Amazon Boxed In

Looks like Amazon rushed out their video service to pre-empt Apple’s announcement next week. The reviews are coming in and they are not pretty. Here’s Techdirt’s take:

Unfortunately, the offering is about as “me too” as you can imagine. It’s got all the problems of just about every other video download offering out there. It only works on Windows. Copy protection galore. Limited usage. Relatively high prices compared to alternatives.

Techcrunch highlights some prices, including Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing,for $16.69. Excuse me? I like that movie but I can pick it up in the bargain bin for $5.99.

Business 2.0 declares:

The reason this is dissapointing is because Amazon had an opportunity to redefine the movie download experience by creating something that catered more to customers needs than to Hollywood’s fears.

Paul Kedrosky gives it a whirl and concludes that Unbox is not ready for prime time.

Writer’s Block uncovers a gaffe: Unbox may work with Plays For Sure. Heh.

That in a nugget says it all.

[Update] GMSV concurs:

If Amazon hopes to steal the thunder from Apple’s expected launch of an iTunes movie store next week it’s going to have to do a hell of a lot better than Unbox.

Last word on this from Uninnovate:

After reportedly over a year of development, the new service allows movies to be permanently downloaded for the same price as purchasing the physical DVDs from Amazon or rented for 24 hours for $3.99. Unfortunately, Unbox is has so many restrictions that it is unlikely to make very many people happy and it’s license agreement breaks new ground in absurdity.

Amazon had the chance to do something revolutionary. If they released a service that let customers immediately download movies and watch them on their DVD players, they would have a serious shot at some of Netflix’s record profits and 5.169 million subscribers. Instead, they gave into movie industry demands and spent a year and untold dollars developing an over-priced service plagued with unreasonable restrictions.