AllThingsD reports that Netflix (and Blockbuster) will be required to wait twice as long, or a full 56 days after DVDs hit retail shelves, before offering Warner Brothers content under a new distribution agreement.

The move is part of Hollywood’s ongoing campaign to bolster flagging DVD sales, and sources tell me the new deal is supposed to be announced at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Warner Brothers executives have already talked publicly about extending the current window.

Redbox was also included in the initial report, however their parent company Coinstar has made a statement indicating they haven’t yet entered into a new contract with Warner Brothers. They are, however, set to renegotiate their contract at the end of January, but have publicly stated they’d look for “workarounds” if studios attempt to double the time window.

While studios may think this type of dumbassery forces people to buy more DVDs, it only forces them to hate the circumvent the customer-hostile studios. Hollywood is once again on the wrong side of history and common sense. Rapid availability and fair pricing is what boosts sales. iTunes taught that to music studios ravaged by Napster and the like a decade ago. Steve Jobs told them at the time their competition was free-as-in-file-sharing. Is Hollywood really this intent on making the recording labels seem like geniuses by comparison?

Here’s once again hoping the old-guard gets replaced soon.

Source: All Things Digital

If you still haven’t purchased an iPad for yourself or a loved on for this holiday season Best Buy is making it a little bit more enticing by offering iPad buyers a free Mi-Fi from your choice of AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. Of course you will have to sign up for a 2 year commitment for the data to use with the Mi-Fi from either of the three companies but if you wanted data anyways why not get the free Mi-Fi to start it off with!

If you remember Verizon has been selling the iPad + Mi-Fi bundle since October and the 16GB iPad with Mi-Fi starts at $629.99 from them. From Best Buy you will get the same package for $499. No matter what retailer you go through for a bundle like this having a data contract is standard so with the holiday season it seems like a great idea to hit up Best Buy for your bundle and save yourself $130 which you could then use on iPad accessories over at the TiPb Accessory Store! [Cheap plug!]

If you end up getting this bundle let us know how it works out for you in our comments section.

[ 9To5 Mac ]

It looks like the 16GB 3G variant of the iPad is now being offered on T-Mobile for UK customers. Depending on what plan you choose, you can snag a bit of a discount on the actual iPad.

New customers can get 1GB of data + 1GB of quiet time data (data used between midnight and 10am) for £27.00/month which will bring the actual iPad cost to £199.00. Existing customers can get the same data plan for £25.00/month and receive the same £199.00 deal on the actual device.

If you’d prefer to go no contract, there are 3 pay as you go plans you can choose from -

• 500MB/day for £2.00/day
• 1GB/week for £7.00/week
• 2GB/month for £15.00/month

If you choose one of the pay as you go plans, the iPad will cost you £529.99. You can also add insurance to your iPad for £12.99/month.

Anyone out there on T-Mobile UK thinking about snagging one of these plans?

via T-Mobile UK

We told you last week that Orange and T-Mobile in the UK were set to offer subsidized iPad prices. Well today Orange has announced details on the pricing model for the 3G version of the iPad. Orange will offer the 16 GB model at a cost of £199.0 ($312), the 32 GB model for £249.00 ($390) and the 64 GB model at £349.00 ($546).

Now obviously the prices are subject to you signing a 24 month contract for data. Orange has two on offer here; one for existing Orange customers which is offered at £25.00 ($39) a month, this provides 1GB of anytime data as well as a further 1GB of quiet time data (Midnight – 4pm). WiFi access is also provided through BT Openzone.  Orange say WiFi is unlimited; however it does carry a fair usage limit, capped at 3GB. New Orange customers will get the same allowances, but will have to pay an additional £2.00 ($3.13) for the privilege.

Pre-Orders will be available  from November 27th.

This move will likely lead to similar offers from other UK networks, the question is, will it spread worldwide and is the pricing reasonable? Let us know what you think in the comments!

[Orange] Thanks to Simon for the tip.

According to the Apple website, it appears like US users no longer have the option to purchase an iPhone at no commitment pricing.  In the US, AT&T is the exclusive carrier.  A lot of users prefer to purchase a phone at no commitment price and unlock it for use on T-Mobile (and some people just don’t like contracts).  The AT&T websites still seems to be offering the no commitment price for the iPhone. Apparently you must purchase a no commitment iPhone in store. Doesn’t make any sense to us either.

AT&T stated they have not made any policy changes on their end so is this just the new reality for Apple in a post Jailbreakme.com world? You can buy factory unlocked iPhone 4 in most countries outside the US now, so is unlocking still that big of a concern here at home?

I guess we’ll have to wait and see if AT&T’s website follows suit. Anyone seriously upset by this?

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

Well we all you that this day would eventually come. BGR is reporting on March 26th AT&T will begin to offer the iPhone 3G with a no-commitment price as well as no in-store activation. Something to keep in mind, this all comes to us at a very steep price of $599 for the 8 GB and $699 for the 16 GB with a few strings attached.

AT&T will only sell you “one per line”. So with that in mind, don’t go into the store without a current AT&T phone line and expect to walk out with a shiny new iPhone 3G because that is not going to happen. These iPhones are only being sold to current customers that meet the following criteria:

AT&T is restricting the No-Commit price to existing customers who wish to add a line, purchase as a gift, or upgrade and not eligible for the Qualified or Early upgrade price.

So, at those steep prices and restrictions do you think these bad boys will sell well? It’s pretty safe to say this is not a move to make inventory room for those “new” iPhones that Rene is wanting in the worst way…

[Via BGR]

We’ve had our fair share of gripes and complaints about AT&T here at TiPb but we don’t give them enough credit for trusting Apple and letting them go wild with the iPhone. Sure, they may be out to squeeze every dollar from their customers, but few carriers would even imagine giving Apple the freedom to create the. best. gadget. ever.

Plus, AT&T is well aware of the attention and added dollars they get by having an exclusivity agreement for the iPhone, so it comes to no surprise to us that one of those old, reputable, print companies is reporting that AT&T has added another year of exclusivity (until 2010 now). If AT&T were to lose the iPhone now, it’d be a complete disaster since the iPhone is starting to entrench itself in the market.

So I guess since AT&T will never give up on the iPhone, it’s on Apple to make every customers dream come true and deliver a fully unlocked iPhone. Maybe then, carriers will begin to lower their prices and the power will come back to the consumers.

ReadVia

figure 1: AT&T has made some changes to benefit customers out of enlightened self-interest.

In news that should please anyone on AT&T, and if you have an iPhone, odds are good that this is you, AT&T is making consumer-friendly changes to how they do things. First, AT&T announced that they will begin pro-rating termination fees. The longer you stay on in your contract, the less of a fee you’ll have to pay. They also announced that they will not require a new contract for a simple change of service. Both are welcome changes.

Odds are good that this change of heart is due to the Senate commerce committee holding those hearings, and T-Mobile’s lawsuit problems — AT&T probably doesn’t want to get into the same legal hot water that T-Mobile is currently in.

Forum members of Hackint0sh have figured out how to unlock an iPhone using a SIM card reader/writer and a blank SIM card. The Phone has reportedly been tested in Europe. The equipment to do so apparently cost $96 US, and we can apparently expect a Gizmodo post later today once they verify that this method works.

In other unlocking news, other hackers have figured out how to dump the full content of NOR memory; this memory dump should ostensibly hold all the information an enterprising hacker would need to unlock the iPhone in software. You know, without $96.

And lastly, I just want to call attention to the neat Star Wars themed photoshops Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo has been posting.

Bit by bit, information is coming out on how the syncing will work, and what it means to have to activate the iPhone before you can use it.

First, AT&T’s return policy has changed: you now only have 14 days to try it out (it used to be 30 days). There’s now also a 10% restocking fee for a return. Don’t worry, though; the contract breakage fee ($175) is still the same if you miss that 2 week deadline. We knew the phone was going to be locked, though it’s a surprise that it may be locked to one SIM card.

Second, you’ll have to activate an AT&T plan before you can even use the iPod functionality of it. Crazy! Without a worth-$3000 2 year plan, that purchase is just a $499 or $599 pretty little brick. Hopefully it will reduce the reasons to steal them. It’s going to be a hot little thing in my pocket, that’s for sure.

The iPhone is heavily rumored to be unsubsidized at all by AT&T. But, if you cancel service on your iPhone contract after a certain period (a month?), you’ll still have to pay AT&T a $175 contract breakage fee, they claim

“There are certain fixed costs we incur in serving every customer who establishes service with us.”

Sigh. I guess you can say that this agreement lets Apple be Apple and lets AT&T be AT&T.

I’m still hoping that the iPhone will still be available on prepaid plans. I don’t intend to use it, but you know, for the kids.