Not a fad…..Video Downloads Available at Amazon
Well, you know that things are going somewhere when Amazon jumps into the fray.
Today I got a notice regarding Amazon’s new Unbox Video service. Movies & TV shows downloaded to your computer. Skip the DVD altogether. You can download and own the fully digital version, without having to have the standard storage media (the DVD).
Interestingly enough, their selection feels familiar. What do I mean? Take a look at the ITunes Store. Then look at the Amazon Unbox Video store. Hmmm…
In addition to purchasing video, you can also rent movies. I have yet to try this feature, but it is there. Now it’s getting interesting. One thing when small startups get into a market. A whole other when some of the big names of the net really get into it.
How long before your local Blockbuster starts feeling the pinch?
Rich,
Google this Amazon offering and see what others have said about their experiences. BTW, it is WinDoze only. This was their choice, unlike say iTunes from a company that actually knows how to write software. Perhaps Amazon should stick to just selling hard goods on the Web.
Comment on October 5, 2006 @ 3:51 pm
Mike,
Yes, you’re correct. Windows only, just like Vongo.com and CinemaNow.com. Somehow I think they’ll be rectifying that soon enough. Given how many folks are loading Windows on their new Macs though with Parallels or Boot Camp, I wonder if “new” Mac folks will be horribly bothered.
But yup, I’m happy with the ITunes offering. Apple paved the way on how to make it work right. The rest should learn. The bigger point, people are working toward this as the new distribution format.
Comment on October 5, 2006 @ 4:02 pm
Rich,
I suspect as others do that those using Boot Camp or Parallels are doing so for a limited number of DOS-specific apps. In time, the likelihood is that the integrated Apple apps will win over those who are new or returning Mac users and the perceived need for DOS apps will diminish. People will indeed care that their apps function well and are aesthetically pleasing and a whole raft of other qualitative and quantitative reasons. Have you seen the studies that examing the number of mouseclicks or keystrokes that it takes to perform ordinary tasks on the Microsoft Office suite on the Mac and DOS platforms? Quite surprisingly given that the suite comes from Microsoft, the Mac generally requires about half as many as DOS. The interface conventions of the two platforms do indeed matter a great deal and over time people will notice even if subliminally, IMHO.
Comment on October 5, 2006 @ 5:20 pm
Could be Mike. I’m sure in time folks will find the value in Mac. I sure did over the years (used to run Windows networks). But there are still arguments for Windows. I can’t run any of my GIS software, or GPS software on the Mac yet. I actually keep a windows system for those applications. Getting there, but not all the way yet.
Comment on October 7, 2006 @ 7:53 am
Rich,
Have you looked for GPS software on the Mac recently? There are several. My parents used to liveaboard (19 years actually) and used GPSy on their boat for 3 or 4 years. Although they are land-bound now, my father just upgraded his GPSy so that he could follow the progress of the new owners as they make annual treks up and down the Ditch.
GIS software is a special category where the Mac offerings are indeed few. Do you mean topographic or mapping software when you say GIS? I distinctly remember when the TOPO software was in beta form. It was written on the Mac with SuperCard as I recall. It was developed by two guys in our local user group, Macs of Marin.
Comment on October 7, 2006 @ 12:34 pm
Hi:
We have not met before, but I’ve been researching RV web sites, looking at sites that are rich in informational content for RVers, which provide good products, services and information, and are independently owned. As you know, one company in our industry tends to monopolize the RV market, and we have spent the last few years partnering with the best RV companies and web sites, to bring real and useful information to our customers.
Primarily, we own a camping club, representing RV parks in every state, and serving over 14,000 members, called Happy Camper Club.
But the reason I am contacting you is about our more inclusive, free social network for RVers, already highly ranked within the top 100,000 sites on the entire web, and getting lots of publicity from the RV media. It is a “MySpace” type network, but specially designed to serve RVers in a safe, private place online where they can chat, share trip pictures, upload video, write articles about their travels, and communicate with each other to learn and share information with those who are new to RVing.
The site is called http://www.RVScrapbook.com , and it launched in July. Each visitor views over 50 pages on the site each visit, and we would like to invite you to get involved, because we feel you have some very useful content at your site, which would gain much larger exposure by being presented at RVScrapbook. We are proposing a win/win partnership with your site. We would like to invite you to register at the site as a member (it’s free), and once you register, if you will email me with the user name you have chosen, I will upgrade you to a gold membership (free), so that you will be able to add unlimited content at the site – whether it be pictures, video, articles, or whatever you think is important to share with the RV community – and we encourage you to link back to your site as often as you like. When you link from a site ranked in the top 100,000 , this increases your stature in the search engines, and helps you to gain more visitors – not to mention the opportunity to interact with RVers in “real time” at the site, promoting yourself in this very unique environment.
What we would like to gain from this is to have you help us promote this community to the RVers you know. We’ve found that a great way to do that is to create a link on your site that says “RV community,” which links to http://www.RVScrapbook.com This is not just a link exchange, it is actually a way for you to present a reason for visitors to keep returning to your site, because they will enjoy the features at this community, which will be viewed as “your” own social portal.
If you are interested in working with us, I welcome you to register at the site, and get back to me to let me know your ideas for working together. We will soon be expanding RVScrapbook through all the state camping associations, beginning with seven states; including http://www.texas.rvscrapbook.com If you would like to register in Texas before we launch, please feel free to do so, but for now, the action is at the main site, http://www.rvscrapbook.com
Thanks for your time. I respect the knowledge you bring to our industry, and would love to have a chance to work with you!
Best regards,
Anne Pierson
RVScrapbook.com
866-677-6453
Comment on October 13, 2006 @ 8:00 pm