Once again, this isn’t a last100 give-away but our good friend Dan Rayburn over at Streaming Media is up to his old tricks, this time giving away a Vudu set-top box (see our early review).
To qualify to win the unit, all you have to do is leave one comment on Dan’s original post with a working e-mail address. He’ll pick one person a week from today using a random number picker website and ship it out to the winner at no cost. (Sorry, U.S. residents only) The unit comes with all of the original materials, box, remote and cables.
There are only a couple of more shopping days left until Father’s Day, that once-a-year event when wives and kids all across the U.S. buy Dad ties, aftershave, and other things he — let’s be honest here — will never use.
So to make shopping easier this year, we’ve assembled a few digital lifestyle ideas for your husband or Dad. Most of these are more expensive than Aqua Velva aftershave but, since we’re being honest here, these are what Dad might buy for himself, including a remote control beer cooler.
The obvious
The most sought-after Father’s Day gift on the planet will be the new 3G iPhone from Apple, which isn’t available until July 11. Until then, a hand-written IOU redeemable for the iPhone will do. Thankfully, the price is coming way down: $199 for the 8 GB model, $299 for the 16 GB phone. And since it now supports the enterprise with Microsoft Exchange syncing and other business-place features, the grumpy IT guys at Dad’s office will be happy.
Alternatives: none. Sure, we could argue for a Sony Ericsson, BlackBerry, or HTC smart phone, but why bother? Until Google’s Android phones are available — long after this Father’s Day is over — the iPhone will head Dad’s wish list.
Seemingly lost in the news of iTunes, the AppleTV, Amazon’s forthcoming online video streaming service, and the newly available Netflix set-top box from Roku, is Vudu.
Vudu, the movie-on-demand service with its own set-top box, has upgraded its software to version 1.5 — ho hum — but this upgrade includes the ability to extend the rental past the 24-hour deadline.
Yipee!
One of the loudest complaints from people who rent or stream video content over the Internet is that they’re given 24 hours to watch a movie once it has started. If the baby interrupts and you can’t get back to “Atonement” in time, tough. You’ve got to rent it again to finish.
Vudu now allows you to extend the rental period for $2 off HD movies and $1 off regular flicks. The option is available for a week after the movie expires; once chosen, you have another 30 days to watch, 24 to 48 hours (depending on the film) after you hit play. The extension is available only once, although we wish it was without an additional cost [Ed. all rentals should be viewable for 48 hours at no extra cost. The studios are just being plain greedy and demonstrating that they still don't understand viewing habits. Have they never heard of "no late fees"?].
It’s a reasonable amount of time to finish what you started, or watch again. It’s also something that others — ahem, iTunes — should offer as soon as possible.
April 21st, 2008 | Posted in Net TV | Comments Off
Word that Sony may be again launching a movie and TV download service was met today with interest and a bit of much-deserved scoffing.
It’s not like Sony hasn’t tried this before. Remember Movielink? Thought so. (It was sold to Blockbuster, by the way.) Remember Sony Connect? It shut down in March.
Heck, since the monumental success of the Walkman ages ago — in an analog world far, far away — Sony has pretty much failed at every digital offering, minus the early PlayStations and some home theater equipment. The whole digital music thing passed Sony by as Apple took over the Walkman mantle with the iPod, iTunes, and the rest of its digital lifestyle ecosystem.
The Los Angeles Times today reported that Sony is again in talks with Hollywood muckety-mucks regarding a download service that would beam movies and television shows from the Internet to the PlayStation 3.
But because said muckety-mucks are hush-hush over the negotiations, not much else is known — no pricing or if the movies and TV shows are for rent or purchase. One tantalizing tidbit, however, is being floated about.
Once again, this isn’t a last100 give-away but our good friend Dan Rayburn over at Streaming Media is up to his old tricks, this time giving away a Vudu set-top box (see our early review).
Seemingly lost in the news of iTunes, the AppleTV, Amazon’s forthcoming online video streaming service, and the newly available 
