Blockbuster Inc’s (BBI) stock is down a whopping 77% on the day and trading around $.22. It seems that the company has hired a bankruptcy firm to explore the possibility of a reorganization. Update: Turns out Blockbuster isn’t filing for bankruptcy after all. Damn rumor mill. → Read More
Blockbusters Video’s mail rental program is about to get a shred of awesomeness in the form of game rentals. The program will slowly be rolled out starting with a pilot program with select subscribers. You know what this could mean though right? There will finally be a reason to subscribe to Blockbuster instead of Netflix. That is, of course, if the price is right and the game selection… → Read More
Blockbuster made good on it’s word to launch a streaming media platform before the end of 2008 and now BB is launching a computer-based movie streaming service just like Netflix. Actually, I’m sure a PR tool will be quick to point out via a nasty email that this service isn’t ‘just like Neflix’, but come on, it is. → Read More
Dave Zatz quickly ordered-up the Blockbuster OnDemand streamer when it launched and now states that the device isn’t ready for primetime. (his words, not mine) While I won’t steal all of his thunder, the above image is popped up when he tried to play his first rental. I’ve only rented one flick, the latest Indiana Jones installment. The initial download automatically restarted a few… → Read More
The BlockBuster OnDemand set-top streamer is now available and for those interested in the nitty gritty, here are some of the first screen caps and product shots by Dave Zatz. So far it seems like the set-top box is just your average, post-beta but not quite production ready device. The big surprise for me is that Blockbuster OnDemand is not purely a streaming service. Video can be played back… → Read More
Blockbuster went official with plans for a set-top streaming box last week and now the company CEO is stating that the same capability will soon be available in Blu-ray players as well. Allegedly this option will be available in the first quarter of 2009 but what player is going to have the option? The Playstation 3 perhaps? → Read More
General details about BlockBusters upcoming movie streaming box were released late last night but there wasn’t a good image of the device; we dug one up. It seems like this 2Wire-made MediaPoint box is an OEM-type product which means the final BlockBuster model might have a different name and color scheme but should maintain the same overall appearance. Other details, including UI… → Read More
It wasn’t that long ago, that Blockbuster semi-announced plans to enter the crowded realm of movie streaming devices and sure enough, here is the device. The 2Wire manufactured device, dubbed MediaPoint, doesn’t require a Blockbuster subscription and for a limited time is “available for free with the advance rental of 25 first-run movies, TV shows, foreign or classic films… → Read More
This is the perfect time for Blockbuster to jump into the niche market of video streaming devices – seriously. We already have TiVo, Vudu, Roku, LG Blu-ray player, Samsung Blu-ray player, Xbox 360, Apple TV, Dish Network and cable’s On-Demand service (miss any?) so why not add another option for consumers. Blockbuster is looking to pop-out a similar streaming set-top box as soon as… → Read More
Blockbuster has withdrawn its bid to acquire Circuit City. Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO, said the company’s decision was based on market conditions and the completion of “initial due diligence,” but said that he hasn’t given up on the dream of “a consumer retail proposition” that would marry content and devices “under one brand.” → Read More
Blockbuster will deploy an in-store download service in the coming months. The program, initially available only in Dallas, will let consumers download movies onto a portable device in, as Blockbuster’s CEO James Keyes hopes, under 30 seconds. So far, only Archos-made portable media players are compatible with the as-yet unnamed service. No details regarding what movie studios have signed… → Read More
It probably looks like this. Today, Blockbuster announced that they will be expanding their gaming portfolio by adding more titles for all platforms as well as selling hardware and accessories throughout their locations. That’s a great idea, had they done it years ago. There are places called Game Stop that cater specifically to gamers, Blockbuster. Maybe you missed that memo. To entice new… → Read More
As if Blockbuster didn’t have enough problems trying to justify its existence by making an ill-conceived buyout offer for Circuit City. Now, it is being sued for privacy violations related to its Beacon ads on Facebook. And, no, the plaintiff is not Michael, although he did once point out that the way Blockbuster used the names and images of Facebook members without permission to hawk its… → Read More
Blockbuster has just made a bid for Circuit City, effectively offering shareholders double what their shares are worth. The $6 to $8 bid (Circuit City stopped trading at $3.90 last week) hasn’t just confused me, but real life retail analysts. Said one, “It’s an odd move… Synergies between a video store and an electronics store aren’t that obvious.” I agree. To… → Read More
Blockbuster (you remember them, right?) has announced that it plans to make Blu-ray disks available for rent in almost all of their stores in the US and Canada. That’s about 5,000 stores, up from a previous 1,700 stores. In addition to offering Blu-ray in stores, Blockbuster has begun to let subscribers of their by-mail rental service choose a preference of Blu-ray disk over standard DVD. → Read More
Hey what’s another box underneath your TV, right? Especially when it’s got movies streaming directly from Movielink and Blockbuster, yeah? According to Reuters, Blockbuster “is developing a set-top device for streaming films directly to TV sets and is expected to announce the offering sometime this month.” So we’ll have another Vudu-like hardware box just for movies… → Read More
From Doug Aamoth at CrunchGear: Hey what’s another box underneath your TV, right? Especially when it’s got movies streaming directly from Movielink and Blockbuster, yeah? According to Reuters, Blockbuster “is developing a set-top device for streaming films directly to TV sets and is expected to announce the offering sometime this month.” So we’ll have another… → Read More
With Toshiba’s announcement that it is to cease manufacture of HD DVD players, the High-Definition format wars are now over. With Blu-Ray left standing, some, such as Rob Beschizza at Wired are now saying that digital downloads will now kill Blu-Ray. It’s an argument I want to support and many of you reading this will feel is a sound one, but it’s not going to happen anytime… → Read More
This is starting to get interesting. First Radiohead released “In Rainbows” Online, then Saul Williams released the Trent Reznor produced “The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust.” Now it seems that movie studios are, at least to some degree, following suit. While filming “Jackass 2,” the crew apparently created enough content for two entire films. → Read More
Blockbuster CEO James Keyes has fallen in love with being able to watch movies on his BlackBerry. So much so, in fact, that his company is now in talks with handset makers like Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung about ways to get Blockbuster movies onto cell phones everywhere. Keyes has been watching movies downloaded from Movielink (which Blockbuster acquired not too long ago) that are then transferred… → Read More
I know that I’m in the sad minority, but I like Blockbuster video. The clerks at my local Broadway branch are always cuter than the ones at the Hollywood down the street. Am I shallow? Oh, yah, totally. But besides that, my local Blockbuster has a far better selection than the Hollywood. Not as good as Scarecrow, but I’m not going to the U-District to get Deadwood, know what I mean? So… → Read More
Your first stop for a quiet Friday night at home might soon be the drugstore, not the video store. Actually, that’s assuming you haven’t discovered the joys of On-Demand and/or downloading movies directly to your Media Center PC or Apple TV. Walgreens is planning to outfit its stores with DVD-burning kiosks “in the next few months,” according to a company spokesperson. This… → Read More
Netflix is getting desperate in their struggle against Blockbuster or they’re taking a page out of Wal-mart’s playbook and gearing up to drive out Blockbuster from online rentals altogether. I’m inclined to believe the latter is true, well, for the most part. By shaving off another dollar from their already cheap prices, Netflix is teetering on a fine line that could end up breaking them. → Read More
With competition heating up between rivals Netflix and Blockbuster, the next move isn’t even about DVD rentals anymore, it’s now about the downloads. Netflix has offered VOD for awhile now and really has out-shined Blockbuster quite a bit. Now with the purchase of Movielink, Blockbuster has more customers, more ground to work on, and the ability to offer more than 3300 titles for… → Read More
Blockbuster announced the acquisition of movie download site Movielink this evening. The price is not being disclosed (meaning it isn’t “material” to Blockbuster’s shareholders), although the Wall Street Journal says it was less than $20 million. Movielink was created in 2002 as a joint venture of most of the big studios – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Paramount… → Read More
Oh noes, Netflixers. If you try to access the Netflix site you’re prompted with this message. What does it all mean? The update times keep changing. I know their subscriber base has tapered off and Blockbuster is muscling in, but please don’t shut down, Netflix. I loves you and your wide variety of DVDs. Hehe. They’re not shutting down, but it does seem to be taking a long time to update… → Read More
Universal Studios, which exclusively supports HD DVD, basically thumbed its nose at Blockbuster in its response to the rental chain’s decision to favor Blu-ray. A marketing manager for Universal said that rental income from places like Blockbuster only brings in less than one percent of its revenue. No big loss, in other words. So much for the predictions of it being the end of the world for… → Read More
Talk about leaps of faith. We all know that Blockbuster has chosen to support Blu-ray over HD DVD, but how, exactly, is that affecting sales? Well, according to one guy who works at an “unnamed” retailer, Toshiba should throw in the towel now because HD DVD sales have all but died. Interesting theory. Apparently, this one guy who works at an “unnamed” retailer says that… → Read More
Aw, snap! Looks like Blu-ray is beginning to honestly win the format war. With Toshiba sucking and Sony grinning, it’s only a matter of time before the format takes over as the next-generation optical format. Now Blockbuster is choosing sides and the company seems to favor Blu-ray over HD DVD. Blockbuster just announced it would begin carrying more high-def discs in 1700 stores by mid-July. → Read More
Looks like slow news day at the world of Web 2.0 blogs. Yesterday Mike broke up with Netflix — it was calling me last night asking me what to do and I was all like “Dude, move on. He’s just not into you.”— and Om is now in love with Akimbo, the video-on-demand service. Which ones do you guys use/like? [poll=9] → Read More
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