Journal 13, June 28

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090622/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_netflix_s_nemesis

It is no question that the tough economy has put a damper on much of today's life and businesses. With this over-shadowing most of the nation, one business seems to be shining through; DVD rental. I am not just talking about any DVD rental service, but two in particular: Netflix Inc. mail service and Redbox kiosk rental. These rental types seem to be climbing to the top and competing with each other along the way. Though this does not seem like much of a technological breakthrough compared to others, I think it is quite amazing how it can be done. Mail-order DVD seems simple but in fact it is quite in depth. More amazing is the kiosk rentals. A machine that keeps track of movies while taking the money and dispensing is quite amazing. These easy to use kiosk are giving Netflix a run for their money recently. The simple, yet effective technology of Redbox is partially why DVD's are a mere $1 per day. In reality renting by the day makes perfect sense and people typically only watch the movie once before returning. With over 15,000 kiosk available nationwide this service is also becoming very convenient for the customer. Perhaps one of the best features is that the rented DVD can be returned to any of the Redbox kiosk, keeping track of these changes is quite amazing. Redbox kiosk can hold around 700 disc with about 200 different titles available. More impressive is Netflix's 100,000 titles to choose from. But perhaps this is also a drawback for Netflix. Sorting through and deciding on one out of 200 seems a lot more realistic than through 100,000 titles. I think that Redbox has hit a gold mine. I personally have used the service and have been very pleased with the available titles and convenience. This seems to be another technological breakthrough that millions will come to enjoy. Whether getting groceries or gas, why not spend $1 and have a little entertainment for the evening? I think the kiosk service will continue to be around and the Netflix mail-order may have an uphill battle ahead.

http://www.news-record.com/blog/53458/entry/62561