Redbox

The movie rental company Redbox teamed up with Verizon last year to launch the invite-only beta of Redbox Instant, which is now opening its virtual scarlet-hued doors to all US subscribers. Redbox may be in for a tough fight against the likes of Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, and Hulu Plus, but the movie streaming service has a little somethin' that gives it a small edge over its competitors.

After a free one-month trial period, Redbox Instant costs $8 a month, which is the same subscription price as Netflix and Hulu Plus (Amazon's $79 per year fee is slightly cheaper). In addition to instant unlimited access to streaming movies, Redbox is offering four DVD credits at its kiosks, found at grocery stores and big box retailers nationwide. But it's important to remember that Redbox is missing a major component: TV shows.

The credits for physical DVDs are most likely offered to compensate for Redbox Instant's small library of movies online. Yet, despite the lack of older films, Redbox Instant has an impressive amount of some of the year's most popular blockbusters, like Argo, The Hunger Games, Brave, and The Dark Knight Rises.

In terms of how you can stream, Redbox offers an app for iOS and Android, plus Mac, PC, or Xbox 360.

We have more choices than ever when it comes to streaming movies online — will you choose Redbox Instant now that it's open for business?

Turn the car around; no need to go out to the nearest Redbox anymore, as the company's Redbox Instant arm is coming to Xbox 360 in the "very near future." Current participants in the Redbox Instant beta will receive an email invite to the Xbox Live app within weeks.

Redbox Instant monthly subscriptions are $8 per month for DVD rentals plus unlimited streaming or $9 per month for Blu-ray rentals plus unlimited streaming. In the Xbox Live app, users can also opt to purchase and rent new releases without signing up for the monthly service.

Between Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go, we've found plenty of ways to get your movie on through the Xbox console. Which service do you prefer?

You already love Redbox, and now the movie dispensing units may challenge another red-hued company, Netflix, by getting into the streaming video market.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, president Mitch Lowe outlines a plan to expand the reach of the movie-in-a-box units by offering online streaming options. Given the fact that so many of you already use Redbox as a source of entertainment, it wouldn't be too far fetched that you'd also hop online to stream a movie or two, which could cut into Netflix's market. Find out what I think, and learn about the kind of model I'd like to see coming from Redbox after the break.

I have a wide selection of video games at my disposal, but there's something about being able to go to a kiosk and pick up a new title at any time that gets me excited. As you can probably guess, I'm that person who subscribes to Netflix but will still go to a kiosk and rent a movie.

Redbox movie rental kiosks are now offering video game rentals (including PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii video games) for only $2 per night.

Most of these kiosks are scattered around the US, but Reno, NV, is first to test out this affordable new game rental service.