Blu-ray, DVD, HD, Video info and more at WesleyTech.com

Day-and-date movies come to iTunes

PRESS RELEASE: May 1, 2008—Apple® today announced that new movie releases from major film studios and premier independent studios are available for purchase on the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com) on the same day as their DVD release. New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod® with video, iPhone™, Mac® or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV®, with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99.

“We’re thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios.”

New releases available for purchase on the iTunes Store this week, concurrent with their DVD release, include “American Gangster” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Other popular titles now available for purchase include “Juno,” “Cloverfield,” “I Am Legend,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”

Pricing & Availability
Movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6.2, available as a free download immediately from www.itunes.com. iTunes movie purchases and rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. iTunes Movies are available in the US only and are $9.99 (US) for library title purchases and $14.99 (US) for new release purchases and $2.99 (US) for library title rentals and $3.99 (US) for new release rentals, and high definition rental versions are priced just one dollar more with library title rentals at $3.99 (US) and new release rentals at $4.99 (US). Short films are available to rent for 99 cents (US). Movies can be previewed, purchased and watched on iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch, iPhone and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.

Blockbuster Online

One of my biggest criticisms of Blockbuster Online’s service was how it dealt with high-def titles. While they carry Blu-ray and HD DVD movies, these were different titles than the same movie on DVD. They would not automatically send the Blu-ray version of a film, you would have to select that specific title.

Recently (and I’m not sure when) they have finally come to parity with Netflix in this regard. They now allow the user to receive Blu-ray, HD DVD or both instead of the DVD version.

My friend just walked me through the process of setting this up, and it’s fairly simple. In the account settings you chose an option for high-def, and they confirm you have a high-def player, high-def TV and supporting cables and then you select which hierarchy you would like, and you’re ready to go.

I’m still waiting to find out how much this rate hike will be for Netflix, but I am certainly taking another look at Blockbuster Online.

Editor’s note: You can also discuss DVD Rental Services with us at http://dvdrentalforums.com