News

Netflix Introduces “Play Something” Shuffle Feature

The new “Play Something” feature plays content based on your watch history, whether it’s something new, not yet finished, or just hanging around in your queue.

Published

5 years ago

May 3, 2021

Joanna Melki

Netflix

Do you sometimes turn on Netflix, only to find yourself unable to decide what you want to watch? You’re not the only one! Fortunately for you and all other indecisive viewers, the “Play Something” feature has just been officially announced by Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation at Netflix.

“When you hit the ‘Play Something’ button, you’ll be instantly met with a series or film we know you’ll love based on what you’ve watched before,” writes Johnson in the official announcement.

If Netflix doesn’t get it right on the first try, you can simply click “Play Something Else” and get:

Different series or film.
Series or film you’re already watching.
Series or film on your list.
Unfinished series or film.

For now, the new feature is available only for smart TV, but testing for mobile devices is planned to start soon.

How To Use The “Play Something” Feature

Launch the Netflix app on your smart TV.
Select the “Press Something” button located:
- Underneath your profile name.
- In the tenth row on your Netflix homepage.
- In the navigation menu on the left of the screen.
Press the “Play Something Else” button if you want another suggestion.

Netflix users who rely on screen readers will be pleased to know that the new feature fully supports Text-to-Speech (TTS).

Also Read: Netflix Is Testing A Way To Stop Its Users From Sharing Their Passwords

With the “Play Something” feature, Netflix becomes one step closer to the traditional cable experience, whose inherent element of surprise is both one of its biggest downsides and benefits.

Now that users can tell Netflix to pick something to watch for them, they are far more likely to discover hidden gems they might otherwise miss or become hooked on the company’s exclusive content. The latter is especially important for the streaming giant because exclusive content is what keeps subscribers subscribed.

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

6 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.