When Netflix first took off at the beginning of the decade, it completely revolutionized the way people get their movies. And it blindsided brick-and-mortar video rental chains such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, who continue to weather the fallout.

Since then, entertainment providers have been looking for the next big method of movie delivery. The concept itself is pretty obvious to everyone involved: Deliver a massive library of entertainment to users without the aid of physical discs. The logistics of such an undertaking are more intricate, however. A few interesting options, such as the iTunes movie store, Vongo, and Amazon's relatively new Unbox feature have all taken a shot at the prize, with varying amounts of success, but none have managed to become the new Netflix.

In the past week, though, both Apple and Netflix have introduced promising initiatives with unique features that will cater to different user needs.

Apple has begun offering movie rentals via iTunes, which can be delivered to HDTVs via the AppleTV (without the aide of a PC) or transferred between PCs and iPods. And Netflix compounded the appeal of its recent announcement of an LG set-top box by offering unlimited streaming of their growing library of online movies.

Today, two more big names boosted the appeal of their offerings: TiVo and HP/NEXT.TV.

This morning TiVo announced a deal with Jaman.com that will deliver a wide selection of indie movies and foreign films to users with broadband-connected TiVo Series 2 and 3 DVRs.

"By capitalizing on TiVo's vast big-screen user experience, we're making it even easier for people to discover, browse and enjoy our catalog of high definition, edgy and award-winning films on their TVs," said Jaman CEO Gaurav Dhillon in a release issued this morning. "This venture cements our position as a leading online provider of movies, offering unique and original content that viewers can't find anywhere else."

The deal increases TiVo's film library, which already includes selections from Amazon's Unbox. Users will be able to rent and purchase films; rental prices begin at $1.99. A selection of shorts and full-lengths will also be offered to users for free. The new service will be available "in the coming months."

NEXT.TV and HP, meanwhile, expanded their offerings by announcing a partnership with TV Guide. NEXT.TV, which debuted exclusively on HP notebooks late last year, will be offering TV Guide Broadband "short-form entertainment video" including interviews, entertainment news, and behind-the-scenes features. The app will also begin offering listings from TV Guide Network.

"We are excited to partner with NEXT.TV to deliver an entertainment video service that is timely, engaging and informative," said TV Guide Broadband vice president Dmitri Ponomarev. "Our broadband service leverages TV Guide Network's access and expertise covering Hollywood's biggest stars and events."

NEXT.TV is currently available as an upgrade for HP consumer notebook owners, and is set to be shipped with new HP Vista notebooks shipping after this month.