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Blockbuster, Motorola team up for mobile movies

August 19th, 2009 |

Author: admin

After inking a deal with Samsung last month to deliver movies directly to your home, Blockbuster announced on Tuesday that its OnDemand service is also coming to your mobile phone.

Blockbuster OnDemand, to be available on “select” Motorola mobile phones, will provide users with access to “thousands” of films, the company said in a statement. Users of the upcoming application, whose release date is yet to be announced, will also be able to choose films for home delivery or reserve titles for in-store pickup.

According to Blockbuster, the Motorola deal is yet another element in its strategy of providing consumers with options to get its movies anywhere, at any time.

For its part, Motorola believes that offering Blockbuster movies on its handsets will help it regain some of its appeal. The company once sat atop the mobile-phone industry. Today, it’s a shadow of its former self. And it’s trying desperately to regain some market share.

That might be coming through Android-based devices. Motorola has already signed on to deliver Android phones. Blockbuster’s app might become a component in that strategy. But by competing with the iPhone and its many multimedia capabilities, Motorola and Blockbuster will be facing an uphill battle.

The iPhone features a YouTube app, providing users access to just about any video they want.

Apple’s handset also has iTunes, through which users can download their favorite films or television shows, then watch them on the iPhone while they’re away from home.

Rumors are also swirling that Netflix will be coming to the iPhone in the coming weeks. If that happens, the iPhone will become an even more attractive handset for those who want multimedia features. And both Motorola and Blockbuster would be facing an even more powerful juggernaut.

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Source :

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10313303-17.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Posted in Internet, media, movies, video |

Tags: Blockbuster, mobile movies, Motorala |

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Time Warner, YouTube ink distribution pact

August 19th, 2009 |

Author: admin

This was originally posted at ZDNet’s Between the Lines.

Time Warner and YouTube said Wednesday that they have signed an online video distribution deal.

Under the pact, YouTube will distribute Time Warner short-form video content, including movie clips, television shows, and news. Time Warner properties–Warner Bros. and Turner Broadcasting System–will program YouTube videos via an embeddable player.

According to a statement, YouTube will get access to CNN news, the Cartoon Network, and shows such as “Gossip Girl.” Time Warner video will appear across Google properties. Time Warner can also create separate channels on YouTube and sell ad time. The two parties will split ad revenue.

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said the YouTube deal was a good way to monetize short-form content.

The deal appears to be a win-win. YouTube gets more professional content and Time Warner is allowed to sell ads and control channels.

Also see: Disney, YouTube forge video distribution pact; YouTube: Uploads don’t hurt our bottom line; Google moves to show YouTube has ‘a very credible business model’; The cure for YouTube’s ills: Charge for uploads.

Source :

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10313480-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20