Use coupon code GW91TB1 during the checkout process to score the deal. Use this online search tool to find a kiosk near you. Better hurry though, the deal ends on December 8, 2009. [via Dealnews]

It seems the bulk of the kiosks will be at Duane Reade drugstores, but other locations like Gristedes grocery stores will have them as well.

Is this Blockbuster’s last gasp at staying relevant? Who knows, but at least it shows that the company is willing to evolve and forgo the traditional brick and mortar video rental business model. Thankfully this plan is a little more grounded than Blockbusters last two ventures: Blockbuster OnDemand & SD card movie rentals.

SD cards are everywhere, indeed, but there are precious few DVD players, TVs, and personal media players that support them. Your computer has an SD card reader, or else you’ve bought one by now, but I don’t think people want to rent things to play them on their computers if they can stream them so incredibly easily. Sure, working out how to get an SD card’s content onto your TV may be easy for tech-oriented people like you and me, but for the people grabbing a movie on the way out of the grocery store… not so much.

With luck, Blockbuster will wise up and allow a USB drive to be plugged in. I mean, why didn’t they do that first thing? Everybody has those sitting around. And not that many people have high-capacity SD cards. If the movies are over 2GB, a lot of people are sunk because they only have the card that came with their camera (likely 512MB or thereabouts). Oh well, it’s a step in the right direction. Although I guarantee you’ll see a Blockbuster DRM-stripping app out there within a few weeks of these hitting the street.

TiVo users have known that Blockbuster On Demand was coming to TiVo for a while, but the service just went live. So, does it have the goods to put up a fight against Netflix or Amazon On Demand that have been streaming content on TiVos for months already? Nope, not at all.

My main issue with the Blockbuster On Demand on TiVo is that it doesn’t offer any titles in high definition. That’s a problem for a lot of folks including me. But besides that, there are only 652 titles available right now, which pales in comparison to Netflix’s 17,000 streaming library.

Sure, I know that Netflix is a subscription service that requires a monthly plan, but even the $4.99 per month plan will get you all you can watch streaming content. Compare that at the $2.99 or $3.99 rental price per title of Blockbuster and tell which is the better deal. There are a few free movies on Blockbuster right now, but they seem like D-run flicks.

At least the interface seems sufficient. It’s about the same thing as Amazon On Demand actually. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.

The Blockbuster On Demand set-top box was a great first step, but a lot of people do not want another box to clutter up their AV rack, but simply an app that works with devices they already own. Hopefully soon more content will be available as well as HD streaming. Digital delivery is the future and this service shows that at least Blockbuster has seen the light.

Don’t look now, but your Series 2, 3, or HD TiVo is probably getting the Blockbuster On Demand update right now. Actually, go look now because while I couldn’t get a picture to show this accurately, the screen above looks slightly different than other TiVo screens. It’s tad higher resolution and there is just something different about it. Maybe a TiVo GUI refresh is just around the corner…

Update: Blockbuster On Demand is now live. Hands-on coming soon.

The movie rental fees range from $2.99 for “classic” or old films to $3.99 for new releases. The library will be expanded over the coming weeks to include more content.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for digital delivery. It’s the future, but Netflix and Amazon already seem to have a wide selection of content with some available in HD. I doubt Blockbuster will be able to provide a better experience than those two and there isn’t even any mention of HD content in the press release, which kills any appeal at all to me. If it’s not HD, I’m not going to spend money on it.

Check back later for a hands-on with the new service. Hopefully that will be sometime today.

[AOL Money via Engadget]

For whatever reason, PNY has teamed up with Blockbuster to bring you gobs of flash memory and discounted movie rentals. That’s right, folks, when you pick up a 4GB or 8GB Attaché from PNY you’ll be given a code for 50 percent off your next OnDemand rental from Blockbuster.com.

The move is an odd one for the company. Both Archos and Blockbuster are fading in relevancy and it’s unclear if Blockbuster is suggesting you use the netbook to stream movies you download from the Internet – maybe from Blockbuster’s own site? The Intel Atom-based netbook doesn’t have an optical drive so all I can think is that Blackbuster wants less foot traffic in its 1,000 stores.

Blockbuster Enhances Consumer Electronics Offering With Entertainment-Ready ARCHOS Netbook

DALLAS, July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — As a part of its consumer electronics offerings, Blockbuster Inc. will now feature a netbook for sale in 1,000 BLOCKBUSTER((R))( ) stores in the U.S. which will enable consumers to access entertainment on-the-go. The ARCHOS 10 netbook, manufactured by ARCHOS(TM), a leader in the portable media market, emphasizes mobility, connectivity and multi-media capabilities, all in an affordable personal computer. One of the first mini laptops to provide direct access to media on the move, the ARCHOS 10 netbook will be sold in participating BLOCKBUSTER((R)) stores and includes an embedded link to www.blockbuster.com.

“Blockbuster strives to provide consumers with convenient access to media entertainment when and where they want it. Enhancing our consumer electronics offerings with an affordably priced netbook that allows customers to access our online rental, retail and download services, whether they’re at home or on the road, is a natural fit,” said Joanne DeLorenzo, vice-president, product for Blockbuster Inc.

The ARCHOS 10 netbook, available at select BLOCKBUSTER stores for $299.99, features a sleek design, a pleasingly light (less than 2.8 pounds) and compact size, a 10-inch ultra-bright LED screen and a small, but easy-to-use keyboard. Also included in the WiFi-ready Netbook are an Intel((R))( )ATOM(TM) processor, 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Microsoft((R))( )Windows(TM) XP and a built-in web cam. Featured software include Lotus(R) Symphony, Outlook((R)) Express, Internet Explorer((R)), parental controls, virus protection and multi-media applications like XnView(TM) for viewing pictures and vTuner(TM) for Web TV and Radio.

What did I say when the Blockbuster OnDemand service launched last year? I said something about not discounting the service because the company has a lot riding on it, that’s what. This partnership between Blockbuster and Samsung which will place the service on the majority of Samsung’s new video gear implies that the service broke through to the mainstream and is here to stay.

New Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems should come with the service this coming Fall. The presser didn’t lay out exactly what models will be equipped with the service, but a gigantic logo will probably be somewhere on the retail box promoting the service. Don’t worry about delaying your HDTV purchase just for this feature though. Samsung LED HDTV 7000 series and above, along with LCD/plasma 650 series, and some 2009 Blu-ray players will also be able to run the service with just a firmware update soon.

This partnership will skyrocket Blockbuster OnDemand’s home penetration numbers. Samsung claims “millions” in the presser, but all I know is that this method certainly works better than selling consumers a dedicated set-top box.

Most people do not want another random A/V box sitting under their TV. I don’t. HDTVs are constantly increasing in computering power so they can certainly handle the task of displaying a GUI and streaming content.

I doubt that Blockbuster OnDeamnd will ever reach the install level of Netflix, but it doesn’t have to in order to be successful. Digital delivery is the future as physical media is quickly dying and as long as Blockbuster is in on the ground floor – like they are – the service should be around for a good, long time. The next step for Blockbuster OnDemand is to open up the API to developers so it can be used with popular apps like Boxee, Zinc, and XBMC.

Widgets and gadgets are the latest trend to hit HDTVs. Vizio is upping the game by equipping its soon-to-be-released HDTVs with an impressive suite of Internet applications and video streaming sites. So much so, that this portfolio will place them on top of many people’s wish list as these TVs will be better equipped than a TiVo or even Windows Media Server.

Forget about Vizio being a mid-tier, Walmart brand. These features might make some people question why they pay a monthly fee for a TiVo. Owners will be able to stream content from Revision3, Showtime and Pandora for free, while also able to subscribe to Vudu, Netflix, Blockbuster OnDemand, Amazon Video On Demand and Rhapsody. Plus, the sets are able to work with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and the Yahoo Widgets Engine.

All this content should be easily controlled and managed with a Bluetooth remote that features a slide-down QWERTY keyboard. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing this feature finally becoming available. Hopefully similar remotes will soon be available from TiVo and Moxi as there is nothing more annoying than typing via an on-screen keyboard.

The HDTVs connect to the local network via either 802.11n or wired networking. There is no word on DLNA support, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that finds its way into spec list.

Expect the new XVT series to be available next month and start at $749 for a 32-inch. The series continues up in price as LED-backing and 240Hz options are added. The top of the line VF551XVT has both options as well as five HDMI ports for $2,199 and will be available this September.

We’re just hoping that the picture matches the impressive feature list…

Blockbuster.com to Launch Online Game Rental Pilot in Cleveland; Plans Continue for Nationwide Launch Before Year End
DALLAS, May 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI, BBI.B), a global leader in entertainment, today announced that in keeping with its previously disclosed plans to pilot an online video game rental offering by summer, the Company would be launching the program in the Cleveland area June 30. Blockbuster plans to expand the program nationwide before the end of the year, making it the only by-mail service to offer both movie and game rentals.

“BLOCKBUSTER(R) stores already rent more video games than anyone else – in-store or online – so giving our consumers the ability to rent games from our online service is a natural progression for our business,” said Bob Barr, Vice President and General Manager of Blockbuster.com. “This pilot allows us to test a variety of implementation details and gather invaluable key learnings and consumer insights before finalizing and launching a national online game rental offering.”

The Cleveland pilot test will be open to all BLOCKBUSTER Total Access(TM) and BLOCKBUSTER(R) By Mail subscribers. Subscribers in the pilot test will be able to opt-in to add the hottest Wii, PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 games to their current online rental queue for an incremental monthly fee, which will only be charged for billing cycles in which they have actually rented games. For the set fee, subscribers can rent as many games as they want during the month, one game out at a time. The game rentals will count toward the total number of rentals a subscriber is allowed under their current online subscription plan. Additionally, Total Access subscribers will get the same in-store exchange benefits with their by-mail game rentals as they do with movies under their current plan.

Blockbuster.com offers two primary types of online movie subscription plans. BLOCKBUSTER(R) By Mail plans offer online-only service, with online rentals delivered and returned by mail. These plans are perfect for consumers who want the simplicity of online rentals, as well as those without a BLOCKBUSTER(R) store in their local area. BLOCKBUSTER Total Access(TM) plans deliver online rentals by mail plus the option of exchanging online rentals for free in-store movie rentals or discounted game rentals up to monthly plan limits at participating BLOCKBUSTER(R) stores.

Video giant Blockbuster can’t get any money to save itself from bankruptcy. Thanks to years of heavy fighting with Netflix, the company has essentially spent itself into the ground and, thanks to the credit crunch, is looking at closing its doors.

Netflix, if you’ll remember, has no overhead. They buy disks, ship them, and wait for them to come back. Add in streaming and the company could basically have no costs except for video streaming expenses. Blockbuster, on the other hand, was late to the DVD-rental-by-mail game and its physical stores are shells of their once-mighty selves.

I’ll admit I have a soft spot for the old Blockbuster store in my heart. Making it a Blockbuster night was one of my fondest teenage memories. Unfortunately, things change.

Remember BlockBuster? For you younglings who don’t, it was a poplar retail chain that rented “videos” and “DVDs” to people, in person. It’s still around, but no one really uses it anymore. Anyway, BlockBuster just inked a deal with TiVO, which also isn’t doing too well—it currently has its smallest subscriber base since 2005—to bring BlockBuster-branded streaming movies to TiVo. Movies will cost up to $4 to rent.

TiVo, of course, isn’t married to BlockBuster; you can already rent streaming movies from Amazonand Netflix on your TiVo. Apparently the Amazon and BlockBuster movie libraries will be similar, but Netflix has “fewer new releases.” That’s what a TiVo VP says, at least.

I wonder, though, if it’s too little, too late for BlockBuster. (Look at that stock price (right now, $0.84).) If BlockBuster were the first company to offer streaming on TiVo, that’d be one thing; but it’s not. Nor is there a TiVo in every home—do you have a TiVo or a cable/satellite-provided DVR? (That the acronym “DVR” even means something to so many people is amazing in and of itself.) I mean, all the best to BlockBuster & Co., but it just feels a little same-y. On the other hand, this recession is encouraging people to stay home rather than paint the town red (read: dinner and a movie while a babysitter watches the kids), so maybe John and Jane Doe will see the BlockBuster logo in their TiVo interface and think, “Hey, let’s rent a movie!” I’m sure that’s what TiVo and BlockBuster are banking on.

But what do I know? I’d rather read or play Street Fighter IV than watch a movie these days.

Update: Turns out Blockbuster isn’t filing for bankruptcy after all. Damn rumor mill.

From Bloomberg:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP was asked to evaluate restructuring options for the company, which may include a “pre-packaged” or “pre-arranged bankruptcy,” in which much of the restructuring work is completed out of court, the person said. A pre-packaged filing is more advanced than a pre-arranged bankruptcy as it includes agreements from creditors about the outcome of the company’s reorganization.

This just hit and we’ll keep you updated as it develops. Hopefully you didn’t take the plunge on Blockbuster’s movie streaming device; It might not work soon.

Update:

It turns out that Bloomberg’s source wasn’t correct on the purpose of Kirkland & Ellis’s hiring. The company doesn’t intend to file for bankruptcy but simply refinance for more capital. Trading on the stock was eventually halted based on the poor information causing the run on the stock.

From Bloomberg:

“We’ve hired them for refinancing and capital raising initiatives,” said Karen Raskopf, a Blockbuster spokeswoman. “We do not intend to file for bankruptcy.”

Blockbuster is working with Kirkland and Ellis on refinancing, Raskopf said. The company previously announced plans to fund its own operations through the end of 2009 after two of its credit facilities expire this August, she said.

So there you have it. No bankruptcy for Blockbuster right now.

[Thanks for the tip, Patrick]

Blockbuster made good on it’s word to launch a streaming media platform before the end of 2008 and now BB is launching a computer-based movie streaming service just like Netflix. Actually, I’m sure a PR tool will be quick to point out via a nasty email that this service isn’t ‘just like Neflix’, but come on, it is.

The new service will give subscribers access to Blockbuster’s vast library on their computers, notebooks, and mobile phones (no details yet). Initially the service is going to be a pay-per-view, but a subscription based model will likely come along shortly. In fact, if Blockbuster is serious, this access should be unlimited and priced competitively to Netflix.

Dave Zatz quickly ordered-up the Blockbuster OnDemand streamer when it launched and now states that the device isn’t ready for primetime. (his words, not mine) While I won’t steal all of his thunder, the above image is popped up when he tried to play his first rental.

I’ve only rented one flick, the latest Indiana Jones installment. The initial download automatically restarted a few times while attempting to retrieve a license. During the download, video can be watched but transport controls (rewind, fast forward) are disabled – so I waited for the completed download watching. Later in the evening I was greeted by the above DRM error message, requiring a few hard reboots (and WPA2 key reentries). 

Christmas is right around the corner and the device’s $99 price with 25 movies sounds like an attractive Christmas gift. You can only imagine that suits pushed out the box before the techs said it was ready. Give it a few firmware updates and a couple of nasty blog posts until the box is really ready for mass consumption. Too bad companies don’t fully test and debug products before releasing them anymore. *cough* BlackBerry Storm *cough*

The BlockBuster OnDemand set-top streamer is now available and for those interested in the nitty gritty, here are some of the first screen caps and product shots by Dave Zatz. So far it seems like the set-top box is just your average, post-beta but not quite production ready device.

The big surprise for me is that Blockbuster OnDemand is not purely a streaming service. Video can be played back while streaming, without transport controls, and/or once the download has completed. I assume this is why they’re beginning (?) with only “DVD quality” content, since it’s being queued up on (a limited amount of) solid state storage.

Still, for $99 with 25 movie rentals, it’s not a bad price but the rumored PS3 integration would knock it out of the park.

Chances are the official announcement will come at CES ‘09 and will include Sony. Take a look at the whole situation and it only makes sense. Sony and Blockbuster have a history together with the rental company pushing Blu-ray forward before the format war was done. Plus, the PS3 needs something to compete with the Xbox 360’s Netflix streaming.

The CEO did state that game consoles are in the plans and with the Netflix currently on the Xbox 360, that leaves the PS3. 

Randy Hargrove, Blockbuster corporate PR: That’s not to say that this set-top box will be our only entry, right Jim?

Keyes: Right, we will have other offerings expanded from this capability. We’ll be able to put the same capability into a Blu-ray player. We’ll go into DVRs (digital video recorders), game consoles, etc., just as others are doing to make the same capability available through other devices.

Netflix has LG, Samsung, TiVo, and Microsoft all pimping its service and so Blockbuster needs Sony as much as Sony needs Blockbuster. (follow me?) Blockbuster needs an established presence within the consumer market to have instant penetration which the PS3 could provide via a firmware update. Plus, Sony could use the much needed content to compete with the Xbox 360 in the home media category.

So to all the nay-sayers stating that Blockbuster got into the game too later, sit down and watch this unfold; it might be a great show.

General details about BlockBusters upcoming movie streaming box were released late last night but there wasn’t a good image of the device; we dug one up. It seems like this 2Wire-made MediaPoint box is an OEM-type product which means the final BlockBuster model might have a different name and color scheme but should maintain the same overall appearance. Other details, including UI screenshots, can be found on 2Wire’s official page.