Sprint users will be the first in the U.S. to be able watch pay-per-view, full-length studio films on their cellphone. Sure, it's exciting, but cellphone screens are so teeny! I can't even stand to watch anything on a video iPod. I suppose it could come in handy when traveling or if someone keeps you waiting for a really long time.
Available on select Sprint multimedia sets, Sprint Movies can be viewed anywhere as long as you are connected to Sprint's Power Vision network or nationwide Vision network. The Sprint site has not yet been updated to reflect which of their phones will be compatible.
Disney, Sony, Universal and Lionsgate will offer their films for $3.99 to $5.99 each. Users will be able to watch films over a 24-hour or one-week period (depending on the movie) and can pause and replay at will.
Viewers can now select from 45 titles (and the list is growing) including Scarface, The Breakfast Club, and Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector. Racier movies are edited to meet TV-14 standards. (boo!)
Last year, Sprint launched its mSpot Movies service, which allowed subscribers to watch full-length movies on their cellhone for a monthly fee. The company noted a lot of growth in this service and decided on-demand would be in demand.
A few services are offering studio films on mobile devices abroad, but I don't know how popular they are. What do you guys think? Will this be a hit or a miss?
For a full list of the current library of films and more information about the Sprint Movies, read Sprint's full press release.
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September 7, 2006 9:03 AM
You know, I've seen promos for that movie several times, and it really confuses me. Is he a cable guy or a health inspector? Or is he a cable guy pretending to be a health inspector? Is the fact that he's a cable guy and not a health inspector part of the joke? What does working for the cable company have to do with it? Clearly I'm missing something here.
September 8, 2006 2:14 PM
Agreed. "Larry" the "Cable Guy" is most certainly not something any company should try and tout as a BENEFIT when trying to draw customers. Or at least this customer. I can't stand him. And that goes way beyond the fact that I couldn't stand watching a full length feature film on such a small small screen.
September 10, 2006 12:38 PM
I have to agree with you about these tiny screens for watching movies on a cell phone. I can't see how anyone would want to huddle around a tiny device to watch a movie. With the problems cell phones cause now in coffee shops and businesses, I see this as just another distraction for people. I just wonder what office managers are going to do if they catch their employees watching tv while they work. Most of us at cellularvices.com are thinking that it is becomeing an addiction.