Intel Corporation and Movielink, (
www.movielink.com
), the broadband video-on-demand (VOD) service, announced they have signed a co-marketing and technology collaboration agreement designed to accelerate the deployment of premium online movie content to multiple devices in the home, as well as mobile PCs.
As part of the agreement, Intel is sponsoring the AOL* and Movielink "Winter Movie Special", a successful five-week programme (running 22 January through 26 February) that lets AOL for Broadband* members exclusively download and rent from among the year`s biggest movie titles for 99c or less for each title.
By sponsoring and promoting this programme, Intel and Movielink are accelerating the availability of premium content in the home and educating consumers about new PC-based video-on-demand (VOD) usage models.
The agreement also includes promotional considerations, advertising and marketing services through print and online media and other joint marketing programmes. As part of the agreement, Intel is sponsoring and promoting Movielink`s College Site which allows college students to download movies at reduced rental rates (www.college.movielink.com).
Intel will also feature Movielink services in demonstration areas at major retail venues that sell PCs based on the Intel Pentium 4 processor with HT Technology. Similarly, Movielink will post information related to the Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology1 and Intel Centrino mobile technology on Movielink Web sites. The two companies hope to use their experience with this co-marketing programme as a launch pad to actively explore future endeavours.
To enable consumers to wirelessly transfer Movielink content from the home PC to the family TV, both companies are exploring the use of content protection that will work seamlessly with digital media adapters (DMAs). A DMA allows consumers to view and listen to content that resides on their PC and is transferred to the home television or stereo. Intel is developing a prototype of a new generation Internet Protocol-enabled DMA that is designed to give content providers a robust content delivery technology. Consumers should see real benefit as content providers develop their content for a more convenient 10-foot user interface and control via a remote. Movielink has agreed to support this effort with technical information including user scenarios.
"This agreement confirms Movielink`s leadership position in the broadband VOD marketplace and commitment to provide the highest quality online movie entertainment experience available," said Jim Ramo, CEO, Movielink. "We are committed to making digital entertainment part of the fabric of daily living and Intel makes this possible by supporting today`s home networked environment."
"In Intel`s vision for the digital home the availability of premium content is key to bringing consumers what they want - any content, anywhere, on any device on their own terms," said Louis Burns, Intel vice-president and general manager, Desktop Platforms Group. "Intel is working with Movielink to deliver that content to consumers and to enable the best possible experience whether they are watching a favourite movie on a home PC, the family TV or a laptop away from home."
"Intel is working with Movielink and several other large content companies to enable and promote exciting new entertainment experiences for the digital home," said Ann Lewnes, vice-president, Sales and Marketing Group, and director, Intel Inside Program and Co-Marketing, Intel. "By collaborating with Movielink on programs such as the 99c movie offer, we are making it easy and inexpensive for consumers to try new things such as downloading movies and enjoying them on their favourite device."
Movielink is available to US Internet users with broadband connections. Consumers can easily browse Movielink`s user-friendly site and view trailers of available titles without charge. Once customers are ready to rent a movie, they register with Movielink and pay for their rental via credit card. Movielink`s Movies in Minutes feature lets customers begin watching movies within 2-10 minutes, or store movies for up to 30 days and experience unlimited viewing for any 24-hour period. Movielink also offers VCR-like functions such as fast-forward, rewind and pause. Users are charged on a per-film basis and do not pay a subscription or membership fee to rent movies or browse the Movielink site.
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