Though still in beta, Wal-mart launches a new video downloads service hoping to capitalize on the new trend toward convenience and speed.
Wal-mart already accounts for 40% of all U.S. DVD sales and now will offer about 3,000 movies and TV shows to buy and download, including such hits as Mission Impossible III, Sony’s The Da Vinci Code ,Warner Bros.’ Superman Returns. and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
On the same day they come out on DVD, new releases will be available at www.walmart.com/videodownloads and will cost up to $19.88. Older films will sell for up to $9.88.
The day after they air on TV episodes will be available for $1.96 . Networks already signed on include Comedy Central,Fox, CW and Viacom’s Nickelodeon, MTV, and VH1.
It will take about 45 minutes to download a typical movie Using a high-speed connection with what Wal-Mart calls “near-DVD” video and audio but won’t come with added features typically found on DVDs.
Wal-Mart downloads will work with Windows XP or Vista and Internet Explorer and to some portable devices using Microsoft’s digital rights system. They won’t work with a Mac or Linux or even with iPods. The downloads can be backed up three times, including to a DVD, but the DVD won’t play in a standard DVD player.
So far www.walmart.com/videodownloads does not offer Mozilla Firefox support.