UnBox Calls Home, A Lot

SachiCALaw writes "It turns out that to use UnBox, the user has to download software from Amazon that contains a Windows service (ADVWindowsClientService.exe). Tom Merritt over at C|Net reports that the service tries to connect to the internet quite frequently. Even tweaking msconfig could not prevent it." From the article: "So, in summary, to be allowed the privilege of purchasing a video that I can't burn to DVD and can't watch on my iPod, I have to allow a program to hijack my start-up and force me to login to uninstall it? No way. Sorry, Amazon. I love a lot of what you do, but I will absolutely not recommend this service. Try again."

Re:What is the point?

[niceone]

Aw come on - it's only 11c more - that's a mere 1c per monkey and ONE MONKEY FREE!

Re:Sounds like iTunes on Windows

[Yahweh Doesn't Exist]

>Imho there ought to be a config option to allow you to specify that you don't have an iPod and so won't be needing the service

funny that you're complaining about a few kb of memory being used for this, WHILE YOU'RE RUNNING FREAKING WINDOWS.

drop cf. ocean.

Re:Should Congressional Action Be Warranted?

[bangzilla]

Oh give me a break. If you don't like what it's doing -- then don't use it. It's not doing anything better or worse than 99.9% of all apps worldwide. Amazon is not out to "get you". I'm getting pregressively sicker of the whining "big brother is watching me" rehetoric. Don't like it - then don't play. But the benefits outweigh the cons. The material I've donwloaded from Unbox are full screen, crisp, great sound and with me in 5 mins or so. *I* for one like that and really don't care if anyone knows that I'm watching re-runs of Star Trek in my skivvies at 3:08am (in fact if anyone has not beeing looking at my personal traffic, now you all know my viewing habits. Knock yourself out with *that* information...!) Boogie on clowns.

Re:UnBox Video Player License

[FLEB]

Jeez, why don't I just have a representative of the MPAA come live at my house and keep track of what movies I watch,

Uhm... that would actually end up being public performance*, and the movies are specifically licensed for private personal viewing.

* (Lawyers: I know it wouldn't be. It was a joke.)