Staples to stock Flexplay self-destructing DVDs

We'd love to tell you all of this is simply a bad dream, but unfortunately for us, it's not. For whatever reason, Staples has agreed to start stocking 24 to 26 different newer DVD releases at a time "in standalone displays at the front of its stores." We're not talking about your standard discs, however -- we're talking about those Flexplay units that vanished completely years ago (or so we thought). For those who need a refresher (that's just about everyone, right?), these time-limited discs only function for 48 hours after they've been removed from their sealed packages, creating coasters after two days. This go 'round, Flexplay is pushing the recycling aspect while Staples is hoping that business owners pick up a title or two next time they come in looking for pens and paper shredders. Even more absurd? The $4 to $6 price tag on each.

[Via PCWorld]

[Scentedflame @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:29AM]

Convenient, expensive, wasteful, interesting.

[KILLSWITCHENGAGE @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:00AM]

Thats what she said

[Bobs @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:29AM]

But your mom still had a good time!

[Secret Squirrel @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:32PM]

I guess Staples hasn't heard of www.RedBox.com? Those kiosks nearly guarantees a return visit to the store. Why would you send your customers AWAY, never to return again???

[Interpol @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:53AM]

Flexplay, meet DIVX. I just know you two will just LOVE being roommates,even though DIVX is a few years older.

What an idiotic idea. Our environment is already being kicked in the nuts by tons of electronic waste, not to mention that anyone with a DVD ripping program can circumvent the disc committing seppuku. Completely pointless.

In the last few years I've come to realize that there are simply WAY too many things that are being invented/created that didn't need to be - in other words, solutions to problems that should never have existed in the first place. Stupid Flexplay discs are a prime example.

[Wildness @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:55AM]

Ah... Didn't Circuit City already prove the the failurability of this model with DIVX???? (NO not DivX, DIVX - read: http://hometheater.about.com/library/weekly/aa062199.htm)

[Travis @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:30AM]

Landfills everywhere brace for the shock!

[Jon Doe. @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:22AM]

Bah whatever. As if this is any worse then what AOL has been doing for over a decade. I have about 300 AOL CD's in my basement because I am waiting for the day when recycle programs start up to handle CD's.
There was one point in time about 6 years ago when I was getting about 2 AOL CD's a week in the mail.

[Anthony @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:48AM]

Jon Doe- http://fcgov.com/recycling/centers.php?ID=70

I've used greendisk before. Very friendly & good prices ($7 or so for 25 lbs- shipping included).

[facebookfake @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:06PM]

I was going to post the same thing. I keep a small waste basket next to my desk and toss the old or unusable disk in there. When it's full I order a recycling box from greendisk.

[Low Ranked @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:16PM]

You picked up 300 AOL CD's?!

I learned my mistake after AOL 2.0.

[SoloSalsa @ Jun 10th 2008 4:42PM]

Not many people realise it, but disposable batteries and read-only/write-once discs are a huge portion of e-waste. I spent a LONG time searching for a place that recycles alkaline batteries, and GreenDisk is the only place I could find that recycles (many many places take batteries for sealed disposal, but no one wants to recycle them). They also take discs and disks, printer supplies, and more.
Unfortunately, most people's first thought is "What? Me PAY to get rid of man-made plastics? The landfills are free!".

[Flashpoint @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:32AM]

I've got a bootlegg store ina strip mall near me that sells DVD-Quality bootleggs for just $3 a piece (usually they are $5 elsewhere)

I find it so ludicrous that DVD makers are going well out of their way to control our ability to use Digital Media. And the funny thing is, this will never catch on or last. It will end up in the recycle bin of DRM ideas that SONY and MICROSOFT have helped to fill.

[fanman @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:46AM]

...and apple. ;)

[Macha88 @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:18AM]

and banana ;)
apples and banaynays...

[rcast1986 @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:19PM]

Go banana!

[Low Ranked @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:19PM]

Agreed.

The DVD is unplayable after 48 hours; it takes 25 minutes to make a mirror copy of it.

On another note, I saw these being sold at the Long Beach Airport in March.

[stevediesel @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:10PM]

takes me 12min

[Greg Baz @ Jun 3rd 2008 10:09AM]

I saw these disks at a gas station/truck stop on the border of Oregon and Washington. If I recall I was on the Washington side of the river. I think it was $3.99 or so for a title. This was in September of 2007.

[Mike @ Jul 10th 2008 12:59AM]

I saw this video on youtube about a new dvd rental kiosk. Have never seen it anywhere else. What do you think it is...who is behind it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY_UAbXfWcg

[Tyson @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:33AM]

What stops me from copying the disc onto another dvd on the computer or a dvd recorder except morals and the pesky digital millennium copyright act

[Shinigami @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:40AM]

Copy-protection?

[Tyson @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:45AM]

Legally yes, but if you were to record it on a dvd recorder just as if you were dubbing a tape back in the 80s or 90s it seems like there is nothing to stop you. I guess thats a cheap mans way to get a disc and the same can be said for any rental...

[fanman @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:49AM]

So unlike most pirate DVD's, you get full quality cover and box rather than a poorly scanned and printed affair.

Nice.

[John Stracke @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:00AM]

A DVD recorder would probably spot the Macrovision watermarking and refuse to copy.

However, something like AnyDVD, or mplayer with DeCSS, would work just fine, making this a genuine Dumb Idea.

[Kamokazi @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:29AM]

Why do you all think Netflix is so popular? Do you realize how many DVDs you can copy in a month if you ship them back the next day? Just give your postal carrier some cookies at Christmas so they don't ask questions :-)

[bobartig @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:46AM]

@ Kamokazi: Like many, I did this for quite a while, but then the backlog of unwatched movies got too large. I stopped all the insta-rip-sendback madness, and a year later, I still have a lot of media I haven't seen once yet. I'm back to using netflix the 'prescribed' way, and I'm fine with the level of value that this service offers. Yeah, I'm getting old.

[ComradeZ @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:29PM]

What stops you from doing that is the fact that if you're going to cheat, it's much easier to do it other ways. E.g. you can copy DVD's much more cheaply from Netflix or Redbox.

Anyway, this product actually has a legitimate niche. This is for the guy who knows he wants to watch a particular movie, but doesn't know when he'll have time to do it. So he buys the Flexplay for $5 and keeps it at home, maybe for a few weeks, until he's got a couple hours to spare, and then unpacks it. You can't do that with your redbox because you're paying a dollar a day for nothing. And you don't want to do it with your Netflix because then your family is blocked from renting the videos they want to see while you're waiting for your spare weekend.

[hiko36 @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:34AM]

@ ComradeZ


cheaper than Redbox? How dare you...

[telepheedian @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:33AM]

Can't blue laser players play these after they have expired? I might have this confused with another brand of disposable disc, but that would make those old HD-DVD players rather useful ;)

[Ethan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:47AM]

I could be wrong, but I believe that 2nd-gen DVD players require two lasers: one for HD media (blue) and one for traditional media (red). I don't think the blue laser can be used for traditional DVDs.

[Ender Wiggin @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:45AM]

The new Flexplay discs have a new dye that is specifically designed to also block blue lasers. Good question though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexplay

[ryan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:46AM]

I don't think HD-DVD uses blue lasers

[Kevin Borquist @ Jun 2nd 2008 3:16PM]

HD-DVD and Blu-Ray use the same wavelength of blue laser, they just used different focal lengths. This means that the actual data is in a different layer on the physical media. There was even talk at one point of the possibility (however remote that toshiba and sony would play nice) of a HD-DVD/Blu-Ray combo disc.

[Mutant @ Jun 2nd 2008 12:59PM]

@Ender Wiggin

So does this make them the new BluBlockers? 'cause we need those back.

[iEye @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:34AM]

Not only is this irresponsible and environmentally abusive, but it is not as convenient as renting/watching movies on my Apple TV... Why even leave the comfort of your own home when great shows and latest movie releases are just an iClick away?

[fred @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:37AM]

iEye, I dont know what's worse, Flexpay or your poorly written ad.

"Just an iClick away"? Can you get any more obvious and cheesy?

[Sly Fox @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:38AM]

wow already a reference to apple i thought it would have taken you a bit longer.

[Pochi @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:43AM]

Guys, he's just a mega troll looking to annoy people. Check out this comment on a new type of battery.

"The great thing about the iPhone is that I can read both posts by bringing up a new page, I'm glad I am not using any other mobile..."

Yes. On a BATTERY article. Just ignore him and he'll go away.

[Jon Doe. @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:25AM]

"Can you get any more obvious and cheesy?"

No. But what's new. When dealing with the iWhore expect the unexpected.

[Syed @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:58AM]

God this guy's like the Ann Coulter of Apple. I get the feeling he's really a Microsoft fan out to make everyone hate Apple. I think it's working dude.

[Slick @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:41AM]

Fruit mongering iWhore

[Slick @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:49AM]

Oh and I had a professor that fits the "Apple Douche" category last semester -

"Why would I need an optical drive when I can just get all my programs from the internet, and all my movies are from iTunes." - comments about his MBA

He also purposely carried his MBA around in a folder. Yes just like the commercial. The man also somehow managed to procure a 30" apple cinema display on his desk. And people wonder why tuition for college is so damn high...

[Andrew Borem @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:34AM]

Huh. These go along well with all of the "office" food that staples stocks. You know, twizzlers and pretzels stuffed with peanut butter. Now, whenever I want to throw a raging party, I have just two stops: Staples and the liquor store!

[Scentedflame @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:41AM]

If they let you in the back room, you only have to make one stop at Staples. Brandon keeps some beverages back there.

Disclaimer: Andrew Borem and Scentedflame are former Staple's employees.

[brad @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:28AM]

or you can snack up on the red sweedish fish that they sell...sucks when a "box opens" in the back and you have to eat them in the break room


*former staples employee

[zealeus @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:35AM]

Redbox FTW. $1/night with a decent selection. And none of the waste.

[Brent @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:09AM]

Yeah, redbox is pretty sweet. They also have lots of coupon codes for free movies, too. If it's your first time (or at least the first time you've used a particular credit card), use the code REDBOX for a free movie. I highly recommend trying it out. No, I don't work for them, I just find it to be very cool/convenient.

[Richard @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:28AM]

Speaking of which, tonights free rental code is:

D77FY8

Just got the text a few minutes ago.

[rcast1986 @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:25PM]

Hellz yes. I think "oneonus" works too though don't quote me on it. I'm surprised Redbox hasn't completely destroyed Blockbuster and Hollywood yet.