VideoMarketplace
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Microsoft Xbox video marketplace ad banned for being misleading
Apple isn't the only one to run afoul of the UK's Advertising Standards Authority, now that one of Microsoft's recent ads (embedded after the break) promoting its video rental service has been banned. Challenged because it fails to mention the viewing window (24 hours after pressing play / 14 days after download,) the board agreed, saying users may be influenced to purchase on the basis of being able to download and keep movies, which currently they can't. Microsoft argued that the ad was too short to get into the details of its DRM requirements, but maybe next time they'll hire one of the fast talking individuals from oh-so-many pharmaceutical ads for the last second disclaimer.[Via Joystiq Xbox & CVG]
Xbox Live Marketplace adds HD & SD content from ABC, MGM
While HD DVD and Blu-ray have both lost key supporters recently, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace seems to just keep adding new content providers, this time bringing MGM and Disney-ABC Television Group to the fold. Conspicuous in that both are exclusive Blu-ray supporters, Xbox 360 owners will -- later this month -- have access to ABC hits like Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives in HD the day after they air. So far, MGM's announced just classic and catalog flicks like the Rocky series and The Usual Suspects, with "most" available in HD. Still looking for a Blu-ray add-on or built in HD DVD?
Xbox Live Video Marketplace to launch in Europe next week
Just over a year after launching the Xbox Live Video Marketplace in the US, Microsoft is finally ready to bring the service to Europe, with Computer and Video Gaming reporting that it'll open for business on December 11. Sadly, it looks like it'll be rental-only, at least at first, with 720p flicks going for 320 MS points (about £3.23, or $6.64) and SD movies for 250 points (about £2.13, or $4.39). Rentals will stick around on your hard drive for 14 days after you download them, but once you hit play they'll delete themselves after 24 hours -- a system which seems needlessly complicated to us, but we'll take what we can get. Peep the full list of titles available at launch after the break.
Xbox Video Marketplace in Europe soon, limited release
A recently purchased Microsoft Points Card package (manufactured in Ireland) confirms the impending launch of Xbox Live Video Marketplace in Europe, apparently limited to the UK, Ireland, France, and Germany. The packaging also suggests that users will be able to rent "great movies" (in high-def), but does not mention the possible availability of television content.Microsoft has loosely targeted a year-end release for Video Marketplace in parts of Europe (and Canada), and with this new evidence, we should expect Tuesday's Dashboard Update to include the service in all relevant territories.[Thanks, RazorD]
Starz to bring Ghost in the Shell, Tokko, Astro Boy, others to Xbox Live
Sometimes, a story comes as a surprise, and sometimes you're surprised that it hasn't gone down yet. Today's news of Starz Media dropping a big chunk of anime on to the Xbox Live Video Marketplace is definitely one of the latter occurrences. Beginning today (and continuing over the coming weeks) you'll be able to find titles from the Starz anime library like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Seasons 1 & 2), Street Fighter II V, Noein, Tokko, Virus and Astro Boy on the service. The good news doesn't stop there. Looking over the catalog of titles under Starz's umbrella, we can see plenty of reasons to get excited. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to go pray for Appleseed.
WSJ: Sony prepping plunge into video download service
The Wall Street Journal reports that Sony is preparing for a full-on fight in the digital downloads arena with new video services tied to its Bravia televisions and PlayStation systems. Gasping in surprise at this point is a clear sign that you haven't been keeping up with the news, though reminding you will at least enable us to fill out the rest of this paragraph. Sony recently unveiled a video-on-demand service for the PlayStation Portable and a DVR system for the PlayStation 3, both aimed at Europe. Coupled with the Korean PS3's video service, a "long overdue" online PSP store and earlier murmurings of Sony's intention to tussle with iTunes, it would seem time is the only thing between us and Sony's video marketplace.It won't be an easy battle -- Apple's iPod and Microsoft's Xbox 360 Video Marketplace are armed to the teeth -- but Sony's considerable library of films should give them a solid start in content. Of course, how they'll manage to offer HD video downloads without stepping on Blu-ray's toes (the ongoing battle metaphor equivalent being friendly fire) is another matter entirely.[Via Engadget]
Free Heroes HD episode available on the XBLM
Coinciding with the release of Heroes season one on HD DVD, NBC is offering the first episode on the Xbox Live Marketplace in HD or SD and for free. So, if you're an obsessed Heroes fanboy or a Heroes virgin like myself then feel free to dabble a bit in what the show has to offer and give it a watch. Even if you only download it for the sole reason of getting a chance to watch a TV show in HD. The free episode weighs in at 599MBs for the SD version and 2.4GBs for the HD flavor. Happy watching.[Thanks, Bitter Kevin]
Fox signs up with MS, Family Guy hits XBLM
Variety reports that Fox has partnered with Microsoft to become a new content provider for the Video Marketplace. The first batch of content from Fox will be the first two seasons of the fan favorite, Family Guy. Also coming to the Video Marketplace is the DVD movie Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin -- the Untold Story (otherwise known as "the Stewie movie"). New seasons of the show will be arriving soon and new episodes are expected to be available the day after they air.Of course, Fox has more to offer than Family Guy, but Microsoft and the studio felt the series was a good match for the demographic that has been downloading scads of programs like South Park and movies like 300. If Family Guy isn't your thing, don't worry, there will be plenty of Fox content on Video Marketplace before long.[Via MEGATONik. Thanks, zizzy]
Family Guy coming to 360 Video Marketplace Sept. 2
Video game fans and awkwardly-inserted references to animated comedy Family Guy go together like deaf guys and grease, so the announcement of the show's arrival on the Video Marketplace seems like a natural fit. Before you start making plans to ditch your Sunday night watching ritual, you should know that you'll only be able to get the first two seasons next week along with the feature length Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story. But hey, if you've somehow missed seeing every episode of Family Guy 20 times between Fox reruns, Adult Swim and those DVDs your stoner friend Mike left at your house, you'll be able to catch up on Sept. 2. Giggity giggity goo.
THIS. IS. SPARKETPLACE! 300 on XBLVM
300 is on Xbox Live Video Marketplace for Live members in the U.S. It's available in both Standard Definition and High Definition, the HD rental weighing in at 5.3 GB. Really, that's all we gotta say about it. Er ... go download it now? Seriously though, it's really an epic film that we enjoyed in theatres, and having the HD DVD allows us to appreciate the quality of its digitally distributed cousin.[Thanks, J.R.]
Europe and Canada to get Video Marketplace in Fall
At Microsoft's E307 Media Briefing, Peter Moore announced that Xbox Live's Video Marketplace would be going worldwide, or more specifically, to Europe as well as Canada. Apparently, XBLVM will be available in these new locales this fall, a full year since the announcement and launch in November 2006 in the States. This came hot off of the announcement of Disney partnering with Microsoft to bring HD movies to Video Marketplace tonight. We're very happy to see Video Marketplace have a broader reach, though it will be interesting to see what content discrepancies there are when it launches in the coming months.
Video Marketplace now features Disney studios
During its E3 press conference yesterday, Microsoft announced that Video Marketplace will now feature films from Disney Studios. These studios include Miramax, Hollywood Films, Touchstone, and of course, Disney itself. Likely the largest aspect of this distribution deal is that Video Marketplace will now offer many of Disney's animated feature films. Frankly, we're hoping the selection broadens quickly, as Hercules, The Emperor's New Groove, and Tarzan aren't exactly the first films we think of when considering Disney classics (no Aladdin, no Lion King? For shame!). There are other films available as well, including Sky High, Waterboy, The Brothers Grimm, Unbreakable, and many others. All of the new Disney Studios content is available now.
MS: Video Marketplace still booming
According to a recent article in The New York Times, Microsoft continues to do some damned good business with its Video Marketplace. Business is so good, in fact, that Microsoft claims that the service has maintained double-digit growth every single month since it went online last November. The article is filled with praise from Microsoft's content partners like Comedy Central and Warner Brothers. The true strength of the service, according to the article, is that it essentially hits gamers where they live. As many gamers watch less television and see fewer movies, Video Marketplace places content right where they spend most of their time: in front of the Xbox. Of course, that's not to say there isn't room for improvement. As noted by Josh Roberts, a gamer interviewed by The Times, downloads still take hours and the Microsoft Points system is confusing and annoying (he compares it to carnivals forcing patrons to buy food with tickets rather than real money). Still, quibbles aside, there's no denying the convenience of Video Marketplace, something we're sure even more companies will eventually realize.[Via Gamasutra]
Free XBLM TV downloads are body shop'able
We just thought we'd let our fellow US Xbox Live members know that there area few free TV episodes to download off the Marketplace this week. Continuing to be free, you can download all four episodes of CBS's Clark and Michael as well as the season premiere of Comedy Central's American Body Shop and VH1's Acceptable.tv Tutorials. All downloads are free for US subscribers for an unknown amount of time, so we recommend getting online and grabbing them while you can. You know, before "the man" makes you pay for 'em.
Austin Powers available free on Xbox Live
Beginning yesterday, Xbox Live users could download a free copy of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, which should come as a welcome relief to those of you just coming out of a cryogenic sleep, those who've been without TBS for the past decade or those who just like to get free stuff. The download is apparently sponsored by McDonald's and their "BurgerCon" area of Xbox Live. However, there's no forced McDonald's advertising on the download, which you can find on Marketplace, just a trailer for Rush Hour 3. Oh, and Dr. Evil's head has been digitally replaced by a Southern Style Chicken Sandwich. You'll be able to get the free download until June 28 and once more from July 13-19. In another innovative marketing ploy, New Line is offering $20 and a "World's Greatest Foot Massage" coupon to Xbox Live members who download and watch Codename: The Cleaner as part of their new "We're So Terribly Sorry" campaign.[Via GameSpot]
Burgercon offers free Austin Powers movie rental
Burgercon, McDonald's latest marketing campaign aimed at trying to get you to eat their Big Macs, is offering a free movie rental for Xbox Live members in the United States. Make your way to the Video Marketplace and rent Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery for free! All thanks to the kind folks over at McDonalds ... Burgercon rocks! Also, if after watching the original Austin Powers and you have a jonesing for more Mike Meyers, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is available for rental, but for 240 Microsoft points.It's also worth mentioning that we ran into some technical difficulties trying to download the movie from the Xbox Live Burgercon ads. But there's an easy workaround. Simply make your way to the "all movies" list on the Marketplace and you'll find Austin Powers listed. Try downloading it from there, it worked for us.
This week's Video Marketplace offerings
The (United States exclusive) Xbox Live Video Marketplace is flourishing with stacks and stacks of movies being released each week. And, as expected, this week didn't let us down with over twenty new movies and a handful of TV shows added to the list. Big exciting HD movies like Letters From Iwo Jima, Good German, and Undead. Okay, we haven't heard of all the exciting new movies, but they're in HD so we love 'em all the same. Complete list of new Video Marketplace content is posted after the break including TV offerings. Now only if we could find some extra Microsoft points laying around so we could rent Dr. T and the Woman to see what that's all about.
Free Lil' Bush and more on the Marketplace
It's another beautiful Summer day featuring free TV episodes and a music download off the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Just what exactly is free this week? Well, let's pull out our shovels and dig through the Marketplace to find out. Free for download is the premiere episode of Comedy Central's new series "Lil' Bush" as well as episodes one and two of CBS's "Clark and Michael". Also, if we would have mentioned this earlier, LOGO's "Curl Girls" premiere episode was free, but just became paid content and is now 160 Microsoft points. Sorry about that. But there is a newish music video available for download from Ankle Injuries as part of the Zune Ignition sponsorship. That's about it for free downloads today, so fire up the Marketplace and find your free download treasure matey. Ahoy!
Lots of anime available this week on the XBLM
We knew Microsoft would keep their word as new Video Marketplace content arrives this week. So, let's get to it. Anime fans will be happy to know that a massive amount of anime will be purchasable this week totaling fourteen different shows including Trinity Blood, Guyver and Last Exile. Not only that, but various National Geographic content will be up (SD only) as well as HD movie rentals including The Fountain and Dreamgirls. Take a look at the complete list of this week's new Video Marketplace content posted after the break and see if you can find something that makes you happy.
The Video Marketplace just got Mindfreaky
This week on the Video Marketplace we've got your HD movie fix with Team America: World Police, Happily N'Ever After, and Freedom Writers. We've even got your TV hook up with Babylon 5: Season 5, Shooting Sizemore, and a few Comedy Central stand-up specials. There's even random short form shows like Baxter & Maguire, Guacamole, and The Golden Age. But the most freaky interesting of them all is an exclusive five minute preview of Mindfreak: Season 3. Yes, we admit it ... it's a guilty pleasure and we're intrigued by this guy. That Criss Angel is sort of crazy mix between a rockstar, a makeup aficionado, a gym rat, and a goth dad. Maybe we're interested because it's such an odd mix of persona and illusion ... no matter. Give the clip a look if you're willing to have your mind freaked or, for the twisted among us, a good laugh.
