The Netflix Player by Roku that hit the market last year is getting a name change–and a significant upgrade. The $99 set-top box will retain its original price tag, but will henceforth be known as the Roku Digital Video Player. It will also now offer content from Amazon’s On Demand service, which includes over 40,000 titles.
One of the chief complaints about the Netflix box was its lack of selection; because Netflix is subscription-based and not a-la-carte, major studios didn’t get on board, and the on-demand selection remains primarily indie films and older releases. Amazon’s On Demand service, however, is similar to iTunes and Blockbuster: you can rent or buy films, and thus, new releases from major studios abound.
The rental prices for movies, as well as their restrictions, are at this point an industry standard. Any new release will likely rent for $3.99, with some older titles available for $2.99 or even $1.99; television shows will generally be $1.99. As with iTunes and Blockbuster, users have 30 days to watch the rented content before it disappears, and the viewing period for a movie is still a paltry 24 hours from when the user first presses play.
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