Best Buy's CinemaNow video service to launch this month

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Jos

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Best Buy's partnership with Sonic Solutions is reportedly set to go live this month, with the electronics chain launching its planned on-demand digital content delivery service CinemaNow that will allow consumers to buy, rent and download movies and television shows. The service would be built into devices sold at its stores, ranging from television sets to Blu-ray disc players, and can be accessed through users' PCs as well at cinemanow.com.

Originally Best Buy's plan was to build its own branded service using Sonic Solutions' CinemaNow technology, much like Blockbuster did last year. However, the company later decided to acquire the rights to the CinemaNow name instead, presumably in hopes that competing retail stores will be willing to carry devices with the service built in.

According to BusinessWeek, both standard and high definition rentals will be offered at the fairly standard prices of $2.99 to $3.99, while purchases will cost from $9.99 to $19.99. Meanwhile, competing retailer Walmart purchased its own video service, Vudu, a couple of months ago as the company also looks to complement its traditional DVD business with an online alternative amid a decline in physical media sales.

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