New iTunes now ready for download
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Among the new product announcements at the Macworld 2008 keynote, iTunes received a brand new feature: movie rentals! With the latest version of iTunes for both Windows and Mac, you will be able to rent movies from all the major studios including Touchstone, MGM, Miramax, Lions Gate, Fox, WB, Walt Disney, Paramount, Universal, and Sony. Apple was able to strike a deal with studios which allowed iTunes to receive new releases 30 days after the DVD release. The first wave of movie rentals will launch by the end of February with over 1,000 titles.
Top movies like Ratatouille will be available by the end of February
(Credit: Courtesy of Apple)Once you find a movie you want to watch in iTunes, you'll be able to use your iTunes Store account to rent the title, making it available on your computer to begin watching for 30 days. Clicking play starts the movie stream in about 30 seconds. Once you start the movie, you'll have 24 hours to finish it, whether you transfer it to your Apple TV, iPhone, or iPod Touch. You can watch the movie as many times as you want in that 24-hour period.
Rented movies are easily transfered to your iPhone and iPod.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Owners of Apple TV will be able to purchase and download TV shows, music, and more, directly on your Apple TV. This latest version of iTunes will let you transfer purchases made on Apple TV back to your computer.
Rentals will cost $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases. If you want HD quality, you can rent titles for only a dollar more at $4.99.
Jason Parker writes software reviews and features for Windows, Mac, and iPhone. If he learned to dance, it would make him a fabled "quadruple threat," but we can't get him to do it. 
1. Giant and frequent downloads. 62MB? ***?
2. In ability to deal with large libraries. I have to select content that's smaller than my iPods capacity from a 3000 CD library? Crap
3. Confusing interface - where am I? Crap
And you know what else is crap? Apple could not give a rats arse about customers outside of the USA. I live in Sydney Australia and it took years before we even had iTunes available to us even after buying the iPod in Australia and they would never communicate when it would be available to us owners of iPods in Australia. Absolute contempt for customers!
Now we will have to wait YEARS for the same simply ability to be able to rent or buy movies via iTunes. And guess what - like before, they won't tell us anything or give us any confirmed dates of when the same functionality will be available to Australians.
APPLE YOU ARE ARROGANT, SHOW UTTER CONTEMP FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS AND YOU SUCK!
2. if you don't like the selection on iTunes, which is much larger than you claim, download music from any other source you want to and import it. Try Amazon's mp3 service.
3. confusing?? Oh, I know what the problem is. Try opening you eyes next time you use it, makes it a lot easier to navigate.
Take a hike, fanboi troll.
And you know what else is crap? Apple could not give a rats arse about customers outside of the USA. I live in Sydney Australia and it took years before we even had iTunes available to us even after buying the iPod in Australia. Apple also felt that they had no obligation to communicate when iTunes would be available in Australia to iPod owners in Australia. Absolute contempt for customers!
Now we will have to wait YEARS for the same simply ability to be able to rent or buy movies via iTunes. And guess what - like before, they won't tell us anything or give us any confirmed dates of when the same novie functionality will be available to Australians.
APPLE YOU ARE ARROGANT, YOU SHOW UTTER CONTEMPT FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS AND YOU SUCK!
Friendly tip: You really shouldn't talk about things you don't understand. It makes you look really stupid.
They tried movies on Itunes before didn't they? and it didn't work. I doubt this will be that revolutionary.
Microsoft has been trying it with Downloadable content on the Xbox 360 and it's not making a huge splash either. People want to rent and rip their movies. Illegal as it may be, a large population of people do it.
How many of you in the real world actually prefer to watch a movie on your computer vs. a television?
Stay away from this upgrade.
I also think the CC is stripped from the downloads most of the time to reduce the file size...unless someone knows otherwise. Plus not extra features if you typically watch those on DVDs.
I have always thought that downloaded moves should be cheaper then rentals, but of course they are not and never have been.
- by Shindubob January 20, 2008 6:56 PM PST
- This update seriously messed my computer up. Now I can't connect to the iTunes store or open attachments in emails. My antivirus also stopped working. Plus, because I live in Canada I don't have access to movies, movie rentals, or TV shows. Apple needs to get their act together and support everyone else as well. There's a reason everyone hates Americans.
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