Walmart's Vudu streaming video app for iPad

[Rico]

Netflix gets even more competition, with Walmart now offering a streaming video app for the iPad.  I might have to test this out!

(CBS) - Hooray! Wal-Mart launched their web-based video rental service VUDU and now it's available on the iPad, as well as Sony PlayStation 3, HDTVs, Blu-ray players, PCs and Macs.
"By using the browser, VUDU avoids paying Apple 30 percent of each sale," Edward Lichty, the company's general manager, told Bloomberg. "Customers can add a VUDU icon to their iPad desktops by clicking the 'Add to Home Screen' button when on the website," he added.

Wal-Mart offers video streaming on website

The application will essentially allow users to rent or buy content from the discount heaven's library of 20,000 movies and TV shows, and stream it directly on their Apple device.

"Wal-Mart has been aggressive in its push for VUDU, last month announcing it will begin offering some movies the same day they are released on DVD," reports The Street. "As the retailer focuses on streaming content, it is doing away with digital music. Wal-Mart said on Tuesday that it will stop selling music online starting at the end of the month."

This video-streaming option comes at a great time. Movie-and-TV-show-downloading fiends are still disgruntled by Netflix's price hike last month, which raised its subscription rate for DVD-by-mail and streaming service to $15.98 per month.

One-time movie rentals on VUDU range from $0.99 to $5.99. You can also purchase movies from $4.99 to $24.99.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20090614-501465.html

[turtlesrock]

watch out netflix!

[Jobydrone]

Very interesting.  I wonder how long it takes for the studios to catch on and skip the third party distributors altogether, and start to offer their movies and TV shows for streaming and download directly from their own websites, making all the money their own.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Very interesting.  I wonder how long it takes for the studios to catch on and skip the third party distributors altogether, and start to offer their movies and TV shows for streaming and download directly from their own websites, making all the money their own.

Please don't give them ideas....

Anyway, as I'm not very friendly to WalMart, I'm rather ambivalent to this...

King

[Jobydrone]

Please don't give them ideas....

Anyway, as I'm not very friendly to WalMart, I'm rather ambivalent to this...

King

I'm sure I'm not the first person to have thought of this.  It's heading that way, as physical media fades away we're going to see studios at least offering their IP first through their own distribution and then later parceling them out to cable channels and services like these (VUDU/Netflix etc.)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Please don't give them ideas....

Anyway, as I'm not very friendly to WalMart, I'm rather ambivalent to this...

King

I'm sure I'm not the first person to have thought of this.  It's heading that way, as physical media fades away we're going to see studios at least offering their IP first through their own distribution and then later parceling them out to cable channels and services like these (VUDU/Netflix etc.)

Sadly, we're starting to see it with video games on the PC too.  People are in an uproar over EA's recent decisions that seem to indicate they want to sell their video games only on Origin and no where else.  I really dislike the idea....

I prefer one-shop stores.  I do not like handing out my debit/bank account information to every developer in the world.  Even if it is "through secure means".  Its also a giant pain in the butt. 

King