After months of speculations whether Apple will release completely new Apple TV device making it a high-end media center for our living rooms or rather leave it, more or less, as it is (means without all the latest true HD capibilities, IP streaming, Blu-ray, live TV ability, HD recorder, 1080p support, etc.)… we still don’t know the answer.

The company introduced new Apple TV 3.0 software that gives us not more than a redesigned main menu - which is said to give a faster access to the content, possibility to watch iTunes Extras and enjoy iTunes LP in fullscreen and listen to the internet radio (including stations in high-quality HE-ACC formats).

Filed under: Industry

Redbox debuts $2 video game rentals, pretty lean on titles thus far originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The price for Netflix's Blu-ray subscribers is going up again on April 27th.
The increase translates into an extra USD $4 a month for BD users opting for standard three-at-a-time plans.
While Netflix is arguably justified in charging more to finance its rapidly expanded - and more costly to buy - Blu-ray stock of over 1,300 titles, it doesn't help the high-def format's image.

Filed under: Misc, Blu-ray, Other formats

At this point, Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video are just children in the grown-up world of video rentals, but even we can't help but appreciate its latest, um, attempt. After finding that people don't actually enjoy waiting for DVDs to arrive by mail, it has concocted its very own in-store subscription service, dubbed PowerPlay. In theory, at least, it's a fantastic plan; users are able to pop in, check out a DVD or Blu-ray for an unlimited window of time (or video game for five days), and then return it at their leisure. The problem? The unlimited service is a staggering $39.99 per month, and so far as we can tell, you can only have one flick at a time checked out. Other plans are certainly available, but none of 'em come close to the awesomeness of Blockbuster / Netflix. Sorry, but it's true.

[Via VideoBusiness, image courtesy of CPDothan]

Movie Gallery fires up in-store PowerPlay subscription plan originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonic Solutions has joined forces with Blockbuster in a deal that will enable consumers to download the movie giant's content.
Under the agreement, Blockbuster will "supply the branded consumer interfaces and Sonic will power content delivery across PC and portable devices".

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats

We've already polled the audience this year to see if you all still visited the tried-and-true rental store on any sort of regular basis, and most everyone made clear that the act of driving out to rent a movie was simply old hat. A new writeup over at the Press of Atlantic City takes a look at how close these establishments are to caving to alternate forms of renting. These days, consumers have a copious amount of options: VOD via their pay-TV provider, Netflix (by mail and online streaming), Hulu, VUDU and tons more internet-based alternatives. It doesn't take long to realize that driving out to get a movie isn't required anymore. Interestingly enough, not everyone expects the mom 'n pop rental shops to close up in the coming years, with an increasingly aging population still sticking to their roots and doing things the ways they always have. What say you? How long does the B&M rental outlet model have before it's overtaken by newer methods?

Are alternative renting methods killing mom 'n pop movie stores? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc

There's no doubt that Netflix is always toiling away in an attempt to improve its online rental service, but rather than tasking its own whiz-kids to do the impossible, it has established a potential $1 million prize for any individual or team who can "improve upon the complex Netflix movie recommendation system by 10-percent." The second annual competition just concluded, and for the second straight year there was no million dollar winner. Instead, BellKor in BigChaos took home $50,000 with a 9.44% improvement. According to team member Dr. Hunt, "hitting that last [small bit] is less of a dash to the finish line and more of a tough slog to the peak of Mt. Everest." Kind of makes you wonder, though -- what else is going on behind Netflix's doors?

[Thanks, Seth]

Netflix hands out big bucks to improve recommendations system originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix has reached its target of 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers ahead of schedule.
The retailer's chief financial officer Barry McCarthy said subscribers had added the option of paying an extra USD $1 to receive Blu-ray Disc titles at a quicker rate than Netflix forecast in October.

Blockbuster is rising to the challenge posed by cable companies and Netflix by launching a movie rental service via set-top boxes.
It is offering a STB made by 2Wire that plays movies downloaded over a broadband line.