Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - (Page 8) NEWS www.homemediamagazine.com DVDs for Gas? e-Play Kiosks Make It Possible Deal with NCR looks to add DVD trade-in to kiosks By Billy Gil RETAIL Cash-strapped consumers facing high gas prices may soon be able to clear out their DVD catalogs for vouchers at Exxon Mobil gas stations. Dayton, Ohio-based NCR Corp. has entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Columbus, Ohio-based kiosk operator e-Play to add e-Play’s “bare-disc” technology to NCR’s kiosks. The technology allows for storage of more than 4,200 discs dispensed in envelopes — and allows consumers to buy, rent or trade in their own DVDs at the kiosks for either store credit or a cash voucher. “Someone [can] bring us a stack of DVDs from their living room [and trade them in],” said e-Play cofounder and CEO Alan Rudy. Rudy said e-Play plans to buy many of the NCR kiosks and dispense them either as e-Play branded kiosks or as specific retailers’ kiosks. NCR also has the right to sell its kiosks with e-Play technology to other buyers. Retailers use e-Play kiosks include Exxon MICROSOFT DISCONTINUES 20GB XBOX 360 PRO By John Gaudiosi Mobil, Dollar Tree and GameStop stores in Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta; and Charlotte, N.C., Rudy said. “We expect before the end of the year to be able to exchange vouchers for gas at Exxon stations,” Rudy said. Rudy said customization allows retailers to choose whether DVDs can be traded in for cash vouchers or store credit, and if the store credit would exceed cash amount. He also said current e-Play kiosks are being upgraded remotely to include the new technology. Rudy said e-Play kiosks were originally made to include DVD burning, but licensing issues have made securing content difficult. Currently, kiosks will allow only for DVD rental, sellthrough and trade-in, with plans for digital distribution down the line. The new kiosks aim to go after bigger kiosk players, such as Redbox, TNR and DVDPlay, Rudy said. The bare-disc technology allows for much greater storage capacity than Redbox kiosks, for example, which hold about 600 discs apiece. The new kiosks will use the dollar-a-day rental currently employed by Redbox and TNR. But the trade-in ability, and the ability to purchase any disc in the kiosk at a used-DVD price, will set e-Play kiosks apart, Rudy said. “You may say ‘gosh, for $4.99, I’m going to buy that,’” Rudy said. “We think we’re Redbox plus.” Discs in the new e-Play kiosks are dispensed in scratch-resistant envelopes Rudy likened to those used by Netflix and Blockbuster Online. When discs are inserted into e-Play machines, the kiosks check for readability so that scratched discs are not bought back, and are not sold or rented to consumers. “Sometimes you take the disc home, you’re halfway through it and it just stops,” Rudy said. “[If a consumer doesn’t complain] the next consumer gets a scratched disc.” Although there are fewer than 100 e-Play kiosks in operation, Rudy said the company plans to dispense “a couple of thousand” new kiosks over a year’s time. He said e-Play currently is in talks with several retailers. The rumored Microsoft Xbox 360 $50 price cuts were partially true. In a move reminiscent of Sony’s last year, Microsoft confirmed July 13 (on the eve of its E3 press conference) that the 20GB Xbox 360 Pro model will be sold for $300 while supplies last — the model is being discontinued. In place of the 20GB system will be a new 60GB Xbox 360 model that will retail for $350 when it’s released in early August — the same price the 20GB model was. Microsoft will continue to sell the Xbox 360 Arcade model, which does not include a hard drive, for $280, and the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite for $450. “We know consumers need more and more space to store the amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we’re giving it to them at no extra charge,” said Albert Penello, Xbox director of product management. Microsoft has seen its Xbox Live consumers use up hard disc drive storage space downloading games, purchasing TV shows and renting movies. The 20GB hard drive can hold only a couple of HD movies. Last year at this time, Sony discounted its 60GB PS3 by $100 and cut its backward-compatibility. GAMES MERCHANDISING PROJECTIONS Mid-Range Box Office Perfomers Hit DVD By Kelly Burner Best Buy Step Up 2: The Streets Disney SRP $29.99, $34.99 BD Target $16.99 $29.99 BD w/ $10 gift card Wal-Mart $16.99 $24.96 BD Circuit City $21.99 $29.99 BD Amazon.com $16.99 $23.95 BD $16.99 $29.99 BD; save $10 when purchased w/ BD edition of College Road Trip Shutter Fox SRP $29.99, $19.95, $39.98 BD $17.99 $17.99 widescreen/full screen, $29.96 BD $17.99 $16.99 $17.86 unrated $29.96 BD $16.99 $16.99 unrated $29.99 BD $17.99 $27.95 BD Penelope Summit SRP: $25.99 $19.99 $16.99 $22.99 2-disc set w/ digital copy, $29.99 BD w/digital copy $16.99 $19.99 $22.96 2-disc set w/ digital copy, $29.99 BD w/digital copy $16.99 $14.99 $19.96 2-disc set w/ T-shirt and digital copy, $27.99 BD w/digital copy $16.99 $14.99 $24.99 2-disc set w/ digital copy, $27.99 BD w/digital copy $19.99 $16.99 $22.99 2-disc special edition w/digital copy $23.95 BD w/digital copy The Bank Job Lionsgate SRP $29.95, $34.98, $39.99 BD smattering of mid-range box office performers came to disc July 15. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment bowed Step Up 2: The Streets and College Road Trip, two pictures that earned $58 million and $45.4 million in theaters, respectively. Lionsgate released The Bank Job, which drew in $30 million at the box office. 20th Century Fox came out with the horror flick Shutter ($25.9 million box office). And Summit Entertainment put out the heart-warming fantasy Penelope, which earned $10 million in theaters. Such a flurry of new releases is liable to split sales and rentals. With the new Batman movie coming out in theaters July 18, the prequels Batman Begins and Batman: Gotham Knight blasted to the top of the sales charts for the week ended July 13, and we can expect that they will remain there for at least another week. In the rental market, Vantage Point, with a wide audience appeal and the inertia of two weeks at No. 1, may hold onto this top rental spot for yet another week. A Stepping Up to Retail By Erik Gruenwedel ith the new Batman theatrical movie, The Dark Knight, premiering July 18, it would seem that sexy former WB show Birds of Prey: The Complete Series, which bowed on DVD from Warner Home Video July 15, would have captured more shelf space. Alas, just Target Corp. W 8 displayed the 2002 serial ($32.99) about Batman’s “all grown up” little girl. The majority of shelf space and point-ofpurchase (POP) attention centered on Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s Step Up 2: The Streets and College Road Trip with Martin Lawrence. Target included a $10 gift card with the pur- chase of either $29.99 Blu-ray release. Step Up 2, which again features must-see dance sequences helmed by sophomore director Jon Chu, had a DVD launch party July 14 in Hollywood at the Avalon. Notable attention, though without POP material treatment, went to Lionsgate’s The Bank Job, starring Jason Statham (Transporter), and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Shutter. RANK TITLE STUDIO WEEKS ON CHART PROJECTED TOP 3 SELLERS for Week Ending 7/20 1 2 3 Batman Begins Step Up 2: The Streets Warner 2 2 Batman: Gotham Knight Warner Dis./Touchstone New PROJECTED TOP 3 RENTERS for Week Ending 7/20 1 2 3 Vantage Point The Bank Job Step Up 2: The Streets Sony Pictures Lionsgate 3 New Dis./Touchstone New Source: Home Media Research Home Media Magazine July 20–26, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://Amazon.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 Contents News TV DVD Commentary Horror/Halloween Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 33) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 34) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 35) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 36) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 37) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 38) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 39) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 40) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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