Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) is the latest company in the world. It was late to get into the business of sending DVDs in the mail and got murdered by NetFlix (NASDAQ: NFLX). It was late to the VOD market and took a beating from cable companies, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), among others.
Now, the video rental outfit plans to come out with a TV set-top box. Perhaps that can sit on top of the cable box, the DVD player, and the PC hook-up -- all of them sitting on top of a wide-screen LCD. In other words, the devices can be piled up to the ceiling.
According to Reuters, "Blockbuster Inc on Monday said it would roll out a new digital media player that brings fewer, but more recent titles from the Internet to consumers' televisions than a six-month old offering from rival Netflix Inc." The box will cost $99 and the films will be $1.99.
Who in his right mind wants one more consumer electronics device in the living room? No one.
Maybe that is why Blockbuster's shares trade at $0.95, near a 52-week low.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-25-2008 @ 11:39AM
Brandon said...
Im not sure if people will do this or not. People are hesistant to spend an extra $100 these days.
They also have alot of competition out there. Here is a link I found relating to video games. Games are becoming as popular as movies these days. Good luck to everyone.
http://www.gotoguy.com/?p=554