MovieDownloads
Latest
Google Videos rental app makes fleeting cameo in Market, portends of an imminent release
The original Google Videos is going to be mighty huffy about this. Not only has it endured repeated attempts on its life following Big G's acquisition of YouTube, but now its very identity has been humiliatingly copied and pasted onto an entirely different service. The new Google Videos is a movie rental app that will give Android users in the US mobile access to the 3,000+ premium titles that are already available to rent on a desktop. So far, no one has been able to break out the popcorn except a few lucky Xoom owners, but last night the app mysteriously became available to everyone else in Android Market, too. Unfortunately, those quick triggers who managed to install the app before it disappeared were rewarded with a riveting succession of server errors, but at least it gives us hope that the real-deal will be with the masses in short order. Google Videos is dead, long live Google Videos.
Redbox is planning a Netflix-like subscription streaming movie service, could partner with Amazon or Walmart
According to Company Town, Redbox prez Mitch Lowe informed analysts yesterday that its upcoming online movie service would be subscription-based like Netflix and Hulu Plus instead of charging per-movie like iTunes, Zune or Amazon VOD (we can guess why.) Users would pay the monthly fee to stream to various devices (perhaps to the new iPhone and Android apps) and access discs at the kiosks. Lowe mentioned Redbox would have a partner in the service and while previous rumors pointed to CinemaNow, the Seattle Times suggests Walmart / Vudu and Amazon -- rumored to be launching a subscription service of its own this month -- as possibilities. Meanwhile, in its existing disc based business, word is Disney has decided to raise the amount it charges Netflix and Redbox for each DVD to the full wholesale price, although they'll still be available the same day the DVDs go on sale.
Netflix: lack of HD streaming 'no loss' for Wii owners
Let's see if we can't come up with a small list of things that would be, quite frankly, overkill in a modern game console / video streaming device. Color? You know, some of the best films ever made were in black and white. Audio? Just a distraction, really. HD? Available on damn near every new TV, sure, but don't you think it's a bit... much? Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime does, obviously, as does Netflix -- at least according to an interview recently posted on The Wiire. Indeed, the company's VP of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey goes so far as to say that "the HD experience at Netflix Instant Watching isn't that overwhelming. It's a little bit underwhelming. So the Wii folks aren't going to miss that much." Y'know, it's not every day that we hear a company downplay its own product, but we suppose that the man should throw a bone to the twenty-six million homes in America who already own the console. He goes on to say that "the vast majority of content that is available for streaming through Netflix is not HD content. So, there is really no loss for the Wii consumer." Besides, "PS3 and Xbox users have 1 in 17 titles available in HD, and it's streamed in 720... it's not in 1080, and it's not in 5.1 surround sound or anything." Sure, Swasey -- anything can make sense if you explain it. Well, almost anything.
Reggie Fils-Aime: Wii users don't care for Netflix HD
We seriously have to question the sanity of some of these high-ranking corporate types. Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America boss and fearless orator, has joined Andy Rubin of Google in claiming that his customers do not require a feature so prevalent nowadays that it has become close to a basic standard. While the Xbox 360 and PS3 are capable of streaming full HD movies from Netflix at no extra cost, Reggie has stated his belief that "there really is no loss for the Wii consumer" because "the vast majority" of Netflix streaming content isn't HD anyway. Reiterating his longstanding, but never adequately explained, hesitance toward HD, Reggie has also claimed that the 26 million Wii console owners out there have voted with their wallets and will be quite happy to continue putt-putting along at standard def. Skip past the break to see him speaking his heresy with a straight face.
Wii gets Netflix this Spring, disc required for streaming
Hey humans! So Hastings was telling us the truth after all -- the Nintendo Wii will be joining the other two game consoles to stream Netflix starting some time in early Spring. Like the PS3, a special Netflix "instant-streaming" disc will be required for the Wii, and it goes without saying that HD's out of the question since the Wii itself can't push above 480p. There'll be no additional fees beyond Netflix's usual monthly subscription. Time for a game of Mario Kart to celebrate, no? Update: the Netflix sign-up page is now live! [Via Joystiq]
iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad?
While direct movie and TV show downloads on the iPhone certainly seems like a reasonable enough proposition (over WiFi, at least), we're not completely convinced that a rogue ad in the Twitterfon app is the first place such a feature would leak out. According to a report on Open Salon, however, that's just what has happened, and there's even a few not immediately dismissible pics to back it up. Of course, the ad in question is now seemingly nowhere to be found, but it supposedly did once point to some movie and TV show listings broken down by genre, and even to the individual, non-working titles that would apparently be available. Head on past the break for a glimpse of the ad itself, and feel free to let us know if you happened to see it yourself.[Via Yahoo! Tech]
No other movie studios signed with Sony's PlayStation download service yet
Ok, we know the PlayStation 3 is getting a movie download service this year - but apparently much work remains to be done. Variety checked into the situation and sees the number of movie studios signed on at present stands at exactly one: Sony Pictures. Never fear, because being late to the party could benefit Sony as it negotiates deals with other studios similar to the ones already in place for Xbox Live Video Marketplace and iTunes. Also on board is the possibility of transferring flicks to PSP, although that and any other features that expand on the functionality already seen on other services could slow down a deal. We're torn, while having another competitor in digital downloads (and another way to enjoy movies on our PS3) as soon as possible sounds good, we might be willing to wait if it means Sony's leverage can swing more features (or at least some leeway to the DRM currently in place on other services).[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony's PS3 movie download service rolling out Stateside this summer
Sony just released a rambling update to it corporate strategy through fiscal year 2010. An interesting read for fans and competitors alike as Sony lays bare initiatives intent on moving Sony from recovery to the "leading global provider of networked consumer electronics and entertainment." Most notable in the near-term however, is word from Kazuo Hirai, chieftain of Sony Computer Entertainment, that Sony will make a movie download service available to US PlayStation 3 owners this summer -- Japan and Europe at later dates with details coming "next month," presumably at E3. Moreover, Sony expects its gaming business to achieve profitability by March 2009, the end of the current fiscal year. Of course, we already knew that Sony was prepped to deliver full-length TV shows and movies sometime in 2008 via its North American PLAYSTATION Network. But summer, eh? Judging by the increased molecular agitation of sidewalk effluence, we'd say that Sony's season of movie downloads is already upon us. Read -- 2010 plan Read -- US summer launch
Roku reveals first Netflix set-top-box, reviews flow in
Well, would you look at that? After a mildly uncomfortable wait, the very first Netflix set-top-box has landed (the Xbox 360 with plug-ins notwithstanding). Thanks to Roku, users can finally tap into (a portion of) the Netflix library without having to wait for physical discs to arrive -- and for just $99.99, no less (though unlimited access to online films still requires an $8.95 or higher monthly fee for the traditional service). Better still, the HDD-less Netflix Player can even utilize a wireless signal to pull in streams, though your miles may vary on actual performance. As for ports, you'll find HDMI, component, composite, Ethernet, S-Video and a Toslink optical audio jack. Initial reports are looking pretty positive from here (save for the glaring lack of HD support), but feel free to dig into the reviews below to get a better feel of what this box really has to offer. Read - Roku Netflix Player officially introduced Read - PCMag review (4 out of 5) Read - CNET review (7.7 out of 10)Read - Wired review ("...just shy of totally amazing.")
How would you change the VUDU set-top-box?
This week's episode of "How would you change" over on Engadget Classic involves an item that's been quite the mainstay here at Engadget HD. We've already heard the lengthy list of pros and cons -- we're ready to learn how you would change it. Hop on over and take a peek, and drop in your two pennies while you're there, cool?
Vudu set-top box review round-up
We got to spend a bit of time with Vudu's eponymously named set-top box earlier this month at CEDIA, but those still trying to justify that $399 price tag now have a bit more info to help inform their decision, with a number of reviews of the device now cropping up online. Among the first to churn out a full review were the folks at Laptop Magazine, who seem to have found quite a bit to like in the device, despite some fairly serious limitations. They were especially impressed by the Vudu's "surprisingly good" video quality, which they say "makes you forget you're watching a movie downloaded over the Web." Leading those aforementioned limitations is the fact that those all those movies are "trapped on the Vudu box," meaning you can't offload them onto a portable media or stream them over a network connection. That also proved to be one CNET's big gripes with the device, who also lamented the lack of built-in WiFi, and the somewhat limited 24-hour viewing period for downloaded movies. Those also looking for an unboxing of the device can find that and more in Paul Stamatiou's review, which even goes so far as to rip the device apart for a peek inside. As for how the Vudu works, he too seems to have been fairly impressed by the general user experience, although the movie pricing structure proved to be a major stumbling block for him, as was the device's inability to export movies to a PC.Read - Laptop Magazine (3.5 out of 5)Read - CNET (7.7 out of 10)Read - PaulStamatiou.com (7 out of 10)[Photo courtesy of PaulStamatiou.com]
Blockbuster, Best Buy doing movie downloads according to Lionsgate CEO
It ain't announced until it's announced, but the same Lionsgate CEO (Jon Feltheimer) that confirmed iTunes movie downloads was apparently on a call with analysts yesterday and divulged that his business has "nearly a dozen active agreements in place for digital delivery of our content with such major players as Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Blockbuster, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart, with more to follow." (Emphasis ours.) Not a huge surprise, being that Blockbuster is already fighting tooth and nail with Netflix, and downloads are a natural progression for Best Buy's retail services -- so unless this guy is sorely mistaken about his company's prospects, keep an eye out for Blockbuster and Best Buy to get even further into the online media game.
Lionsgate joins the iTunes multiplex
While it's unclear how long it'll be able to keep it up, Apple looks to be making iTunes Movie Store announcements a monthly occurrence for the time being, following up January's news of a deal with Paramount with word of Lionsgate joining its ranks this month. That means that starting this month you'll be able to snag Total Recall, Terminator 2, and other movies that may or may not star future governors of California for $9.99 apiece (for the most part), currently playable in iTunes or on your iPod, and soon to be streamable to your Apple TV. All told, some 150 of Lionsgate's movies are set to be ready for download by the end of the month -- yes, that includes Rambo. Of course, this news doesn't exactly come as a surprise, given that none other Lionsgate's CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed that the company would be offering iTunes downloads last year. No word on what's taken them so long.[Thanks, Adam W]
Netflix "Watch Now" feature offers movie download alternative
Just as online music stores introduced the "rental" model to music listeners, it looks like we're finally getting beyond the rent / purchase model for online movies, with Netflix mixing things up with its new Watch Now feature. A user gets an hour of video watching for every dollar they spend monthly on the service -- a $17.99 subscriber gets 18 free hours of video. There's no concept of buying or renting a movie, instead you just watch what you want to watch, with every minute spent watching each movie counting against your total, but nothing more. This helps users catch the last few minutes of recent rentals they might not have finished, or preview a bit -- or the whole thing -- of a prospective selection. With a good enough connection, the quality apparently approaches DVD, but there aren't any portability options or DVD burning here: it's all browser based and not a whole lot more. The feature is also XP only at the moment, but Netflix hopes to expand to other platforms, including cellphones. Currently there are roughly 1,000 titles available, which Netflix hopes to expand to 5,000 this year. Netflix is live with Watch Now for select customers right now, and will slowly expand to the rest of its subscribers over the next six months. It seems we've been waiting for Netflix to get into this gig for years -- oh wait, we have -- and while it does seem to be taking a bit different angle to the biz, we're glad to have 'em all the same.
Time Warner expects download-to-burn movies to hit in '07
Good news, folks: Time Warner (disclosure: our parent company's parent company is owned by Time Warner) is facing a future of "download-to-burn" DVD movies with grim determination, and expects said apocalypse to occur sometime in 2007. Sure, a few services have started offering a some movies here and there, most of which have been late, overpriced and plagued with problems, but it sounds like Time Warner is getting ready to do this thing for reals next year, with that fancy new Wal-Mart download service as a potential partner in such doings. Of course, pioneers like Movielink and CinemaNow can't be really blamed for their failures: most of the problems arose from studios like Time Warner practically forbidding them to provide a decent user experience to those potential criminals customers of theirs. The new word is from none other than Richard Parsons, the chief exec and chairman of Time Warner, who says "I expect we will be in a download-to-burn mode in 2007 -- It will be a part of next year's offerings." We'll be waiting to see how well Time Warner fulfills that promise.
The Clicker: Living on the Grid
Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, an opinion column on entertainment and technology:Riddle me this -- what do you get when you cross the cost savings of a peer-to-peer network with the stability, reliability, and security of a traditional CDN (Content Delivery Network)? The answer, if one Seattle startup has its way, might just be on-demand DVD-quality video at a fraction of the current cost.Sitting atop Seattle's famed FX McRory's building in the picturesque Pioneer Square, a group of 15 dedicated employees at GridNetworks is attempting to go where many have ventured but few have succeeded; they're attempting to morph the concept of peer-to-peer into a business.Last week I sat down with GridNetworks CEO, Jeff Payne, and VP of Sales and Marketing, Bo Wandell, to get the lowdown on their new service. Click on to find out what I gleaned from their vision for Grid.
PlayStation 3's P-TV video download service in photos
Our crew out in Japan gave us the 411 on the P-TV video download feature; it seems that all of the content currently being offered on P-TV is anime clips and movie trailers -- nothing full length -- and it's all free. Think of the iTV trailer blade we saw at Apple's last big event. One accesses the P-TV store via the PlayStation browser -- there's no in-system interface (lame) -- wherein users can snag H.264 video to their internal drive or a USB drive. Thankfully, the video is un-DRMed and can be played back on a PC, although it doesn't really matter since it's mostly promo stuff anyway. Apparently there's also an account registration and payment method screen in with a shopping cart interface in the PlayStation Store, so it's entirely possible full-length downloads might happen in the future, a la Xbox Live Video. But for now, it's all about quick clips and trailers, with no option to buy the big content.
Sony Japan adds PS3 video downloads
It's not exactly an Xbox Live Video killing app here from what we can tell, but it looks like Sony's Japanese broadband unit, So-net, has added content download support in conjunction with PlayStation 3 firmware 1.10. That is to say, if you're a proud owner of a new PS3, you'll be able to acquire digital media over their P-TV service, with video in 720p or even 1080p. Details are still sparse as we're waiting for our Tokyo branch to fill us in, but the 8Mbps H.264 downloads appear restriction free (although we doubt you can actually get them off your PS3). We'll let you know more as we do (like exactly what content this pertains to, prices, IPTV, etc.), but since it's So-net something tells us it could be a little while before digital movie downloads make it to US customers.[Thanks, Dj NoPantsCuban]
Sony Japan adds PS3 online content downloads
It's not exactly an Xbox Live Video killing app here from what we can tell, but it looks like Sony's Japanese broadband unit, So-net, has added content download support in conjunction with PlayStation 3 firmware 1.10. That is to say, if you're a proud owner of a new PS3, you'll be able to acquire digital media over their P-TV service, with video in 720p or even 1080p. Details are still sparse as we're waiting for our Tokyo branch to fill us in, but the 8Mbps H.264 downloads appear restriction free (although we doubt you can actually get them off your PS3). We'll let you know more as we do (like exactly what content this pertains to, prices, IPTV, etc.), but since it's So-net something tells us it could be a little while before digital movie downloads make it to US customers.[Thanks, Dj NoPantsCuban]
Xbox Live to offer HD movie downloads?
There are wild rumors, and there are interesting rumors, but here's a doozy for ya: Xbox Live could soon start vending HD movie content, according to one freshly minted Wordpress blog (take that for what it's worth). According to Shsibae (huh?), over 1000+ hours of video will make its way onto Live for rental at about $4 a go, or for purchase (at an unstated price). Hard to imagine Xbox 360 doing for PC-free online movie downloads what all the other companies couldn't or haven't (we're looking at you TiVo, Netflix, iTV, etc.), but then again Microsoft did start up with that Xbox Live music video download thing last year. Seriously though, what a coup would that be if Microsoft swooped in to make the Xbox 360 the premier digital content hub -- with or without HD DVD -- right underneath Sony's nose at the eve of their PlayStation 3 launch? We just hope Microsoft would have a larger drive waiting in the wings if this one turns up roses though, our 20GB is already packed to the gills with game demos.
