The "whatever's on your mind" thread

[WarpSpeed]

HEY, ANOTHER WAY TO POST IN ALL CAPS.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

It's 2012. Why does the movie industry not have ONE option that will let me buy a digital copy of a movie that I can then watch on all devices? PC is generally good to go no matter what, but PS3, Roku, and Android don't share a single legitimate store that they can go to.

Every service says "Buy once. Watch everywhere". They're LIARS.

Amazon Instant Video?


Amazon is pretty good for having cross-platform software. About the only thing I can think of that doesn't have it is AppleTV.

[Alcoremortis]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

It's 2012. Why does the movie industry not have ONE option that will let me buy a digital copy of a movie that I can then watch on all devices? PC is generally good to go no matter what, but PS3, Roku, and Android don't share a single legitimate store that they can go to.

In this case, I can see why people might want the Apple ecosystem. It's expensive and locked-in as all hell, but they have an option to get iTunes media on a TV, on any computer, on a phone, and on a personal media player. There's really no good excuse here.

Every service says "Buy once. Watch everywhere". They're LIARS.

Because the movie industry hasn't realized that the best way to deter piracy is to provide a service that the pirates can't compete with. I've been saying for years that they should have a service similar to Steam but for movies and constantly increase the catalogue. The profit margins would be bigger, it would be better for the environment, and they could continue to make money off of older movies produced by the studio at no additional cost. For the consumer, there's the convenience of having all digital media in one place, access to older films, and possibly sales of movies that have been out for awhile (since it won't really cost the company much to mark down some movies at a later date).

Everybody wins! Except for the companies that write DVDs and Blu-rays. It would kinda suck for them. And the stores that sell the DVDs and Blu-rays would have to find something else to sell. But still.

I will add here, that I was pleased to find that my Blu-ray copy of The Avengers came with not only a 3D Blu-ray, a regular Blu-ray, and a DVD, it also came with a digital download that I could stick in my iTunes library. I am supposing that I can now watch it on any device that you can watch things through iTunes with. It's not a digital download that works with everything, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

[RetroVortex]

Everything needs to be like Steam...

[coolsome]

Originally Posted by RetroVortex

Everything needs to be like Steam...

Even The Cornfield?

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Amazon Instant Video?

Amazon has no presence on portable devices outside of their Fire tablets and certain modern Sony Walkmans. No phone options, android or otherwise.

[GaryCXJk]

I agree with the sentiment here.

Currently, I don't generally download music anymore, unless it's from iTunes, since iTunes is the best alternative for me.

[corruptbiggins]

a shower wank is a sad wank

[GaryCXJk]

Meh, a wank is a wank.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

Amazon has no presence on portable devices outside of their Fire tablets and certain modern Sony Walkmans. No phone options, android or otherwise.

Lies. Amazon also has an app for iPad.

Also, the there are various streaming video boxes which support it, including Roku and Logitech Revue.
Not to mention PS3, 360, and various Bluray players and HDTVs

http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/ontv/devices

(I can confirm the PS3 and iPad apps work well from personal experience.)

Sure, they don't have support for smartphones yet, but why is that a deal breaker?
Why would you want to watch a movie on a little bitty phone screen?



It is my impression that Amazon is really good at cross-platform support because various platforms have apps for Kindle ebooks, Amazon Instant Video, and for Audible audiobooks (which is owned by Amazon.) It therefore seems to me that Amazon's primary goal is to try to increase their customer base with regard to ebooks, movies and audiobooks by keeping the supported devices relatively varied.

Case in point: the Kindle. They didn't have to allow Kindle apps for iPhone/iPad and risk reducing the number of people who buy a Kindle reader. But once people buy enough Kindle books, they're basically hooked to the service. Therefore, encouraging widespread app support instead of forcing proprietary hardware use (as Apple has done) makes more sense, at least to Amazon.


For the record, I don't like my iPad that much. I had to jailbreak it to get it closer to what i want it to do because, like iTunes, Apple forces you to do things the way they want them done, in favor of so-called ease-of-use. Which browser do i use? Firefox, because it is lightweight and customizable out the wazoo. Which music player do I use? WinAmp. Same reason.

I find that anything I do on my iPad, I could most certainly do on a Kindle Fire. And Kindle Fire is significantly cheaper in most cases.

[GaryCXJk]

Probably because Android devices.

You see, half of all the smartphones run Android. Android however isn't exclusive to smartphones, since we also have Android tablets.

[Chyron8472]

The problem with Android has to do with variable hardware specs between devices.

I believe TTG said that's why they don't make games for Android. I have no idea if that's also Amazon's reason, but I could see them having that as one one of the reasons.

[coolsome]

I was an Android once. Then a giant bug man tried shoving me up his butt.

[Noname215]

Not the first time that’s happened.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Lies. Amazon also has an app for iPad.

If that's true, it's not my fault that Amazon lied to me about a platform I have no intention of using.

Also, the there are various streaming video boxes which support it, including Roku and Logitech Revue.
Not to mention PS3, 360, and various Bluray players and HDTVs

I'm well aware. Doesn't work on Android, though.

Sure, they don't have support for smartphones yet, but why is that a deal breaker?

Because I want to watch movies on my smartphone.

Why would you want to watch a movie on a little bitty phone screen?

My phone is my portable media player of choice. I have tens of GB of music and video on there. Why I want to watch movies during my daily hour and a half of commuting by public transit, or during those periods where I'm waiting upwards of an hour for a ride because I don't own a car or have a license to drive one(nor ever will) isn't really the concern. The concern is that streaming buffet services have a wider device agnosticism than digital purchase options, which isn't right.

Also, I really don't think the Galaxy S3's screen is that small.

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

The problem with Android has to do with variable hardware specs between devices.

Might have been valid back during 2.3, but now? Netflix is on Android. Hulu is on Android. Amazon music is on android. Amazon's video player for the Fire runs on Android. For awhile, the web player for desktops worked on Android if you told your phone to imitate a desktop web browser. This isn't some impossible thing, streaming video to an android phone.

[GaryCXJk]

Note, since 4.0 most Android devices more or less have the same minimum specs.

[Remolay]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

... modern Sony Walkmans...

Wait. Walkmans still exist?

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Remolay

Wait. Walkmans still exist?

Apparently.

[Secret Fawful]

Originally Posted by corruptbiggins

a shower wank is a sad wank

Unless you're in a shower with five voluptuous beauties.

Like Pinky Pie.... and Applejack.....and my cat.....

[coolsome]

I have chocolate mints! not mint chocolates.