Starz debuts PDA video download service

On the heels of several landmark video distribution deals on iTunes, Starz Entertainment Group today said it would launch a movie download service that allows consumers to view full-length studio films, concerts and TV shows on portable devices powered by Microsoft, locking out Mac and most iTunes users. Starz' Vongo, available for a monthly subscription of $10, will eventually include more than 1,000 movies, short films and other programs, which will be available at the same time they are offered on the Starz premium movie cable channel (about five to six months after they are released on DVD). According to the AP, the service will allow users to download as many films as they want each month to up to three devices, including Windows-based computers and portable devices running Microsoft's Portable Media Center software. The company will also offer a smaller number of early release films for pay-per-view fee of $4 as well as a live, streaming video feed of the Starz TV channel.

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