Amazon Unbox

Earlier today Amazon released Unbox, their new video download service. The service is similar to iTunes' video, and allows users to "rent" and buy videos. Movies are around $4 to "rent" and $15 for a permanent download, while tv shows are hovering around the traditional $2 iTunes price per episode.

The service offers most major channels - with the exception of Disney, every major studio seems to be well represented.

I think the download service is great and pushes the industry away from the dying model of brick-and-mortar rental at places like Blockbuster, or even red-box, but at the moment, I don't think I'll take advantage of it. For one, I don't have a good way to play them. My computer doesn't have a TV out port, and my TV doesn't have a computer-in port, so I'd have to watch the movies on my computer. Secondly, I don't have a good way to save them. I don't have a DVD burner, and even if I did, the cost of raw DVD-R disks is around $4 a piece right now, bringing your total movie purchase cost close to $20. While it's nice to get that DVD you've been wanting RIGHT NOW, most DVD's hover between $10-$15 at Target or Wal-Mart, and I don't run the risk of messing up the burning process.

Yet I think these concerns are being addressed by new hardware and won't be an issue in the next few years. I think Amazon's making the right decision to break into this market now, early, while they're still a big name in media, before someone else does, and rely on vendors like Microsoft (xbox360), Sony and Toshiba to bridge the computer-to-tv gap.