A good movie can get you far—through the plains of Iowa, another few miles on the treadmill, and certainly to your flight’s destination faster.
So it’s exciting to hear that our venerable Minneapolis-St. Paul airport was the first earlier this month (and now, one of three) to offer Digiboo movie kiosks.
All you need is a credit card and USB flash drive and you’re set to rent or buy a movie that can be played on your computer.
Streaming video has clearly become increasingly popular, but the edge here is that you don’t need an Internet connection—so they work for those shorter flights without a movie, and anywhere without Wi-Fi. And there’s no return stop involved, because the movies expire electronically 30 days after purchase.
The question is whether people will find the download process cumbersome, or even stop to rent movies at the airport. (Gate runners, you’re out!)
Renting a film is $2.99 or $3.99 (based on new release or not), while buying is $14.99. Downloads from the kiosk to your USB are 1.8 GB and take about 30 seconds for newer 3.0 flash drives, and up to five minutes for 2.0.
A few caveats: You have to register your computer online the first time you use Digiboo. And right now, the movies only play on Windows PC, in regular definition. Films are also restricted to Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount, and Lions Gate studios—though that doesn’t limit you much, with more than 600 movies offered (far more than Redbox), rotating weekly.
Declining movie rental trends make Digiboo’s future uncertain, but more airports will join Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portland, and Seattle if this Santa Monica start-up succeeds. For now, happy viewing!
