Rich Fiscus
28 May 2008 3:55
All the attention garnered this year by Apple's revamped AppleTV set-top box is both a blessing and a curse for competing devices and services. On one hand Apple's brand certainly gives the idea of downloaded video more respectability with some consumers. At the same time it's hard for other companies that don't have the same level of name recognition to get the public's attention. One such competitor, Vudu, is addressing that issue by selling their hardware in a small number of Best Buy stores.
Previously the Vudu set-top box was available only from online retailers, including their own website and Amazon.com. Besides increasing their visibility, the move to sell the units at Best Buy also gives consumers the opportunity to do some hands-on evaluation before taking one home. For unfamiliar technology with a price tag of nearly $300 this seems like an important step in the right direction.
Vudu currently has 5,500 titles available either for rent or purchase. As with Apple's iTunes offerings, many movies are available for purchase the same day they're released on DVD, while rentals are typically available 30 days later. The two devices also have similar storage capabilities for around 50 hours of video.
“Brand awareness is growing very quickly, as our Web site traffic is growing very quickly,” said Patrick Cosson, VP of marketing at Vudu, “And it’s growing all across the country—in all kinds of markets.”