DVD is the newest technology. It allows the movie producers to add a lot of information to the movie that they couldn’t before (such as deleted scenes, promotional material, and behind-the-scene information) in a smaller space than before, and is far more portable than all other previous forms of watchable materials. One of its advantages is that it can be downloaded from the internet, burned to a disk, and then played in a DVD player, whether at home or away. This is a definite advantage over other forms, such as the VHS tape (which requires a bulky player) or laser disc (which can’t be copied).

In order to properly take advantage of downloadable DVD’s, you will need to be able to burn CD’s. Also, be advised to always check out any site that offers downloads ahead of time, as it may offer software with spyware attached, or be a known virus threat. It should be noted that most of the big players (such as Blockbuster and Netflix) don’t offer DVD downloads, nor have broken out of the pack, so it is still a fledgling field, with all that that implies.

A service of AOL, Movie Phone (http://movies.aol.com/) allows the user to download movies, as well as get information on current movies. As it is through AOL, it has the advantage of being easily accessible to AOL subscribers. Non-subscribers also have access to the service.

A site dedicated to the best in movie downloads, Full Movie Downloads (www.full-movie-downloads.com) has a wide range of movies, as well as music and games. It also comes highly recommended, as it offers high quality downloads, with no additional spyware. However, a software package must be bough before you can take advantage of the service.