Zune Thoughts: What's Your Digital Convenience Price Threshold?

Be sure to register in our forums! Share your opinions, help others, and enter our contests.


Laptop Thoughts

Loading feed...

Windows Phone Thoughts

Loading feed...

Digital Home Thoughts

Loading feed...



Thursday, June 23, 2011

What's Your Digital Convenience Price Threshold?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Talk" @ 08:00 AM

In the tug of war between atoms and bits, how much does it take to sway you one way or another? Digital download or buying DVDs - which way do you roll? I bought the first episode of "Breaking Bad" on iTunes a few weeks ago, watched it yesterday, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Since I don't currently have an active Zip.ca account (it's a DVD rental service) I'd be looking at buying Breaking Bad season one. How do the numbers work out?

  • iTunes SD: $14.99 CAD
  • iTunes HD: $20.99 CAD
  • Amazon.ca DVD: $19.47
  • Amazon.ca Blu-ray: $28.99

So there's a small $4.48 price difference between the atoms and the bits in SD, and a more significant price difference of $9.52 for the HD versions. Do I go atoms or bits? The pros and cons from my point of view:

  • Atoms PROs: DVDs are easy to share with family and friends, and easy to rip (regular DVDs at least) for conversion onto any device I own
  • Atoms CONs: DVDs take up space, and there's a small shipping charge
  • Bits PROs: Immediate gratification - I can start watching it today
  • Bits CONs: iTunes DRM means I can't share the TV show with friends, or even use it on all of my own devices. It's an Apple-only party for this content, which I loathe.

I should note that there's also Amazon Video on Demand, but since I'm Canada I can't use that service. And Netflix.ca doesn't stream Breaking Bad so that's not an option.

So where do you fall on the scale? Myself, I've decided I want to own the atoms rather than the bits, so I've added them to my Amazon wish list and will buy them at some point.


Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Sponsored links