Amazon has unveiled its much-anticipated video download service, called Amazon Unbox. There is a direct link from the left navigation bar, but visiting unbox.com should take you to the right Amazon page faster.

Amazon Unbox offers downloads of movies and television shows as well as providing digital movie rentals.

• TV shows will cost $1.99 per episode; movies will cost from $7.99 to $14.99, rented for $3.99.
• DVD quality — as much as three times the quality of the competitors — delivering content encoded at 2,500 kilobits per second.
• A lower quality video is available for Windows Media-compatible portable device.
• Unbox RemoteLoad technology allows customers to buy from one PC and enjoy the show on another.
• Lost purchase could be downloaded again.
• Content from major movie studios, networks, and cables.
• Transfer movies to devices such as Creative Zen Vision.

Currently this service is available only for US-based customers.

Competition is good, now Apple has one.

Source: Business 2.0.
See also: Video Podcasting Guide.

To easily receive updates on podcast and podcasting articles, subscribe to Podcasting Scout today.