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Ultraviolet: It Burns

October 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a first-time user, you’ll need to create a Flixster account, open an UltraViolet account and link it to Flixster, and enter a 12-digit redemption code from the Blu-ray disc to gain digital access. It’s a five-step process, but the good news is that once those accounts are set up, you won’t have to enter that information again.
Finally, there’s the physical media aspect of the launch. Today, the only way to score an UltraViolet-enabled digital copy of a movie like Horrible Bosses is to buy a physical DVD or Blu-ray disc. That’s because currently, there aren’t any digital-only storefronts available. Again, Vudu and digital stores like Best Buy’s CinemaNow are soon expected to offer their own UltraViolet-enabled products, but in the meantime requiring a DVD or Blu-ray purchase to gain digital access seems a bit counterintuitive.

Most people couldn’t program their VCRs back in the day. A five step process, and you need to buy a blu-ray disc? I’m not sure why Hollywood expects consumers to work that hard to view their movies. Have you seen Horrible Bosses?

GigaOM

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Qwikster is Nixster

October 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.

This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster.

While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.

Well this sure instills confidence in the leadership over at Netflixster. I can’t wait for the next big announcement.

Netflix Blog

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Amazon vs. Apple in the Tablet Space

September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

On the Amazon Kindle Fire

Research firm IHS offers a rundown of the device’s components on its site. Materials for the Kindle Fire, which retails for $199, cost $191.65, but with factory expenses, that comes to $209.63. However, despite the apparent loss, IHS estimates that Amazon is “likely to generate a marginal profit of $10″ on each Kindle Fire sold, when you take into account sales of digital content with the device.

Why this has to be repeated ad naseum I don’t know, but Amazon is a retailer. They sell stuff. Lots of stuff. They aren’t in the high margin game. Even if they do have an iPad level competitor in the pipeline, their strategy will diverge. Besides, there is room for more than one major tablet offering.

According to a bill of materials (BOM) analysis by Brian Marshall of BroadPoint AmTech, the cost of goods inside Apple ‘s 16GB WiFi-only iPad totals $270.50. That figure includes a $10 line item dedicated to manufacturing, but doesn’t include another $20 set aside for under-warranty service costs. Adding the latter makes Marshall’s bottom-line total $290.50.

That’s for the entry level WiFi only iPad. It’s a 42% margin. Apple makes its money on hardware and offers content as an incentive. Amazon makes its money on volume sales and offers cheap hardware as an incentive.

Mashable Article

PC World Article

Filed Under: Amazon, Apple Tagged With: ,