In February, Coinstar subsidiary Redbox announced a joint venture with Verizon to launch a streaming video service. Later this afternoon, the companies will announce more details on the partnership, which will combine access to physical and digital content.

Inside Redbox and Verizon's planned subscription offering in the digital and physical space.

The Coinstar subsidiary today announced a new partnership with Verizon. The joint venture will launch in the second half of 2012 and be a subscription-based and "affordable service that will allow all consumers across the U.S. to enjoy the new and popular entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the media and devices they prefer," the companies said.

Coinstar, the company behind DVD-kiosk service Redbox, today announced it would acquire NCR's entertainment business for as much as $100 million. NCR, once the central rival to Redbox through its Blockbuster Express brand, operates thousands of movie-rental kiosks which will now come under Redbox and Coinstar's control.

EcoATM has snagged $14.4 million from Coinstar and other investors to bring dead-phone and device recycling to a gas station or grocery store near you.

Kiosk powerhouse Redbox announced it will offer video games in addition to movies, marking a new trend in the rental industry that Netflix may mimic.

We're entering the age of the kiosk: By 2013, self- service transactions could top $1.5 trillion. DIY machines are fueling profit growth at companies such as Coinstar, which bought DVD-rental leader Redbox and its 15,000 locations last year and expects 2009 revenues of $1.3 billion, up 43% from 2008. Kiosks are getting fancier, too, allowing more options than the traditional vending machine, "whose sole purpose was to dispense cold beverages," says Coca-Cola global marketing manager Anthony Phillips. Read More »

Why Redbox is the biggest movie-rental company you've never heard of. Its secret: the power of in-between technology

PES is a stop-motion animator, well-loved by design dorks—Michael Gondry once said that his films are like "opening a safe and suddenly seeing a million ideas glittering and exploding." He's now venturing into ad work, having previously stuck to small, personal films. He just finished a nice series of ads for Coinstar that manages to wittily sum up the times we're in. Check it out:

Read More »