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Redbox snatches up NCR's entertainment division, swallows Blockbuster Express business
If you thought Coinstar was through making industry rattling announcements today, you were wrong. After taking the wraps off its joint venture with Verizon, now the company has announced it'll be taking over NCR's entertainment division for $100 million. That includes DVD kiosks, retailer contracts and an inventory of discs for stocking the machines. That's big news not only because it expands Redbox's already sizable self-serve rental empire, but because it's doing so at the expense of the floundering Blockbuster, since NCR owns the blue and yellow rental kiosks. Presumably existing Blockbuster Express installations will become Redboxes, though, how quickly that might happen is unclear. For a few more details about the deal check out the PR after the break.Update: We've attached a letter from Blockbuster explaining the switchover after the break.
Spot movie rental kiosks aim to beat Redbox on price and convenience
Since Netflix is experiencing new competition to its popular movie distribution model it only fits that Redbox should too and the most interesting entrant we've seen in the movie kiosk business is "Spot. The Difference". It recently test launched 25 boxes in Riverside County California and currently beat Redbox's pricing by renting DVDs and Blu-ray discs for $1 / day each, or 89 cents if rented in pairs. Of course, just winning on price isn't enough to keep us from sticking with our coupon codes and smartphone apps, but the company has fixed our main beef with the red boxes by designing a kiosk with two slots, one for rental, and another for return. That way you're not waiting behind the people of Walmart as they skim through every disc in the box when all you want to do is return Glee, Season 2, Volume 1 and be on your way. It also claims to fit more movies in a smaller space, but really, you had us at express disc return slot.
It's official: Redbox welcomes Blu-ray with open arms
They always said a picture was worth a few hundred words, and that's about right with the image above. After toying with the idea for a tick, it seems that Redbox has decided to go Blu. Starting now in select movie rental kiosks, users can rent a Blu-ray Disc for just $1 per night, but you'll have to be lucky enough to be near one that actually serves up BDs. Have a look at your local machine(s) and see if you're one of the fortunate ones.[Via VideoBusiness]
Red Box makes space for Blu-ray on its website
Despite the obvious color bias in the company's name, Red Box is giving Blu-ray a fighting chance. After hearing that BDs were popping up in rental kiosks around the Northwest, it's now looking mighty official that Blu-ray Discs will be headed to its rental boxes around the country. As of now, the firm has made space for a dedicated Blu-ray section on its website, though it's currently empty and waiting for occupants. Impulse renting of BDs? Now there's something the BDA won't mind hearing.[Thanks, Michael]
Blu-ray Discs popping up in Red Box rental kiosks
DVDPlay already announced its intentions to start stuffing Blu-ray Discs into its movie rental kiosks earlier this year, and we've been waiting ever since to hear a similar announcement from rival Red Box. Today, we're still waiting for said announcement, but we've received a report from the wonderfully named Aloha, Oregon that at least one Red Box movie rental kiosk has a Coming Soon flyer for Speed Racer on BD. When our tipster contacted Red Box concerning the discovery, the representative did affirm that if Blu-ray was shown, Blu-ray was on the way, though we aren't sure if they'll cost more than the $1 DVD rentals. Keep an eye out at your local kiosk and let us know if you see the same.[Image courtesy of CashCrater, thanks Mike]
Movie Booth DVD rental kiosks head for UK, Ireland
DVD rental kiosks have been lighting up pharmacies and supermarkets across the US, but it seems that UKers and Irish lads / dames will soon have the great, great privilege of interfacing with Movie Booths in the near future. This particular unit doesn't seem all too different from other variations we've seen, boasting a simple touchscreen display and a built-in android tasked with fetching your selected title and spitting it out for a nominal (read: undisclosed) fee. Apparently, trials have been deemed a success in outlets like Tesco, Centra and Applegreen, thus paving the way to see these pop up everywhere by the year's end. Any chance we'll see a Blu-ray Disc or two popped in there?[Via Pocket-lint]
DVDPlay to add Blu-ray Discs in movie rental kiosks
When Blu-ray hits the food mart, you know it has gone big time. DVDPlay just coined itself the "first rental kiosk operator to offer Blu-ray Discs," as it laid out a plan to shove BD flicks into its machines as early as June 10th. Vanilla DVDs will, of course, continue to be offered alongside the newcomers, and best of all, the rental fee for Blu-ray Discs won't be a penny more than what is already charged for DVDs ($1.49). Those with DVDPlay kiosks around can inspect their local machines for Untraceable and Men in Black in under a fortnight, as those two are specifically noted as titles that will likely be offered up early on.[Via TheManRoom]
