AfterDawn: News

Amazon Unbox is dead, welcome Amazon VOD

Amazon has announced the end of its Unbox service and the birth of the new Amazon Video on Demand.

The new, updated service will allow users to watch ad-supported movies and television episodes on their TVs and PCs.



Users have the option to stream content on their PC or Mac, use media hubs with Web browsers or if you are a Sony Bravia HDTV owner, using the Bravia Internet Link.

Movie rentals cost between $3 and $4 USD and to purchase the movie with no ads is $10-15 USD depending on how new the film is. All TV episodes cost $1.99 but you may save money if you purchase or rent a whole season.

Roy Price, director of Amazon VOD, added that Unbox users had requested the ability to watch movies instantly via streaming. "We're continuing to create new, convenient ways for our customers to watch digital movies and TV shows,” Price said.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 6 Sep 2008 18:48

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• 6 comments

• ZippyDSM

  I'd buy them for those prices but not rent them, don't be ridiculous!

  6.9.2008 20:05 #1

• hendrix04

  Did i read that right? I am going to be paying for videos with ads in them?

  6.9.2008 22:25 #2

• atomicxl

  Originally posted by hendrix04: Did i read that right? I am going to be paying for videos with ads in them?I'm pretty sure thats not for the ones your pay for.
  
  Movie rentals cost between $3 and $4 USD and to purchase the movie with no ads is $10-15 USD depending on how new the film is. All TV episodes cost $1.99 but you may save money if you purchase or rent a whole season.
  
  Thats horrible pricing. Its cheaper to buy these movies on disc than it is to download. How is that possible? Zero shipping cost, zero manufacturing cost, zero profit splitting with retailers... how does it cost more when you've eliminated all of that?

  6.9.2008 22:56 #3

• mspurloc

  I wonder what that means for the TiVo users.
  Doesn't matter, I guess. Amazon just put themselves out of the video business.
  Netflix has them on value and convenience, especially with their new player.
  And if they're going to screw around with ads, it's obvious they're clueless. It's a dead business model.
  How many times do we have to tell the bean counters we don't want this?
  With idiocy like this out there, I don't blame people for using torrents.

  7.9.2008 00:49 #4

• mspurloc

  Oh, and now I'm extra glad I never spent significant money on their DRM-ridden movies or TV shows.
  I'd be up the creek.

  7.9.2008 00:51 #5

• vudoo

  OK I read the same thing and I see that Amazon is offering the same movies you'd normally have to "Rent" for FREE (With Ad Supportive Management (AEM) ) This is the best news I've heard in a long long time. And may I add one more point and that is that you can rent the movies for FREE if you collect Pepsi caps and enter those codes and presto VOD for FREE FREE FREE. Why is that a bad idea? The artists get paid while I sit, watch a great movie, eat popcorn and of course drink Pepsi lol.

  24.9.2008 19:28 #6