Weekend Wrap-up: Netflix Strikes Streaming Deal with Comcast; Samsung Unveils the Galaxy S5

It’s Sunday, which means it’s time once again for our Weekend Wrap-up. We’ll be taking a look back at the past week in tech, summarizing the top news stories so that you’re all caught up. We’ve also put the Wrap-up into video form (below), so whether you’re a reader, a watcher or someone who likes to read and listen at the same time, we’ve got you covered.

Now, let’s get to it.

Netflix and Comcast Strike a Deal for Streaming

Comcast customers have noticed their Netflix streaming speeds dropping over the past few months. Netflix itself has also noticed this trend. In order to improve streaming quality for Comcast customers, Netflix cut a deal with the cable provider that lets Comcast connect directly to Netflix servers, rather than Netflix funneling Comcast traffic through Cogent, a (bogged down) middleman peering company. The move isn’t expected to add to Netflix’s costs; in fact, it could wind up saving the company some money.

Samsung Unveils its Galaxy S5 Smartphone

Samsung showed off its latest Galaxy S smartphone to the world, but it didn’t do so at a majorly hyped special event like last year. Instead, the company hosted lower-key “Unpacked 5” events in both Barcelona (at Mobile World Congress) and New York City. The Galaxy S5 adds some new and interesting features, like a fingerprint sensor and a heart rate monitor, and will be available on all U.S. carriers. The phone is set to release on April 11.

Mt. Gox Disappears, then Files for Bankruptcy Protection

Mt. Gox, a website once centered around trading Magic: The Gathering cards, became one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in the world. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone, taking millions of dollars in Bitcoin with it. Mt. Gox’s CEO came forward to say the company was looking for solutions to its issues, but in a few days time, the exchange filed for bankruptcy protection. While not a blow to the Bitcoin itself, the fall of Mt. Gox is a blow to the cryptocurrency’s community, as it looks like those who traded there may not get their money back.

iPhone 6 Rumored to Have a Quantum Dot Display

Who doesn’t love a good Apple rumor? The latest murmurs about Apple’s next smartphone claim that the device will feature a “Quantum Dot” display. That same technology is currently in use by Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX, and would take the iPhone past “Retina” to a higher level of clarity and resolution. The rumors also claim that this iPhone will arrive in late 2014, which lines up with Apple’s release schedule for the past few years.