Faisal Laljee

Hold On to Blockbuster, Despite Disappointing Earnings

I agree with you on the downloads via PC. Absolutely right that VOD can only gain popularity with video downloads onto a set top cable box or DVR.

Movie Download Wars: Wal Mart Grasping at Straws

Rick - I don't deny that in an ideal world, all media would be distributed digitally. However, reality is quite different. There is plenty of potential for online downloadable content to work - and in most cases like Apple, Microsoft etc., this has worked really well. The point I tried to make in my article is that I believe Walmart will NOT succeed in winning this 3 front war against Apple's iTunes, the online DVD rental businesses of Blockbuster and Netflix, and finally the likes of Amazon/Tivo and XBox. Those before it like CinemaNow and Movielink were not successful despite having the appeal to the sophisticated online community, so naturally, Walmart, with its brand affilitation to the middle to lower income market will certainly not attract these sophisticated users.

Movie Download Wars: Wal Mart Grasping at Straws

Malkiel - most people, specially those who take kindly to the Walmart brand, are not as sophisticated as bloggers and people like us. They would not want to hook up their computer to their TV. To Tivo something, watch movies through their DVD player, purchase pay-per-view via cable set-top boxes is much simpler than hooking up the old laptop to the LCD.