Do you think this is good... ITEMS that self-destruct

[Kevin Boyd]

They've been working on this for a while now.

 

First, as POV mentioned, Disney and Fox threw their support behind DIVX a format that was loathed by all DVD lovers as a cash grab and a silly format to launch in the infancy of the format. But the biggest complaint that people had was the calling in to extend the life of the disc. You could buy it, watch it, and, if you liked it enough, you could "permanently" buy it from the studio.

 

With the failure of the DIVX, both Fox and DVD gave in and went DVD crazy. Disney animated feature DVDs are some of the best special editions on the market. Fox has had a lot of real success with the TV box sets.

 

But never one to rest, the Disney corp. (i.e. the Evil Empire) isn't just happy to let people buy a movie and own it "forever". Plus, all of those special features are just "distractions" that a mom couldn't care less about. We must have a disposable way to get the movies out there. We do - it's called pay per view - but no, that's not enough. Disney must be at the fore.

 

And never ones to allow for a unified format that all studios could support, we have D-VHS, we have talks of new types of DVDs like the Blue-Ray laser, and so on. And we have self-destruct DVDs.

 

There was a test done with a self-destruct DVD for last year's James Bond flick Die Another Day. An interesting gimmick but completely useless for most people.

 

Now it might be a way to eliminate Oscar screeners from going out on e-bay (Meryl Streep beware). And it would be a real boon to the airline DVD rental business as the person wouldn't need to return the DVD, they could just watch it for a couple of days and throw it out.

 

BUT for the average person? Who knows? I would never buy one.

 

Kev

 

[musicmeta]

If I could get a newly released movie on DVD for $3 while I'm at Wal-Mart...

 

That's the problem, they will not be $3. Check out some other articles and you'll see estimated retail prices are in the $6-$7 USD range.

 

Apparently, they did some study where a number of people pay more than that due to late fees, so according to the brain trust at Disney, that makes it a good deal?

 

$6-$7 is outrageous! Blockbuster still has my vote if the prices are going to be this high.

[joe_collector]

Here's a link:

 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20030913/tc_nm/bizmedia_dvd_dc

 

"... industry experts say it is far from certain whether consumers would be eager to shell out $7 for a DVD movie they can't keep or watch beyond a 48-hour deadline."

 

"Mark Zadell, an analyst at Blaylock & Partners L.P., said that at about $7 a piece, the limited-life EZ-D could be seen by consumers as "a little expensive." In contrast, a typical 5-day rental costs about $4 at some movie rental outlets."

[musicmeta]

Thanks for the link.

[valiantman]

"Mark Zadell, an analyst at Blaylock & Partners L.P., said that at about $7 a piece, the limited-life EZ-D could be seen by consumers as "a little expensive." In contrast, a typical 5-day rental costs about $4 at some movie rental outlets."

That's the key point right there.

 

It won't work for $7. It might work for $4. It would work for $2.

 

No further market research analysis needed.

[Arty]

Has there ever been a succesful self destructing consumer product???

I doubt it. It's against human nature to buy that kind of stuff.

 

This will never work, period.

 

[musicmeta]

I wonder if there will be a return policy on this self-distruct product, if you haven't opened it?

[valiantman]

Has there ever been a succesful self destructing consumer product???

I doubt it. It's against human nature to buy that kind of stuff.

 

This will never work, period.

Do perishables count? You know, the bananas you buy but never eat. Milk. etc.

[musicmeta]

Has there ever been a succesful self destructing consumer product???

I doubt it. It's against human nature to buy that kind of stuff.

 

This will never work, period.

Do perishables count? You know, the bananas you buy but never eat. Milk. etc.

 

ROFL!

[Darthdiesel]

Has there ever been a succesful self destructing consumer product???

I doubt it. It's against human nature to buy that kind of stuff.

 

This will never work, period.

Do perishables count? You know, the bananas you buy but never eat. Milk. etc.

 

Condoms you never use because you don't get any between the time you buy them and the expiration date?

[joe_collector]

Condoms you never use because you don't get any between the time you buy them and the expiration date?

 

Ah, the voice of experience.

[Darthdiesel]

Condoms you never use because you don't get any between the time you buy them and the expiration date?

 

Ah, the voice of experience.

 

Um....those of us with wives don't use 'em?

 

Remind me to send you my leftover State University health center giveaways from my senior year (1996, when I met my wife to be) I remember storing them in the drawer with pins and sharp cornered objects