Why the heck can't Irish punters avail of such useful services as Netflix or Spotify? We have no information on the music streaming site, but Netflix, the US online video-rental service, will, somewhat belatedly, be launching in the UK and Ireland early next year.

The company began as a service that mailed DVDs to film enthusiasts, and now provides a streaming option. The news comes a full six years after Netflix ditched plans to move into the UK and Ireland. Are you listening, Spotify?

Further evidence that the world of home entertainment is in flux comes with news of a dispute between Warner Brothers and Blockbuster concerning the gap between theatrical release of features and the option to rent those films on DVD. It has emerged that Warner Brothers has refused to give Blockbuster DVDs of The Hangover Part 2and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The studio - alongside its competitors - is eager to enforce a minimum 28-day delay between the launch of marquee movies and their appearance in video stores.

But Blockbuster has, in recent months, started to squeeze out its DVDs some time before the supposed embargo has passed. Both Horrible Bossesand The Green Lanternappeared in the store within the window. All change.