Amazon Announces Video Service You May Actually Want to Use, Redux

Apple’s iTunes movie store just got its first legitimate rival: Amazon Video on Demand. Launched Wednesday night, the new service replaces
Amazon Unbox, the mediocre, odiously restrictive, Windows-only download service the retailer launched last year. Amazon Video on Demand offers Amazon’s entire catalog of 40,000 movies and TV shows for ad-free streaming to Macs, PCs, and Internet Video Link-equiped Sony Bravia flat-screen TVs. Previously Amazon (AMZN) had sold movies and TV shows as downloads, and then only for PCs, TiVo and Windows Media Center devices, so this is quite a change. Movie rentals run $2.99-$3.99; TV rentals are a flat $1.99 per episode or segment–with savings available through season passes. All rentals expire 24 hours after purchase.

One-click cinema. Sounds pretty slick. At least until we find out what Apple has up its sleeve next Tuesday.