Google and Amazon Will Let You Rent a Movie for $0.99 During the Holiday (fortune.com)

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Google and Amazon Will Let You Rent a Movie for $0.99 During the Holiday (fortune.com)

Posted by msmash on Friday December 23, 2016 @06:00AM from the movie-time dept.

Holidays are the time when many of us get some extra time to catch up on all the good movies and TV shows that our friends wanted us to watch, but we never did. To make things enticing for people, Amazon and Google are prepping for lowering the rent this holiday season. From a report on Fortune: Google and Amazon -- which have been jostling to compete with Netflix in video streaming -- have announced a new online promotion for the holidays. Google Play will allow viewers to select any movie available on the streaming service to rent for $0.99. Amazon Video will allow viewers the same using the promo code "MOVIE99." The catch: Users can only get one movie per account. Both services offer an extensive list of titles, including this year's Suicide Squad, Bridge Jones's Baby, and Finding Dory among others.

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Which movie? by ichimunki · 2016-12-23 06:07 · Score: 2

Still cheaper to get the DVD from the library, though.

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1. Re:Which movie? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:19 · Score: 1
  
  Still cheaper to pirate the movie for free, and get to keep it forever.
2. Re:Which movie? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:25 · Score: 1
  
  Wild Wild West starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline.
3. Re:Which movie? by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2016-12-23 06:34 · Score: 1
  
  Still cheaper to get the DVD from the library, though.
  Back in the old days, we could borrow films - and a projector - from our local library. The good ones were never available, but we had a lot of fun watching some truly awful movies at parties, way back when I was a teenager.
  
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  #DeleteChrome
4. Re:Which movie? by PortaDiFerro · 2016-12-23 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  I tend to forget to return those things in timely manner, which gets pretty expensive fast.
5. Re:Which movie? by bev_tech_rob · 2016-12-23 07:19 · Score: 1
  
  I tend to forget to return those things in timely manner, which gets pretty expensive fast.
  Sounds like a personal problem to me....
  
  --
  You're messin' with my Zen Thing, man.....
6. Re:Which movie? by CohibaVancouver · 2016-12-23 08:39 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Still cheaper to get the DVD from the library, though.
  The problem with DVDs from the library is they're almost always scratched and unplayable.
  
  Yesterday my daughter took "Minions" out from the library. She started to watch it this morning. Played 45 minutes then stalled out, frozen.
  
  It's disappointing how much people mistreat library DVDs, but they do...
7. Re:Which movie? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 12:39 · Score: 0
  
  Still cheaper to get the DVD from the library, though.
  Back in the old days, we could borrow films - and a projector - from our local library. The good ones were never available, but we had a lot of fun watching some truly awful movies at parties, way back when I was a teenager.
  Yes my mom was a librarian, so c.late 1970's I would get the "latest" releases, e.g. pristine copies of ST:TOS "City on the Edge of Forever" and "Space Seed". Awesome to watch on an enormous screen (120"), crystal clear, and with the audio run through an Onkyo system. Still, selections were limited: I remember getting excited in Fall of 1977, thinking I had a 16mm version of "Star Wars", only to find out it was a silent, b&w selection of clips from the movie. I let my memories of the multiple, theater viewings fill in the gaps.
8. Re:Which movie? by rsmith-mac · 2016-12-23 12:53 · Score: 1
  
  You should grab the Blu-Ray instead. The hard coat required on those is a lot harder (though admittedly not impossible) to damage.
9. Re:Which movie? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 13:22 · Score: 0
  
  You can fix all but the worst dvd/cd...
  Wash the disk with soap/water. Let dry.
  Spray it down with armorall. Let it sit for ~15 mins. Wipe clean with a lint-free cloth.
  It will let you play almost anything right up to the point where the actual data layer is missing.
10. Re:Which movie? by antdude · 2016-12-23 14:55 · Score: 1
  
  It's not just libraries. Anywhere that let people rent DVDs like Redbox.
  
  --
  Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
What a bargain! by The-Ixian · 2016-12-23 06:08 · Score: 4, Funny

Only $.99 for a movie rental. A movie rental! Oh, Zoidberg, at last you're becoming a crafty consumer!

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My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
For how long is the rent? by Joe_Dragon · 2016-12-23 06:09 · Score: 1

For how long is the rent?
1. Re:For how long is the rent? by sh00z · 2016-12-23 06:14 · Score: 2
  
  Typically, you have 30 days from the rental date to start watching, and once you start, you have 24 hours to watch as much as you like,
2. Re:For how long is the rent? by fbobraga · 2016-12-23 06:58 · Score: 1
  
  You can download a movie to watch it where there's no internet access?
3. Re:For how long is the rent? by JackieBrown · 2016-12-23 07:32 · Score: 1
  
  Yes
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/help...
4. Re: For how long is the rent? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 07:39 · Score: 0
  
  Thanks (I suppose there's something like it for Google...)
In other news that matters... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:11 · Score: 0

You can also save 15% on purchases by opening a Walmart credit card!
1. Re:In other news that matters... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:20 · Score: 0
  
  Haha good one, yeah if you can avoid being assaulted by your fellow shoppers...
  Um, could the 15 percent off apply to an OLED 4K TV?
2. Re:In other news that matters... by fbobraga · 2016-12-23 07:00 · Score: 1
  
  or save up to 15% on car insurance with Geico!
Silly Slashvertisement by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:11 · Score: 0

Back in the day, a standard promotion for dead-tree magazines was "mail in this form and get your first issue free; if you're not satisfied, keep it and cancel your subscription".
BFD
1. Re:Silly Slashvertisement by pr0fessor · 2016-12-23 07:38 · Score: 1
  
  "mail in this form and get your first issue free; if you're not satisfied, keep it and cancel your subscription"
  it should be "if you're not satisfied, keep it and call every month trying to cancel your subscription; but don't worry we will just keep billing you."
2. Re:Silly Slashvertisement by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 07:44 · Score: 0
  
  Nah. I never took them up b/c I knew I'd end up on a ton of junk mailing lists, though. What's wrong with paying five bucks for the magazine at the newstand, and you flip through the issue first to make sure it's got long stories you're interested in, and no hassles with direct mailers aftewards.
What is this? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:15 · Score: 0

Tomorrow's big story: FoodGo has a half off coupon on Frisky's Canned Cat Food in Sunday's advert!
I thought I installed uBlock by wonkey_monkey · 2016-12-23 06:21 · Score: 5, Interesting

Huh. I guess uBlock isn't working. I can still see this ad.
This is not remotely news.

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systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
1. Re:I thought I installed uBlock by The-Ixian · 2016-12-23 06:29 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Not only that but you actually clicked on the ad, thought about the ad and then engaged with the ad maker.
  I would call that mission accomplished.
  
  --
  My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
2. Re:I thought I installed uBlock by fbobraga · 2016-12-23 07:04 · Score: 1
  
  you two must be new here :)
3. Re:I thought I installed uBlock by bev_tech_rob · 2016-12-23 07:20 · Score: 2
  
  Huh. I guess uBlock isn't working. I can still see this ad.
  This is not remotely news.
  The smug is strong with this one..
  
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  You're messin' with my Zen Thing, man.....
4. Re:I thought I installed uBlock by martinfb · 2016-12-29 06:45 · Score: 1
  
  No?! If you already knew this, then why didn't you tell me?! Also, if you already knew, then why did you bother to even open this thread?!
  A little arrogant, aren't we?!
  
  --
  
  Self-importance and self-indulgence is the root of ALL evil.
5. Re:I thought I installed uBlock by wonkey_monkey · 2016-12-29 09:11 · Score: 1
  
  ...what?
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
That's new! by NewtonsLaw · 2016-12-23 06:23 · Score: 1

From the synopsis:
"Users can only get one movie per account. Both services offer an extensive list of titles, including this year's Suicide Squad, Bridge Jones's Baby, and Finding Dory among others"
Bridge Jones's Baby? I don't think I've heard of that one (rolls eyes)
1. Re:That's new! by The-Ixian · 2016-12-23 06:33 · Score: 1
  
  Bridge Johne's Baby
  Is a troll, of course.
  
  --
  My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
2. Re:That's new! by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2016-12-23 06:37 · Score: 1
  
  Bridge Jones's Baby? I don't think I've heard of that one (rolls eyes)
  What about Rosemary's Diary?
  
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  #DeleteChrome
3. Re:That's new! by Hognoxious · 2016-12-23 08:14 · Score: 1
  
  Great film, but not as good as Bridget On The River Kwai.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
4. Re:That's new! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 12:47 · Score: 0
  
  Great film, but not as good as Bridget On The River Kwai.
  Wasn't that a porno? : )
Which collapse? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:27 · Score: 0

And once everyone goes out of business the costs go infinite since the only thing left is open source content which no one wants.
1. Re: Which collapse? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:33 · Score: 1
  
  Piracy is killing the movie industry! Won't somebody think of those poor multinationals?!
  Cry me a river..
2. Re:Which collapse? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:36 · Score: 0
  
  Thankfully I have a lifetime's worth of pirated content to start watching. The people who paid for rentals, they're the ones that got fucked.
3. Re:Which collapse? by x0ra · 2016-12-23 06:59 · Score: 1
  
  I'll gladly pay to watch the latest Tarantino, but not the latest Hollywood unimaginative prequel / sequel / reboot turd.
4. Re:Which collapse? by The-Ixian · 2016-12-23 07:54 · Score: 1
  
  I don't understand, you seem to imply that you will still watch the "latest Hollywood unimaginative prequel / sequel / reboot turd" but just won't pay for it.
  So you must like them on some level...
  
  --
  My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
5. Re:Which collapse? by Opportunist · 2016-12-23 23:16 · Score: 1
  
  Neither will I, but then again, I consider them not even worth my time.
  Dude, don't get me wrong, I'm 100% with you that the shit Hollywood craps onto the silver screen is garbage. But why even copy it? What did those electrons do to you that you force them to transport that garbage?
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Libraries aren't convenient (usually) by sjbe · 2016-12-23 06:27 · Score: 5, Insightful

Still cheaper to get the DVD from the library, though.
Not really. It would cost me gas money plus time to get there and rent it as well as to return it. I'd probably spend as much or more money in gas. Plus our local library has a modest and mostly old selection and isn't open during particularly convenient hours. To get anything really recent probably is impossible and anything beyond their modest collection would require a few days lead time to get it from another library. Not exactly an impulse decision.
1. Re:Libraries aren't convenient (usually) by ichimunki · 2016-12-23 10:15 · Score: 1
  
  My real comment was my headline. You might actually be better off going to your library when it comes to selection. At least I can borrow Star Wars from my library. And that's a 40 year-old film.
  
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  I do not have a signature
2. Re:Libraries aren't convenient (usually) by adolf · 2016-12-23 17:25 · Score: 1
  
  Yep.
  And if you forget to return it, whooooa buddy. Those fines come on quick: Fines are a big part of how a "free" public lending library keeps the lights on.
  My own local library has a huge amount of current movies as well as tons of older ones. The new ones are on hold for weeks or months as they're borrowed by other patrons on a first-come, first-serve basis, and the popular old(er) movies aren't much better.
  But $0.99 and done? I'm not rich, but if I think I lost a dollar in the couch somewhere, I'm not going to spend much time shaking it down to find it.
  
  --
  Kid-proof tablet..
Meh. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:28 · Score: 0

Meanwhile Pirate Bay will let me rent - actually, keep - a movie for free.
1. Re:Meh. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:38 · Score: 0
  
  You wouldn't download a car.
2. Re:Meh. by Yvan256 · 2016-12-23 07:29 · Score: 1
  
  Oh yes I would!
3. Re:Meh. by Opportunist · 2016-12-23 23:20 · Score: 1
  
  What? I wouldn't download the junk Hollywood pumps out, but a car? Are you joking, OF COURSE I would download a car!
  I could use a car, unlike the waste of time movies have become this would actually help me save time!
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Re:I've got better plans for my cash by Oswald+McWeany · 2016-12-23 06:30 · Score: 3, Funny

xhamster?

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"That's the way to do it" - Punch
vidangle is always a $1* by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 06:35 · Score: 0

Vidangel is always a dollar for the latest and greatest. The catch? You pay $20 to "buy" your first movie, and they refund it for 19, and you do that on and on. I haven't tried to get the initial $19 back. Plus you have to choose your filters, but you could pick a single vulgar or racist word which offends you. Also, they are in the middle of an interesting legal battle - they are legally allowed to allow people to break encryption for movies people own for filtering- and after being denied from getting into the streaming business by the studios - they became a streaming service without explicit permission from the studios where everyone just "buys" the movie gets to stream them instantly and sells them back, right after watching them. What happens to your balance is they get sued out of existence .. IDK?
https://www.vidangel.com/browse
Re:I've got better plans for my cash by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2016-12-23 07:00 · Score: 1

That would cost him $2000, actually.

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Ezekiel 23:20
Why the Fortune link? by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2016-12-23 07:13 · Score: 1

Fortune is just rehashing the story from The Verge.

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#DeleteChrome
Re:I've got better plans for my cash by bill_mcgonigle · 2016-12-23 07:29 · Score: 1

Even with $0.99 per title I'd have to pay like $100 for all I'm planning to watch this year.
"Everybody should pay $0 for movies. Then they will make lots of movies."
Heck, not even the communists actually believe that.
Balking at fifty cents an hour just makes you seem like a freeloader. Is this a consequence of everybody getting honorable mention ribbons in the spelling bee?
I'd wager that if they kept the price at $0.99 for a 1-day rental, their overall rental profits would quintuple.

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OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Is this Spamdot? by chrism238 · 2016-12-23 07:59 · Score: 1

Did I click on the wrong URL? My bookmark used to lead me to interesting technology stories. What went wrong?
But only in the USA by Yvan256 · 2016-12-23 08:03 · Score: 1

Google and Amazon both told Canadians to fuck off.
Would be tempting with AppleTV support by SuperKendall · 2016-12-23 09:25 · Score: 1

I have Prime but I don't use Prime Video hardly ever, simply because they do not have an Apple TV app... so I can't see taking advantage of this offer either.
If Amazon wants to be serious about being a content provider, they need to try and be as universal as Netflix.

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"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
First, Slashvertisement by rsilvergun · 2016-12-23 10:44 · Score: 1

Second, this is just so they can get your Credit Card # on file. Study after study shows that getting the first purchase is always the hardest for anything online.

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Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Re: I've got better plans for my cash by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 11:13 · Score: 0

FarmersOnly?
Vidangel by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 14:09 · Score: 0

https://www.vidangel.com is always $1.
Why doesn't Netflix offer streaming rentals? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 15:37 · Score: 0

I've always wondered why Netflix doesn't offer a rental service for new releases or blockbuster content not available in their subscription based streaming service. They could become a one stop shttps://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/12/23/172227/google-and-amazon-will-let-you-rent-a-movie-for-099-during-the-holiday#hop for all your streaming needs.
Re:I've got better plans for my cash by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-23 19:18 · Score: 0

My beef with these is always "artificial scarcity induced by cryptography".
Amazon link has a referral code by thisisauniqueid · 2016-12-23 19:53 · Score: 2

Chris Chavez of Phandroid is going to make a killing off of this -- the Amazon link posted in the Fortune article has his referral code in it.