Login:
Password:
Lost Password?
Print this article  |  E-mail this article  |  Comment on this article

AOL to Give Away Free Movies Dec. 2

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

November 30, 2006, 5:41 PM

AOL said Thursday that it would offer 30 movies to users of its AOL Video portal at no cost as a holiday gift. The titles, which would include recent releases like Spiderman 2 and holiday favorites like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation normally sell for $9.99 to $19.99 USD. Users would be limited to one movie download, and would have 24 hours beginning at 6:00am ET on December 2 to download it.

The movies would be delivered in Windows Media format, and require a Windows XP computer running Internet Explorer and Windows Media 10 in order to view them. Once downloaded, the user would be able to view the file offline, as well as on one other PC and two Windows Media-compatible portable devices.

Add a Comment (19 Comments)

BetaNews reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Foul language and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Name (required):

E-mail (required):

Enter Your Comment:

By ecvogel

posted Dec 4, 2006 - 9:14 AM

I had the same issue had to put from Vista to XP. I removed WMP11 and it went to WM9 and WMP10 would not install. I had to go to another computer and found WMP10 (I do not own) and removed IE7. Now here is the big thing, I need to deauthorise this pc, athorize my laptop when Vista RTM is supported. I got the portable player one too of the movie, both came in fast on Sat and Sun. Topping out faster than a ISO file off connect 1.##Mbs.

Now will these videos play on Vista? And how to de-authorise.

Score: 0

By ed765

edited Dec 3, 2006 - 12:55 PM

AOL Promotion

As one who tried to use the AOL promotion, this appears a disaster for them, pointing out problems.

Their system only works with internet explorer version 6. Those with version 7 must remove it and reinstall. I never could make their software work on one computer even after removing IE 7. Admittedly those with more technical expertise (although I have a MIT PhD by MIT engineering degree is undergraduate and dated) may have not as much trouble.

The site says “Currently, AOL Hi-Q Delivery Manager does not work with IE 7.0. We are working on a fix and will release it shortly. Until the fix is released, existing and new Hi-Q Delivery Manager users who have installed the IE 7.0 upgrade, will not be able to access the Delivery Manager or playback videos through the Hi-Q Delivery Manager Player.”

Of course, those technology geeks most likely to download movies are also those most likely to be using Firefox, or to have upgraded Explorer to version 7.

On another computer it appears to be working but as of writing (6 hours after promotion ended and perhaps 30 hours after order placed), the download is only approaching half completed. Users may conclude the Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon technologies of placing on online order and .having the item mailed or shipped is quicker.

Their servers appear to have been badly overloaded (and AOL posted a notice to that effect during the promotion assuring customers they would eventually get the product promised) and ordinarily service may be better.

I got an error message (unexplained) saying to call a certain number. This gives two options. One for technical support merely produces a recording saying to go online, no human (obviously their computer could have said that directly). If you choose billing questions you get a nice lady (who knows no technology) but said she had not been told of any limitation on the number of free movies you could order.

While some of the language seems to limit customers to one free download, it appears their system would take more than one order (producing a receipt for $0) and online discussion groups have people that placed orders for tens of movies. This may be one reason their servers got so overloaded.

The promotion appears a success in that many may have been let to try the AOL service, and to install (or attempt to install the Explorer 6 browser needed to make it work. (Of course, many after the promotion may return to IE7, which Microsoft believes to be more secure). Alas, many will probably say never again, certainly not if I have to pay their prices for it (Netflex gives quicker service at better prices apparently).

It is likely many who signed up for the service did not realize they were involved with something called the Kontiki Delivery Manager. Reading the material on the Kontiki website it appear my computer may be being used to deliver content to others. If so, this should have been made clear. If not, AOL needed to make that clear to reassure their customers.

Reading help screens it appears AOL may sets it up so their delivery manager starts automatically when you use explorer. If so, many users may find their systems have one more item running in the background slowing performance down. They will be unhappy when they discover this (especially those who did a one time download and do not expect to be regularly doing downloads).

Score: 0

By ZenWarrior

posted Dec 2, 2006 - 8:55 AM

AOL can do nothing right. Don't bother with this "free offer" unless you: 1) are not running IE7; 2) wish to also download the resource hog and nearly impossible to uninstall AOL Hi-Q Video Delivery Manager; and 3) feel like wasting your time with an offer that's most inconvenient of which to take advantage.

Yep, another misstep by AOL. There's nothing like shooting oneself in the foot--again.

Surprised anyone? You'd think they be ready for IE7 by now--especially before making this [implicitly] bogus offer. In reality, it's nothing more than free publicity for AOL instead of free movies for users.

(BTW AOL, your free domain name service doesn't work, either. Another non-surprise, eh?)

And TomA102210, I've see far larger companies "tank." It's now far from inconceivable that the same might one day happen to AOL.

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Dec 4, 2006 - 10:42 AM

And TomA102210, I've see far larger companies "tank." It's now far from inconceivable that the same might one day happen to AOL.
-------------------------------------------
As will happen with all companies one day, large or small. In the meantime, why bad mouth what has been and is a successful company? That's a rhetorical question, by the way.

Score: 0

By IceyKola

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 10:26 AM

AOL is free now. They couldn't compete to all the free services. They are ad supported now like everything else. Where have you people been?

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 2:09 AM

AOL was and still is a sheep company. It's the "My neighbor has AOL" syndrome. Americans love to follow the crowd.

Way back when I got my first laptop in 1995, we signed up for MSN when they had one tenth of the customers AOL had. Low and behold, no problems and we could get online all the time.

Things started slipping when MSN started integrating it's email into those lousy MSN X.0 releases, I just set up my own manual connection where I could disable the disconnect when idle for xx minutes and all that.

AOL and MSN still try to convince people with DSL and Comcast that they still need them for email, and people still buy into it because the idiots at Best Buy tell them they do and they get a commission for everyone they sign up in the store.

I don't think giving away a few free movies for one day......and you know the servers will be so busy, no one will actually get a complete movie....will help the sinking ship.

I have been waiting for this company to tank.

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 3:22 PM

I have been waiting for this company to tank.

AOL was and still is a sheep company. It's the "My neighbor has AOL" syndrome. Americans love to follow the crowd.

-------------------------------------------
You are disillusional if you think AOL will tank, because it will not. AOL is and always has been a trend setter and never has been nor will it ever be part of what you might think of as the common herd.
By the way, it's not a laptop, it's a notebook.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Dec 2, 2006 - 3:19 PM

Sorry,

It's a laptop. Even the signs at the airport when you are leaving security say "Got Laptop".

I rest my case.

Score: 0

By wincement

edited Dec 2, 2006 - 3:45 PM

Oh boy. I was with you until you used airport security as a reliable source for intelligence... =p

Score: 0

By saint.alpha

posted Dec 2, 2006 - 1:59 AM

It is a laptop, or a notebook, depending on who you are.. They're both the same in the compute world..

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 6:52 PM

I couldn't help but laugh at your ridiculous comment.

Also: Is it small, full of lined paper, and requires a pen to operate it?

Then it's not a notebook.

Score: 0

By siryak

posted Nov 30, 2006 - 10:39 PM

Hmm do you haft to be already signed up for this "video portal" in order to get the free download??? Also what is the web address for their video portal???

Score: 0

By BetaBryce

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 12:31 PM

The AOL Video URL is http://video.aol.com/. :)

- Bryce

Score: 0

By Das mod

edited Nov 30, 2006 - 6:18 PM

oh boy .... free movies .... let me sign up for AOL .....

NOT

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Nov 30, 2006 - 11:48 PM

oh boy .... free movies .... let me sign up for AOL .....

NOT

----------------------------------
We who have AOL and AOL thank you for the free advertising though.

YES

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 2:11 AM

Free Movies! Let me sign up for AOL......dial up.

Score: 0

By Silentmaster101

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 3:06 PM

or for a few bucks a month you can get aol services added to your broadband connection. although what services they offer that arent free, and that i may want is anyones guess.

Score: 0

By msivy

edited Dec 1, 2006 - 6:50 PM

Using the video portal is always free (I work for AOL) and while you do need an AOL or AIM screen name to download a free movie tomorrow, you can get one of those for free now, too. We're still finalizing titles, but I'm sure there will be something you wouldn't mind owning for free, right?

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Dec 1, 2006 - 6:27 PM

Ummm... they're free now.

Score: 0

Oct 11 - 11:16 AM ET Things left unsaid, in a recent interview with Sony's CEO

Oct 11 - 11:03 AM ET EU regulations block Italian ISPs from blocking Pirate Bay

Oct 11 - 10:55 AM ET Making it to Apple's App Store by staying out of court

Oct 10 - 7:43 PM ET Wal-Mart changes its mind, leaves existing DRM servers up

Oct 10 - 7:05 PM ET Hands on: An amateur photographer tests out Adobe's latest Lightroom

Oct 10 - 6:52 PM ET Mobile service providers brace for the economic storm

Oct 10 - 6:24 PM ET Apple warns users about bad Nvidia graphics chips

Oct 10 - 4:21 PM ET New Norton Vista tool trades UAC for online feedback

Oct 10 - 3:23 PM ET Verizon Wireless to raise fees for service-related texts

Oct 10 - 3:04 PM ET BlackBerry Bold sales halted in UK