Time to Learn a New Word: "Unbox"
Filed under: Distribution, Home Entertainment
This is some pretty big news, so let's use that handy old writer's crutch known as The Bullet Point:- Starting this Thursday you'll be able to download movies (and TV shows) from Amazon.com's brand-new Unbox service. Rental movies are $3.99 and the permanent downloads will run you about $15. TV episodes will be 2 bucks, and you can get 'em the day after they play on network TV.
- Warner Bros., Fox, Paramount, MGM, Lionsgate, Sony and Universal are all on board. Disney is not. (You'll be able to download Disney fare via iTunes, but that's not what this story is about. This one, however, is.)
- Amazon will give members their own movie page, which will be accessible from any computer, to house all their purchases.
- The picture quality will (allegedly) be on par with DVD technology, and you'll most likely be using Amazon's own browser-embedded player to enjoy your films.
- The "window" issue still hasn't been clarified. We're not yet sure if we can purchase Movie X upon its DVD release -- or if we have to wait for the pre-cable pay-per-view window.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-07-2006 @ 7:19PM
Zach said...
What isn't being mentioned is that this same technology, Digital Rights (Restrictions) Management, is already being used by services like Napster, iTunes, etc.
Ironically enough, though you BUY the songs, they are not YOURS, you are merely renting them. Even though you paid your own money and nowhere in any advertising for either service does it say you rent, they say you BUY. Well, something you BUY, you should do whatever you want with, right? Unfortunately, DRM doesn't work that way -- you do whatever Big Media wants you to do with it, and in some cases, when they want you to do what they want you to do with it.
You can find more information at http://defectivebydesign.org -- it's a plot to eventually make your computer deliberately disobey you in favor of the media companies. It also has other serious implications, such as Microsoft having the ability to completely shut Linux out of the OS game using a TPM chip, and the RIAA can not only dictate exactly what you can and can't do, they can also use the TPM chip to expressly disallow *independent artists*. There are more conjectures, and Richard M. Stallman can explain them better than I can: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html
Enforce your rights as a citizen and a consumer. Don't tolerate DRM, vote away from it with your wallet.
Reply
9-09-2006 @ 3:53PM
Arbitrary said...
I rented Vendetta for 3.99 and the first time I tried to play it I was told that I'd used up all my licenses and to buy the video. It had not even finished downloading. After I tried to play it a couple of times it deleted the rental from the player. Now, try to find a phone number for Amazon customer service. I just lost 3.99.
Reply