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Redbox owner buys phone trade-in company to get away from DVDs
If you owned Redbox and faced a slowly declining disc-based movie rental business, what would you do? Diversify so that you're not rendered obsolete by internet video? If so, you're not alone. Outerwall (Redbox's parent company) has bought the phone trade-in firm Gazelle for a relatively modest $18 million. The deal gives it an online counterpart to EcoATM, its kiosk-based trade-in outfit -- the hope is that it'll catch those customers who'd rather not leave home to sell an old device. The shift in strategy may seem odd at first blush, but it makes sense given that Outerwall didn't have much success dragging Redbox into the streaming era.
Engadget Daily: HTC RE review, Redbox increases rental pricing, and more!
It's a periscope! It's an elbow macaroni! Nope, it's the RE, HTC's $200 handheld camera. Sure, it's super fun and really easy to hold, but if pro-level action shots are what you're after, this noodle-shaped shooter isn't for you. That's not all we have on deck, though -- read on for the rest of our news highlights from the past 24 hours.
Redbox rentals will get a price hike on December 2nd
If you're looking to snag a DVD or Blu-ray from Redbox while out gathering holiday supplies, you'll soon be paying a bit more for the rental. On December 2nd, the red kiosks will increase rates from $1.20 to $1.50 for DVDs and from $1.50 to $2 for Blu-ray selections. While the allure of Redbox lies in its low prices, even after the increase, its rates will still hit the wallet for sums significantly lower than on-demand or streaming rentals from the likes of Amazon, iTunes and others. In addition to the cost increase, Redbox will launch a recommendation engine -- similar to Netflix -- that will serve up suggestions for your next rental based on previous titles that you enjoyed. Games aren't exempt either, as that nightly fee will increase from $2 to $3 in January.
Redbox Instant's streaming video service shuts down on October 7th
If you thought that Redbox Instant would have trouble competing against a streaming video behemoth like Netflix, you were right. The Verizon-backed service is telling customers that Instant will shut down just before midnight on October 7th, roughly a year and a half after it got off the ground. Should you be a customer, you'll get a notice about any relevant refunds on October 10th. The closure isn't entirely surprising -- Outerwall (Redbox's parent company) wasn't happy with Instant's subscriber numbers, and a credit card fraud incident prevented it from taking new customers for three months. Still, this isn't good news if you liked Redbox's unique hybrid of online and kiosk-based rentals. [Thanks, Mike]
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Rumor: Redbox offers PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U rentals in April
For those happy few hanging out in front of a Walgreens who also want to play Super Mario 3D World, but just for a little while, good news: Rumors suggest Redbox will rent Wii U, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One games in April. NeoGAF user Exile20 posted images of Redbox's Coming Soon page on Monday morning, which showed of a number of games for those consoles, including Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, LEGO City Undercover, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Thief, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and New Super Luigi U. Those listings were later spotted by Polygon, but have since been removed. The vending machine movie and game rental business has a history of lagging behind other rental services in offering video games. Redbox didn't carry video games in most machines until 2011, and even now it still lists older games like 2008's Mario Kart Wii as Coming Soon. While Redbox hasn't officially confirmed that it will carry games for current consoles, these listings suggest it's improving its timing for game releases. [Images: Nintendo]
Redbox gets a new president plucked from the studios, former Warner exec Mark Horak
Redbox went from duking it out with Warner in 2012 over a proposed 56-day delay for rentals to cutting a deal for a shorter 28-day delay and implementing UltraViolet support in Redbox Intant, and now the relationship is getting even cozier. Parent company Outerwall announced its earnings today and that Mark Horak, president of the Americas for Warner Bros. since 2008, will be the new president of Redbox. A "leadership transition" saw former president Anne Saunders leave in December, and Outerwall CEO J. Scott Di Valerio cited Horak's experience and relationships "growing DVD, Blu-ray, video game and digital sale" as reasons he's perfect for the spot he's taking over on March 17th. Other than executive changes at Outerwall's other businesses (Coinstar and ecoATM), we're not seeing any immediate changes, and Redbox's most recent numbers seem on track, with revenue for Q4 that was slightly higher than the same period last year. The most important new business is the Redbox Instant streaming/kiosk combo effort, although it hasn't gained much traction yet against competitors like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu Plus and Netflix. The company says Redbox Instant activity increased as it launched on new platforms like Windows Phone, Xbox One and PS4, but it still didn't have any exact data to share. As far as disc rentals Redbox is focusing on Blu-ray now, since 55 percent of its rental customers have a Blu-ray player. It's already trying to upsell customers to more expensive rentals on its website and app, and plans to roll that out directly on the kiosks soon. The investor call didn't reveal much in the way of a new direction for Redbox, but we're hoping the next step is squeezing a dedicated rental return slot onto the boxes.
Redbox Instant now supports AirPlay streaming
Redbox fans will be happy to know that the company has released a new version of its universal Redbox Instant by Verizon app that supports AirPlay streaming. Redbox is among a long line of iOS apps and services that have embraced AirPlay streaming due to its popularity with users. There are a few caveats to be aware of. First, as Redbox notes: "To use AirPlay with our Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps, your device needs to have version 6 or higher of the iOS operating system. Also, AirPlay will work with streaming content, but not with downloads." Engadget has pointed out additional issues. The stream will be broken if you get a text message, certain notifications, quit the app or lock your device. All these issues make it a pretty slim chance that you'll get through an entire film without interruption. Hopefully, Redbox will address these issues in the near future. Redbox Instant 1.4 is a free download. Note that Redbox Instant and the official Redbox app are not the same.
Verizon's Redbox Instant now supports AirPlay streaming
Verizon's subscription streaming TV service, Redbox Instant, now supports Apple's AirPlay thanks to a new version 1.4 iOS app update -- with some caveats. For starters, though you'll be able to play streaming content on your iOS 6 device, the app doesn't support downloaded material as yet. Also, your viewing may be broken off if you receive texts and certain notifications, if you lock the device or if you quit Redbox to use another app. Meanwhile, AirPlay Mirroring, which lets you play from your device with your TV as a second screen, will still work just fine. Other tweaks include the usual bug fixes and improvements to the recommendations engine. So, if you've got Apple TV and want to give it a whirl, hit the source -- just make sure to tell your pals not to contact you mid-film.
Redbox Instant hits Windows Phone, will remain Lumia-exclusive for 60 days
After launching on iOS and Android almost a year ago, the mobile version of Redbox Instant by Verizon has finally arrived in the Windows Phone Store. Aside from a few cosmetic changes and added Live Tile support, the new app works exactly like its cross-platform counterparts, offering movie streaming and maps to nearby Redbox kiosks. An $8 monthly subscription also covers the rental fees for up to four DVDs, although customers can upgrade to Blu-ray discs for an additional dollar. The bad news is that the app's exclusive to Nokia's Lumia range right now -- plebes with other WP8 devices will have to wait until the end of January for general availability.
Newly-launched PS3 version of Redbox Instant has unique feature: Movies With Balls
Redbox Instant by Verizon, the digital extension of the Redbox video rental service, has come to PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Blog has announced. An $8 subscription to Redbox Instant will allow PS3 owners to stream videos from the Redbox library, and will also grant four DVD rentals per month from Redbox kiosks. For an extra dollar, subscribers can upgrade to Blu-ray discs. Even without a subscription, users can purchase or rent digital videos - they just won't be streaming. Rebox Instant also boasts a unique feature for PlayStation called The Playlist, which features a curated selection of movies based on themes like "Stuff Blowing Up," "Beards On Film" and "Movies With Balls." We'd write a joke about these titles, but what more can be said? Movies. With. Balls. The Playlist is only available to subscribers. Redbox Instant came to Xbox 360 in March, and required a Gold subscription to access. The PS3 version does not require a subscription beyond paying for Redbox Instant itself.
PS3 users get more streaming options with Redbox Instant and TuneIn radio apps
There's a lot of streaming media apps out there, and there's now two more on the PlayStation 3. On the video side of things, Verizon has brought its Redbox Instant service to the console, giving you access to thousands of streaming movies for the same $8 a month that Netflix costs (which also nets you four DVD rentals from Redbox kiosks each month). Unlike Netflix, however, you can also choose to buy or rent new release movies without a subscription. The other app making its debut on the console today is the TuneIn radio service, which offers access to some 70,000 radio stations. It'll also be making its way to the PS Vita next week, but there's no word yet on Redbox making a similar transition to Sony's handheld.
Redbox Instant channel launches for Roku players
Outerwall promised two months ago that it would offer Redbox Instant on Roku players, and the company is making good on its word by launching that channel today. The subscription movie service is now available for both the Roku Streaming Stick as well as conventional players ranging from the Roku LT to the Roku 3. There aren't any visible new features in the Roku version of Redbox Instant, but we doubt that many customers will complain -- they're getting cheap movie streaming through a similarly frugal media hub.
Redbox Windows 8 app out now, cuts lines with desktop reservations
It seems like everywhere we look, a Redbox is there. If you could use a helping hand to find one, though, there's now a Windows 8 app for that. Available today, the app assists in tracking down the nearest kiosk (our guess: outside your neighborhood's gas station), lets you reserve movies and games at the cardinal cabinets as well as watch trailers. An instant streaming app for the OS still hasn't surfaced, but we'd even settle for an update that reminds us to return discs on time.
Redbox Instant app for Android updated to work on rooted devices
When Redbox Instant's mobile apps launched earlier this year some users noticed that it refused to work on rooted Android hardware. Now a new update, noted in the log as "changed the way we handle rooted devices," is allowing playback no matter what your superuser status is. Many other premium video apps (but not Netflix, for example) have similar blocks on rooted / jailbroken mobile hardware, although users can usually work around them. Still, it's annoying and mostly unnecessary especially since the block is so easily overcome, so it's good to see Redbox making the change. The ban on rooted hardware and its limited library of subscription streaming content -- although it does throw in the convenience of kiosk rental credits -- have been the source of a large number of negative reviews for the app, hopefully with one looming issue out of the way the other will be addressed shortly.
Redbox opens GamingFuture site to discuss rentals for Xbox One, PS4
Microsoft revealed some details of how "game licensing" works on its upcoming Xbox One console, and included the tidbit that "Loaning or renting games won't be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners." In response, Redbox has launched a site called GamingFuture.net, which is ostensibly a place for gamers to express what excites or concerns them about next-gen gaming. It should also help provide a base for Redbox to defend its $2 per night videogame rental business. Interestingly, Redbox and Microsoft would appear to already be close "partners", since the former launched an Xbox 360 app for its Redbox Instant service earlier this year. There are links on the page to various reports about the Xbox One and PS4, plus a simple comment section for the public to chime in. GameTrailers reports the company messaged members of its "Text Club" service an alert about the new site, along with tweeting it from the official account. We've seen similar strategies employed during negotiations over cable channels, we'll find out more this week about what Microsoft and Sony's new hardware means for the game rental market -- and how the public responds.
Redbox Instant app coming to Roku players this summer
Redbox Instant recently launched on the Google TV platform and today it's officially announcing plans for a Roku channel. Despite its absence from the original list of devices, Redbox mentioned at Google I/O support for the Roku platform would likely be in the cards. Similar to the Google TV launch (and the recent Hulu Plus update) the app won't work on first gen Roku hardware, but once it's available will bring its unique package of subscription streaming / VOD / kiosk DVD & Blu-ray access to the hockey puck streamers. Still, the reports we've heard from early users are mostly mentioning the need for more subscription streaming content, but getting within shouting distance of the likes of Netflix and Amazon won't be easy.
Redbox Instant app available for Google TV
During CES, Redbox and Verizon mentioned Google TV among the platforms getting an app and now they've delivered. The Redbox Instant app for Google TV is in the Google Play market, however only owners of second gen hardware will be able to make full use of it. As the folks at Google TV Friends found, it can be side loaded on the Logitech Revue for example and even play previews, however it won't rent any movies. At Google I/O Redbox explained to GigaOm that support would be restricted, while showing off a newer version of the app that will be released after the Jelly Bean Google TV update hits and mentioning a Roku version on the way. Redbox's support page explains the lack of support for first generation hardware is because only newer devices have the necessary DRM support, owners of those boxes can install the app from the link below.
Redbox Instant streaming now available on LG Smart TVs
Now out of beta, Redbox Instant is slowly increasing the number of devices it supports and has now announced its launch on LG's Smart TV platform (TVs only, not Blu-ray players, for now). The hybrid disc / video on-demand / subscription streaming movie service has continued to push updates to its apps on Android and iOS since their debut, and has been posting promotions of its "disc + digital" approach. Its digital catalog is still more limited than competition like Netflix or Amazon Prime, but the disc aspect is an interesting hook, allowing users to pick up a brand new flick at the kiosk and stream catalog fare, all under one package. If you're in the beta then let us know how things are progressing in the comments, and if you're not then you can get a free month trial at the link below.
Redbox Instant, GameTrailers apps now on Xbox Live
Redbox's new "Redbox Instant by Verizon" video streaming service has moved out of beta and is now available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. The app itself will require its own additional subscription for unlimited streaming, though purchasing and renting movies can be done regardless.Two levels of Redbox Instant subscriptions are available: Four kiosk DVDs and unlimited streaming for $8 a month, or a Blu-ray version of the deal for $9 a month. A one-month free trial is available for anyone wishing to see how Redbox Instant's catalogue compares with its competitors.Meanwhile, Xbox Live's other miscellaneous entertainment offerings have also expanded by way of a new GameTrailers app, which brings the video portal's various reviews, original programming and, well, trailers to the Xbox. This way, everyone with an Xbox 360 can enjoy staged interviews with purported burn victims.
Redbox Instant app for Xbox 360 goes live for Gold subscribers
We knew that Redbox Instant would be coming to Xbox 360, it was specifically betrayed by a leak way back in November and the company has been pretty up front about the planned support. Now the app is available through Xbox Live, delivering its streaming library to millions of Microsoft gamers. The $8 a month service just became available to the public during the last week. If you're curious, but not quite ready to add another subscription to your life, Xbox Live Gold customers can enjoy a free trial of 4,600 unlimited streaming titles (though the 4,000-plus movies available for purchase or rent will still set you back a few more bucks). To try it out yourself hit up the Xbox Live Marketplace, where you'll also find the newly launched GameTrailers app.
