(Gizmodo) Blockbuster has begun testing it’s online download store. Gizmodo has a screenshot walkthrough of the now in beta service. Gizmodo states that renting titles with the Blockbuster service will cost anywhere between $0 to $3.99ish, and purchases go all the way up to $19.99.
(Engadget HD) Engadget HD is reporting that the video-on-demand service Vongo has been put to rest by Starz. It seems as though Starz has a replacement for Vongo called Starz Play. It looks like Vongo will be serving it’s last movie on September 30, 2008. Vongo we hardly knew you.
(Ars Technica) And finally, Ars Technica is reporting on the rumor that Apple may add Quicktime Excelleration Hardware to future Macs. Now this may not seem like it would be directly related to the Apple TV in anyway, but Ars goes on to speculate that Apple is developing an HD version of it’s iSight Camera. In conjunction with the Apple TV, Apple maybe prepping the Mac to be the computer of choice for creating and viewing HD content. Ars further speculates that a low-power QuickTime encode/decode chip cold help to enable an improved Apple TV with DVR-like functionality. I hear a few of us Apple TV users may want this.
What an excellent day for a rental. 
