Archive for: movies
- September 17, 2010 1:07 pm
For those who prefer renting to purchasing movies or TV episodes, Apple’s announcement regarding the new AppleTV and rental-only business model likely made you jump for joy in the streets. Right from the start, a slew of big name companies were on board except one — Warner Bros. While they’re not the only kind on the block, they’re certainly a major player. So it’s with great disappointment that I ruin you, the rental-loving readers’ day. Warner Bros WILL NOT be renting out shows on the new AppleTV. Apparently, they hate money. Contrary to what they’ll claim of course.
You see, their greed is repulsive. They think the tens of millions hundreds of millions they would make with an iTunes $0.99 rental plan isn’t enough. That’s fine. Warner Bros. Execs and shareholders think they’re helping their bottom line when in fact they’re hurting it. Instead of people getting the content they want and how they want on their AppleTV, many will instead fire up their torrent app of choice and get the episode and possibly the entire season for free. You see Warner Bros. (and every other big media company who put greed over consumers), when you screw over consumers, they screw you back. Have fun with that…
Ask any tech competent person about DRM and they’ll correctly tell you it’s useless — unless of course you goal is to piss off someone and neuter their experience with legally obtained content. The image that has attached itself to DRM isn’t going away. So, content creators have to get crafty every now and then. (Too bad they can’t put that creativity into creating actual legitimate business models that don’t fuck over consumers…) Meet the latest face in DRM: UltraViolet.
The aim of UltraViolet is to be a digital, cloud-based locker of sorts that will “just work”. The claim to fame is that no matter the destination, whether it be gaming console, smartphone, tv, computer, DVR, etc., UltraViolet will allow playback of your content without hiccup. Though of course, that was the original claim of your standard DRM scheme. And we all know how that played out. Not to mention, a cloud-based account signals to me that an internet connection would be required to authorize/de-authorize devices to play your content. For a fair chunk of users, that wouldn’t be a problem. But alas, not all of us have internet. What are those people going to do? Everyone involved managed to get one thing right though — it’s free.
There’s plenty of big name media partners, physical, and digital retailers jumping on board, so DECE UltraViolet looks like it may stick around for a little while. Let’s just hope it goes better than the last dozen and a half DRM it-always-works schemes. Anyone remotely excited? Or would you rather keep playback across devices in your own hands, manually, and without a needed internet connection? Ya…me too.
I’ve honestly lost count how many times I’ve written articles criticizing the MPAA and movie industry as a whole. Their entire thinking in general is bassakwards and completely anti-consumer. The only beneficiary is the rights owners’ pockets. Consumers on the other hand get shafted as old business models are desperately fought for in vain. But even after three separate movie studios have blacklisted Redbox and others such as Netflix with BS 28-day rental blackouts, common sense does reside in at least one — Paramount.
Paramount Home Entertainment is actually promising that they’re going to allow rental services to rent out new movie purchases the same day as they are available for actual purchase. +1 for the consumer…
Yes, horrible news people… Dennis Hopper, the amazingness behind the live action Super Mario Bros movie’s adaptation of Koopa is dead at age 71. He is no more, among all the voice overs he has done for video games, the tons and tons of movies he was in, him playing the beloved Princess nappin Koopa, is no more. This is sad news, and all nerds out there will definitely want to keep his family in their thoughts.
If any of you out there haven’t seen this movie, go rent it/buy it/don’t download this one, please and support this great movie and this amazing actor.
Dennis Hopper RIP
You want justice? You want someone cutting through the B.S. and calling it like it really is? Of all people, ThePirateBay ISP is publicly criticizing those pointing fingers at the PirateBay and bittorent overall. The ISP in the spotlight, CB3ROB, has a vocal employee CEO by the name of Sven Olaf Kamphuis who goes on to call Disney among others in the industry “clueless idiots” (or so true). Sven also questions the legality of the so called court order the MPAA has pushed the German gov’t to slap down on CB3ROB.
All of the above will likely play out over the next couple of years in some locked up court room far from the public eye. But the basis behind the lawsuit will be as stupid as ever. Really, when will these clueless idiots realize that suing and shutting down torrent search engines does nothing and is the most bass akwards approach ever? If only they would embrace technology…
Ars Technica
I’m still not too convinced on dropping several hundred on the iPad, but the pictures I’m seeing from the new *leaked* Netflix app are certainly a step in the right direction to warming me up. I love movies, especially finding new movies. Netflix in that sense is like a gateway to a land full of narcotics, visually pleasing and entertaining narcotics. With that big display and slick UI, watching — and streaming no less! — movies will certainly be fun to do no matter where you reside. One little humorous factoid however can be found in what Netflix CEO had to say as recent last late January:
“The iPad is not a priority…”
Right.
If Hulu decides to come along, my resistance will be even more difficult. Anyone being wooed over with streaming Netflix goodness?
**I just realized it’s April Fool’s day. We’ll see how this one plays out…
Gizmodo > PC Mag
Engadget
Besides the epic failure of music labels’ inability to find a working business model in the digital age, there is one other contestant in particular vying for “worst performance in the digital arena ever” award: Blockbuster. When I was a kid (not too long ago), I remember going to Blockbuster sometimes as often as a couple of times every week. It was great. The competition with other locals Hollywood Video (now deceased) and Family Video (greatly downsized) ensured the movie rental market was always on the up and up. And then the digital revolution happened. Since then, Blockbuster has for all intents and purposes, failed to figure out this whole disc-less society.
Late last year, they proved even more that they didn’t understand this new digital age when they proposed a pilot program of movies on SD cards. For the first 10 seconds it seemed like a decent alternative. And then the gears started turning — why driving miles to the movie store (wasting all kinds of physical resources) to pick up a digital file stored on a tiny card? Downloading the same file is exponentially easier. Netflix in particular got it. What happened to Blockbuster?
How about another round, shall we? Building off the success(?) of the OnDemand movie download service currently available only to HTC HD2 users, Blockbuster has announced that other platforms are on their list. According to the chain, Android-powered Motorola handsets will gain support sometime this year. One nifty little feature that I have to give Blockbuster credit for is that the OnDemand service actually allows users to DL full movies to store locally. Granted, DRM is laced throughout, but still. When given the choice, if I’ve got a few, I’ll choose the local copy every time. Supporting only one platform won’t cut it this day and age however. Words on the webs is that an iPad version is in the works. That can only help.
Whatever does and doesn’t end up making it to market, one thing’s for sure; Blockbuster needs to get the lead out and quick. They’re closing stores at breakneck pace and holding depressingly boring press conference after conference rehashing the same empty promises we’ve heard quarter after quarter. Does Blockbuster have what it takes to become relevant again? Or do you not even care anymroe?
Electronista
- February 25, 2010 3:44 pm
Of all the industries that have been hit hard by the digital revolution, the music/video industries are some of the hardest hit. With both formats relying heavily on physical media for income, now that many are pushing away from such formats, the companies involved are feeling the pinch. On the video front, Blockbuster is taking a beating. Just look at their recent 4th quarter results in which they lost over $400 million — $400 million!. Even more telling however is that this staggering loss comes at a time when Blockbuster has in years past done very well. Simply put, it’s a failure to adapt.
Adapt to the changing times, to the move to smaller and more efficient media, or just to digital altogether. Recent trials of SD movie rentals may have seemed pretty decent on paper, but in truth it’s a terrible idea. Who is going to drive into town to pick up a digital file when it’s exponentially easier and more convenient to just download it? That fact alone coupled with Blockbuster not really having any viable digital rental/purchase options are literally killing the company.
Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes knows this, stating that though his “company’s future is bright, the next 12 to 18 months will remain challenging.” Looking at it from the outside, it’s going to be very challenging. Does anyone feel or think Blockbuster can right their sinking ship or is it too far gone to save?
Cnet
- February 10, 2010 8:33 am
As if we didn’t see this one coming…
Blockbuster is filing for bankruptcy in Portugal. Why does that matter to us here? It doesn’t really. But it goes to show how a company stuck on old business models and resistant to embracing new technologies kills itself. If Blockbuster had moved to some form of Netflix solution or even to a more digital business model, perhaps their pockets (and stores) would be a tad more full, hmm?
Once riding high on a 100 store army in Portugal, Blockbuster is now a mere 1/4 of what it used to be — a paltry 27 stores left. Out of those 27 stores, 27 of them are finding it hard to keep the lights on at night.
Can’t say I’m disappointed though. I haven’t rented a movie in ages. And why would I? I have at least half a dozen gadgets that allow me to rent, buy, and stream whatever movies I want from my couch. See ya later Blockbuster. As your image and name slip into the depths of irrelevance, I’ll try my best to look back to a happier time when you were the center of my multimedia life.
Think they’ll pull out of bankruptcy and re-emerge leaner and meaner? Or do you wish they’d just die already?
Engadget
[Image Source]
