rentals

Redbox readies $2 game rentals

Redbox plans to start renting out games at the vast majority of its U.S. locations later this year.

Starting in June, 21,000 Redbox locations will feature Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii titles, the company said yesterday. The games will be available for $2 per day and feature everything from "top releases to popular family and kids titles."

Redbox currently operates 27,000 kiosks around the U.S. It offers DVD and Blu-ray rentals for $1 per day and $1.50 per day, respectively.

In August 2009, Redbox quietly started to rent games in a few kiosks. … Read more

Report: Fox, Paramount holdouts on YouTube rentals

Three major film studios have been unwilling so far to ink deals that would let YouTube rent out their movies, a new report claims.

Rumors surrounding YouTube's plans to expand its rental service with flicks from major studios most recently cropped up earlier this week. As of this writing, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Universal Studios have all signed on, according to reports.

However, Fox, Disney, and Paramount Pictures have decided against signing a deal with YouTube, according to an article published yesterday by TheWrap, an entertainment-news site. The article claims the studios are holding out over concerns … Read more

PlayStation breach

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Sony admits to a major security breach in the PlayStation Network

YouTube may be poised to take on Netflix in the movie rental business

The Nexus S 4G will launch on Sprint on May 8

The updated Nook Color will let authors sign your digital books

Dish Network completes acquisition of Blockbuster

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge today approved Dish Network's $320 million acquisition of Blockbuster, once the largest movie rental chain.

"We are pleased to have purchased the assets of Blockbuster and look forward to building on the nationally recognized Blockbuster brand while improving the experience of delivering entertainment to consumers," Tom Cullen, executive vice president for Dish Network, said in a statement.

The satellite provider announced its intention to purchase most of the rental chain's assets earlier this month at a bankruptcy court auction. Under the terms of the deal, the acquisition was expected to … Read more

Report: YouTube finally readying premium movie rentals

Already late to a game dominated by Apple and Netflix, YouTube may finally be ready to get into the video-on-demand market.

Google's video-sharing site is lining up deals with major Hollywood studios and could launch an online movie rental service that would feature premium titles as early as next week, according to a report by entertainment Web site The Wrap. Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Brothers, and Universal have licensed their movies for the new service, according to the report, which cited an unidentified senior executive at a studio that has already signed on.

Pricing details were not revealed, and … Read more

mSpot offers movie rental subscription service

mSpot has launched a new subscription service that claims to save customers cash on movie rentals.

When users sign up for mSpot Movie Club, they can opt to pay $4.99, $7.99, or $15.99 per month for inclusion in the program. The cheapest option gives people 20 credits to put toward their rentals, while the two higher options offer customers 40 credits and 80 credits, respectively.

mSpot is best known for allowing customers to rent films and stream them to iOS- and Android-based devices. The company's service, which includes new releases and older films, can also be … Read more

The 404 793: Where Wilson's back with a vengeance (podcast)

The Bubble Boy gets released from quarantine and joins us back on today's episode of The 404, where we're chatting about Dish Network grabbing Blockbuster for $228 million; a Canadian service that could mean the end of missed packages; a girl who can't close her mouth; and the end of one of our favorite TV shows: "30 Rock."

The 404 Digest for Episode 793

Dish Network wins bidding war for Blockbuster Video. The BufferBox may signal the end of missed packages. Just for fun, here's the delivery guy spoof scene from "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective." Nurse uses Popsicle sticks to reset a jaw in mid-yawn. News anchor falls for Shock Top app prank. "30 Rock" will end next season, according to Alec Baldwin.

Episode 793 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Amazon party in the cloud

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Amazon launches Amazon Cloud Drive, a digital music locker to store and access your music

Sprint hopes to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger

Kindle users with subscriptions to The New York Times will not have to pay additional fees to access the paper behind its new paywall

Facebook is going to release five more movies to rent on the site

Netflix gets permission to stream Paramount movies and shows in Canada

News Corp. may be planning to transfer control of MySpace to Vevo

Facebook gets five more film rentals

After the launch of "The Dark Knight" rental on Facebook earlier this month, Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding its product offering.

Early this morning, the company released five more films that the social network's users can watch from the site. The newly available films--"Inception," "Yogi Bear," "Life As We Know It," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"--are available to rent on users' individual Facebook pages.

As with "The Dark Knight," users who want to … Read more