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VUDU announces $0.99 extended rentals, "99 for 99" movie channel
Shortly after picking up its very own adult channel, VUDU is announcing a more, shall we say, family friendly bit today. Effective immediately, VUDU users will be able to renew any SD rental for $0.99 within seven days of first viewing the film, while renewals of HD rentals will cost $1.99. Additionally, VUDU has launched a new "99 for 99" movie channel which contains a rotating list of 99 films that can be rented for -- you guessed it -- just south of a Washington. Interestingly, VUDU calls the deals "summer blockbuster specials," though there's no sign of an end date for either. Can't say this totally changes the way we see the movie set-top-box, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Full release after the jump.
Poll: Do you still visit the store for movie rentals?
After reading a somewhat shocking survey here recently which found that most Americans saw in-store renting as a fading habit, we began to wonder if those sentiments were reflected by the actions of our readers. Of course, even Blockbuster is making moves to protect itself should people resort to by-mail / online rentals en masse, so it's not like folks aren't already going to the store less often. How do you get your rentals the majority of the time? By walking to your mailbox? By utilizing that broadband internet you pay so dearly for? Or do you still enjoy taking the family out to your local rental store at ~$4.00 / gallon?[Image courtesy of Boston] %Poll-17800%
Cablevision and Charter gear up for DOCSIS 3.0 rollouts
Comcast nabbed the first US DOCSIS 3.0 deployment award by pushing the technology out to select Minnesota residents in April, but both Charter and Cablevision are making sure to not fall too far behind. During its most recent quarter earnings call, Cablevision COO Tom Rutledge noted that DOCSIS 3.0 would be "operational this year," with around 20% of its footprint going live in 2008 and 100% to be covered by mid-2010. Charter is also poised to introduce the lightning fast broadband capabilities to its loyal customers, with CEO Neil Smit affirming that it would be launched in at least some markets "later in the year." We'd like to think this means we can all look forward to 100Mbit/sec cable internet in the not-too-distant future, but who knows how long it'll take those other MSO's to join the bandwagon.[VIA DSLReports]Read - Cablevision DOCSIS 3.0 rolloutRead - Charter DOCSIS 3.0 rollout
Blockbuster tests movie download service, DVD rental kiosks
As Blockbuster flounders around in an attempt to determine what it really wants to be, we're seeing that it's finally taking advantage of that whole Movielink purchase from last year. A new download section on the company's website has gone live, encouraging XP / Vista users running Internet Explorer (feel alienated yet?) to simply pick a flick, download and watch. In related news, the rental outfit has announced an expanded partnership with NCR that will see 50 DVD rental kiosks deployed in a pilot test, which is separate from the download-only kiosks which are being tested in Dallas, Texas. Anyone tried out the new download service? Do you prefer it more / less than Netflix's Watch Now?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - Blockbuster download serviceRead - Blockbuster DVD kiosks
Nokia / Microsoft working on Zune Marketplace integration?
First things first: open wide and ingest a mouthful of salt. Put away that bitter beer face and down it, we said! Okay, now that you're adequately skeptical, get a load of this. Word on the street has it that Nokia is currently working with Microsoft in order to integrate the Zune Marketplace into the former firm's handsets. No, there's no talk of a Zune Phone here -- no new hardware at all, actually. Instead, it seems the two could be figuring out a way to offer Zune Marketplace content on Nokia's prolific "non-smartphones." Make no mistake, Nokia sells quite a few low-end handsets, and if the Redmond powerhouse could get its material on 'em... well, we're pretty sure you see where this could go. Oh, and we're totally not buying this until N-Gage pops up on the Xbox 360.[Via Electronista]
LG's BD300 Netflix & Blu-ray box lightly stroked
Need some early impressions of how LG's BD300 Blu-ray / Netflix combo player feels from the couch? Crave got some seat time in front of the device last night, finding its handling of Netflix streams basically the same as the Roku Netflix Player, unfortunately with a much larger price tag. The remote's home button may also link up to music and photos from a PC or the USB port, while BD Live support is present and accounted for. Hit the read link for a few more details ahead of the September launch, and hope "well under $500" is more like $399 at most.
Digital media revolution to give home servers a shot in the arm?
Just moments after ABI Research published a report suggesting that all-in-one PCs and internet TV would invigorate the HTPC market comes something similar from Forrester Research. Its latest analysis suggests that the growing trend of maintaining files rather than physical discs could give home media servers a significant boost. Essentially, HTPCs and home storage / networking devices could become entirely relevant as digital downloads become more common and physical media fades out. Granted, we're a firm believer that said scenario is still years away from happening, but we don't doubt that this prophecy will be realized in due time. As it stands, only around 400,000 US households posses a home server, suggesting that the market is just barely in its infancy. Forrester says that figure will grow to 4.5 million by 2012 -- we've got 3.5 years to find out.
Survey finds most Americans think in-store movie renting is fading out
Even we would agree that digital downloads aren't apt to siphon away a significant amount of physical media market share in the immediate future, but a recent survey conducted by CinemaNow (read: your skeptic hat should now be firmly in place) suggests that the vast majority of Americans feel otherwise. As a matter of fact, 87% of those surveyed agreed that "renting DVDs at the video store or through mail service will become a thing of the past," and 94% of those same folks reportedly felt that movie downloads were just "better for the environment." Not like the average joe / jane understands how much energy is consumed by warehouses full of drives, gigantic air-conditioned server rooms and legions of PCs sucking down content, but yeah, these results are totally representative of the truth.[Image courtesy of Street Knowledge]
Is Roku's Netflix Player living up to your standards?
This week's installment of How Would You Change over on Engadget Classic involves the first dedicated set-top-box to enable Netflix streaming right to your TV. Did you pony up $99 for one of these things? If so, head on over and let the world know if that was a good move.
How would you change Roku's Netflix Player?
Now that you've had a little over a month to cram down popcorn while enjoying your shiny matte new Roku Netflix Player, we're interested to find just how pleased (or displeased) you are with the $99 purchase. Has it lived up to your expectations? Is the quality sufficient for you? How does it look on your HDTV? Is wireless performance up to par, or were you practically forced to run an Ethernet cable all the way downstairs? We already know what the paid professionals said -- we want the cold, hard facts straight from the users themselves. Let us have it comments below.
MPAA backs yet another anti-piracy technology: DreamStream
As the Motion Picture Association of America continues on its unending (we mean that quite literally) quest to banish digital piracy, it has just announced its unbridled support for yet another technology. The MPAA has approved the use of DreamStream's secure online file streaming system "as a solution to curb digital piracy," and according to Michael Jay Solomon, founder of Solomon Entertainment Enterprises, the software will "allow the content providers to recoup the billions of dollars that they are loosing [sic] right now." If you got a chuckle out of that, get a load of this. Ulf Diebel, chief development officer for DreamStream, went so far as to say that in order to "win the war on piracy, the studios need DreamStream's military grade capabilities." Heck, the company even asserts that its "unpublished encryption has never been compromised by hackers or digital pirates." Sheesh , don't you all know what happens when you just beg to be circumvented?
Roku serves up Netflix Player source code
Hope you're not too sleepy, you hacker you, 'cause we've got a juicy one coming your way. No sooner did we find that the Netflix Player would be streaming content from other players in the industry later this year than Roku opens up the source code vault. You heard right -- the GPL code has now been posted for the world to see, meaning that there's just one link standing between you and umpteen delicious tarballs. Mmm, tarballs.[Via Hack-A-Day]
Roku's Netflix Player to stream content from other "big name" providers
Roku's Netflix Player got off to a hot start after launching just over a month ago, and apparently its creator has big plans for the plainly designed $99 box. According to a recent report over on Forbes, Tim Twerdahl, Roku's vice president of consumer products, has affirmed that a routine software update would be hitting later this year to enable content to be fetched and streamed from other "big name" providers. Regrettably, the conversation ended there, so there's absolutely no telling which "providers" he's referring to. Still, we're certainly intrigued by the idea of this thing becoming more versatile in the coming months, but wouldn't the name have to be tweaked at the very least?[Via Silicon Alley Insider]
ReelTime to offer streaming movies from Walt Disney Studios
Disney already made crystal clear that it was planning on dishing out a few films of its own via the internet this summer, but a recently inked pact between it and ReelTime will give Disney fans one more outlet for viewing content. In the agreement, it's noted that ReelTime Rentals will "provide popular video on demand rentals as they become available from The Walt Disney Studios, including new and classic titles from Walt Disney Pictures, Disney-Pixar, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films." And judging by that screen capture above, we'd say ReelTime isn't wasting any time putting its newfound partnership to good use.
Netflix tidbits: DVD business could peak in a decade, Mac streaming on the way
Given Netflix's blatant plunge into the world of online content delivery, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the outfit's execs understand that physical media is at risk. Sure, DVD rentals far outnumber online rentals today, but Netflix is assuming that its DVD business could peak in around five to ten years. In a brief interview this week, CEO Reed Hastings told investors that "everybody peaks sometime," but he did note that Blu-ray was apt to make the "DVD ecosystem stronger." Even though the company is definitively moving at least some of its attention to online streaming, it's still quite aways from delivering a "standalone streaming service." On a slightly different note, we also learned that Intel-based Macs would be able to tap into the firm's "Watch Now" service "later this year," but unfortunately, it didn't get any more specific than that.[Image courtesy of ANPark]
SanDisk acquires MusicGremlin, slips it in front pocket
Quite a bit of time has elapsed since we last saw fit to mention MusicGremlin on these pages, but the long-lost outfit has found itself relevant again thanks to SanDisk. Announced today, the latter firm has acquired the former, and we're told that the acquisition will (expectedly) fall under the Sansa audio / video business unit. According to Daniel Schreiber, general manager and senior VP of the aforesaid unit, MusicGremlin's "digital distribution platform and capabilities will provide SanDisk with adaptive and innovative technology that will play a key role in the development of future Sansa products for consumers," though he didn't elaborate much beyond that. To be frank, we have some serious respect for the Sansa line as-is, so we're quite interested to see what impact (if any) this will eventually have on the crew we've come to know so well.
Disney to stream full-length films on web this summer
Well, would you look at this. Not even a month after we heard that TiVo would be offering on-demand movie rentals from Disney comes word that internet junkies will be able to get their fix this summer, too. Announced today, Disney.com will soon be delivering films from the Wonderful World of Disney to the web, as it streams out full-length movies gratis for web viewers. The deal is this: after a title airs on ABC as part of the network's Saturday night summer lineup, it will then be made available for streaming for one week (and one week only, we presume). It will also be serving up the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock, but this online presentation will also include "unique interactive content so fans can chat and play games while watching." For the full schedule of events, head on down to the read link below.
Netflix Player, Apple TV and VUDU compared: movie STB shootout
Talk about timely, yeah? Just hours after our latest Ask Engadget HD question pondered which of the three big hitters in the movie set-top-box arena was superior, along comes a comparison of the trio from PopSci. Of course, this being Engadget HD, we've all ideas many of you won't agree with the verdict put out (hint: Roku's box is deemed the winner), but some decent points are made nonetheless. For starters, the Netflix library is far more expansive than those offered up by Apple and VUDU; for folks looking for the widest range of titles (and cheapest method of renting), it's hard to overlook the Netflix Player. For junkies that just have to have HD, your choices are clearly defined, and between the Apple TV and VUDU, critics noted that the former's ability to dabble in YouTube was a perk that may sway certain buyers. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, be sure and hit up the read link if for nothing more than the pros / cons -- the decision's still yours, you know.
VUDU Wireless Kit: it adds WiFi to your VUDU
There's not much explaining to do once the name of this product is read aloud, but we'll humor you anyway. The recently announced VUDU Wireless Kit is something we dreamed of having when testing the thing out in our own labs, but we suppose late is better than never. The package contains a pair of 802.11g adapters -- one for your VUDU set-top-box and one for your WLAN router -- that creates a "secure, self-contained wireless network" for transferring material from VUDU's servers to your device. The going rate for this bundle is $79, but you can knock $29 from that if you purchase it directly from VUDU with a $299 STB. Now, the real question here is this: will this thing function reliably (wireless HD has been shoved under the rug for a reason, you know), and will it function reliably with HD content. Any guinea pigs out there willing to check?[Via CEPro]
Ask Engadget HD: Which movie set-top-box is best?
With Roku's Netflix Player all out in the open and an LG box just around the bend, Chuck's question is particularly timely. There are already quite a few choices out there for folks looking to snag a dedicated movie set-top-box, but has the best one even arrived? "I pretty much stick with OTA reception when I watch TV, and while Netflix / Blockbuster is fine, I've recently been considering a standalone movie set-top-box for instant gratification purposes. With the Apple TV, VUDU and Roku Netflix Player already out, which one would be best to pick up? I realize more units are expected, but I'm particularly fond of models that support HD films. Really, I'm just looking for user opinions on each, especially if they already own one or have used one." We'd also like to point out that Netflix's "Watch Now" feature can be piped to your TV fairly easily if you have a nearby HTPC or Xbox 360, but alas, you won't be seeing any material in high-def from there. Here's your shot at defending (or lambasting) your own movie STB -- and... go!Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
