specs. However, the BD-P2550 will also be able to use Pandora Radio as part of this free update.

Overall, Netflix seems to be making quite a push into your home entertainment center with these recent “Watch Instantly” additions. In the beginning support was limited to a PC. However, we also saw the introduction of the Roku Netflix Player a short time ago, then most recently we saw the LG BD300, which is another Blu-ray player that offers Netflix streaming capabilities. Netflix also is coming to the XBOX 360 and recently announced a deal with Starz to increase the number (and quality) of streaming movies available.

I think these extra additions are nice, if nothing else these could finally convince people to look for a Blu-ray player, however they are missing one item that would make me want to stick with the Roku Netflix Player — built-in Wi-Fi. Sure, a hardwired connection is nice to have, especially when streaming video, but let’s face it, for $99 a small box that does not require any additional wires seems to be a plus. How about a Netflix capable Blu-ray player with built-in Wi-Fi?

Read [Netflix] [Samsung]