Thursday, September 6, 2007

Blockbuster...Netflix...now Vudu?

In the New York Times today, they introduced a new movie service called Vudu. It is basically your own personal video store. Connect the product to your television and your internet cable line and for $400.00 you have access to 5,000 movies that will download within minutes.

This is important, after all, because we cannot be expected to drive all the way to the video store to rent a or movie, or wait one or two days to get one through the mail from Netflix. You could download the movie onto your computer, but then who wants to watch a movie on that tiny screen?

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy movies as much as the next person. But is this really necessary? It's a great idea, but how hard is it honestly, to order a dvd online and wait for it to arrive? If you're really that impatient then just drive to the movie store!

Vudu doesn't have a monthly fee, but you do have to pay to rent each movie, and they only stay on the product's harddrive for 24 hours. What happens if I get interrupted? I have to rent it again to see the ending, I could buy the movie for that price.

The critic who reviewed the product referred to the Vudu's scroll wheel remote as a breakthrough. Seriously, a breakthrough? It's a remote control! A breakthrough is finding a new treatment for some deadly disease or catching a suspect in a serious crime. A scroll wheel on a remote control is not a breakthrough.

Technology is great and I have no doubt that the creators of the Vudu are very intelligent. There are better things they could use that technology for than creating more and more products to make American's lives easier and more convenient. Besides, the Vudu will be out of date in five years anyway.

No comments: