Finally. North America's most popular entertainment-streaming service, Netflix, is available to us in Jamaica. Previously, the website used advanced geo-location technology to block us from registering for (and in some cases even browsing) the service.

We'd heard of the amazing movie library, read about the trendy TV series and saw reports on how the service was taking off like wildfire. Netflix was credited as changing the face of movie rentals and hurting DVD rental businesses like Blockbuster. Everybody was 'buying into' Netflix - Roku, Xbox, PS3, Wii, iPad, Andriod. Just name a device and, chances are, it had Netflix accessibility.

But for us, for those of us in Jamaica and the Caribbean, it was just a dream. We were locked out. Until last Monday!

Netflix has announced they were coming to the Caribbean and they did a little early, sadly, with a whimper rather than a bang. With no major announcement, Netflix became quietly available for Jamaicans to log in and register for the service. Registration was very simple; five minutes with a Jamaican credit card (or perhaps Visa debit card) and you were in for the free 30-day trial.

Yes, even though you get 30 days free, you need to use a credit card to register. They don't charge the card if you cancel within 30 days. The monthly subscription is US$7.99; rounding up the current exchange rate, that's still roughly J$700.00 for unlimited streaming movies.

Yes, your locally based, local currency card works just fine. No need to use a dual currency or US-based card, no need to find foreign exchange to pay the bill.

Yes, it was easy to customise and get going on a PC in minutes.

No, it wasn't everything it was cracked up to be. I registered the first day it was available and was sorely disappointed. Most disappointing was the library. The movies were stale, and I don't mean six months old, I mean two years old. The trendy TV series were absent. In short, the selection was weak.

No, it doesn't work on a wide range of devices. Mac users will need additional software (Microsoft Silverlight) to run the movies. PS3, Xbox, AppleTV, iPad and Android users are out of luck. I hear it works on the Wii, though.

No, it will not be replacing going to the movies at Palace or home- entertainment streaming services like Flow OnDemand. The content just isn't compelling enough.

Is it worth checking out? Well, it is free for 30 days, so why not? Perhaps they will enable NetFlix for other devices as soon as they work out the kinks. Perhaps new titles will come in time as Netflix struggles to sign elusive contracts with big movie studios eager to get a bigger piece of the streaming revenues. Perhaps new titles will come as soon as content owners/providers realise that Jamaicans have money to spend, so there is no reason to lock us out.

I'll keep my free subscription for another couple of weeks with the hope that my disappointment will turn to excitement. Optimistic till the very end!

Tech Glitch: "I really want to buy a tablet, which is the best one?" asks Craig.

Tech Fix: The Apple iPad still holds the top spot for tablet sales for good reason. But if you wish to avoid the Apple hype, a great option is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Consider the BlackBerry Playbook only if you love BlackBerry. Other options, Motorola Xoom or the new Sony S.

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