How the Assault on Netflix Will Shake Out

9:56 PM PDT 3/16/2011 by Paul Bond, Tim Appelo

At last, big studios are making bold moves away from DVDs to the bright digital future, and friending Facebook — but can they stem the rising tide of rentals with their secret weapon, UltraViolet?

If imitation is flattery, then Netflix should feel rather charmed lately, because the company’s aggressive push into streaming TV shows and movies over the Internet is being copied by, well, everybody. The latest entry, Facebook, has begun streaming Warner Bros.’ The Dark Knight to any of its 600 million users who fork over $3.