http://www.reuters.com/article/2011...B120110222?feedType=RSS&feedName=internetNews Here comes the future...
I wonder what Redbox's response to this will be. And in the long term, will there eventually be room for both Netflix and Redbox, or will it have to be like every other industry in the US and see consolidation to the point of monopoly or near-monopoly?
I logged onto Amazon yesterday and they've started offering some "free" streaming videos on demand for prime members, so it seems like they are definitly trying to compete with Netflix, as of now their selection is no where near that of Netflix, but they definitely do have the potential to grow as big if not bigger.
If content is everything (after convenience, obviously) then I could see Amazon jumping in to make Netflix unbeatable with Amazon's resources behind it. No other company would be able to pay as much for rights, and they would have their pick of the best and most extensive content...most of which has never been available at all in a format that brings it right to your TV, whenever you want it. Imagine being able to stream ANY TV show from any point in history; from I Love Lucy to NYPD Blue, entire seasons without having to wait for the recalcitrant ****s at Fox to release DVD sets. But more than that; I think this could fulfill the promise of Hulu to its maximum expression: commercial network TV to your computer, on your schedule - but not a limited number of offerings - ALL of it.
