"Prom Queen" launched in April on MySpace and is an 80 episode series that are 90 seconds long. The series can be purchased from Amazon for $9.99 to own and to rent for 30 days for $3.99.

"By teaming with Amazon Unbox, we are making it possible for ‘Prom Queen’ fans to download and watch the entire series as a feature-length title whenever they want," said Michael Eisner.

"The wonderful thing about producing in the new-media landscape is that fans can reach shows like ‘Prom Queen’ on a number of platforms. Amazon Unbox gives shows like ‘Prom Queen’ longevity and serves as a new mass medium and unique way for the show’s followers to watch."

The "Prom Queen" mystery series focuses on five girls who will be nominated for Prom Queen. The Web series has done well, probably due in part to MySpace and was nominated for an Emmy.

"More and more people are going to the Internet for the latest compelling, cutting-edge video. Amazon Unbox provides a totally new way for producers and film-makers to deliver their work to customers," said Roy Price, director of Amazon Unbox. "By bringing shows like ‘Prom Queen’ to Amazon Unbox, our customers gain quick and easy access to exciting new web-only based content."

Which shows that it isn’t enough to be first. You also have to have the goods. It also shows that the first round of hype will get wiped out in days by a deeper look (yes, I’m sorry I hyped everyone up here).

Here’s the reviews that caught my eye:

Simon Phipps: “Unbox Unusable.”

Tom Merritt, on CNET: “My Fight with Amazon Unbox.”

Uninnovate: “Amazon Spends Over a Year Developing Movie Download Service Then Shackles It With Absurd Restrictions.”

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Robert Scoble is the founder of the Scobleizer blog. He works as PodTech.net’s Vice President of Media Development.

Go to Scobleizer …

Does Unbox Disappoint?

Unbox lays out Amazon’s version of what many have seen as the future of online entertainment. It places the control of obtaining a video from a variety of content providers at a person’s fingertips, instead of at the whims of a network’s programming.

Compared to the ease of use of video on demand from cable providers, Unbox may not offer enough to excite people beyond a certain hardcore segment of computer users. While provisions of Unbox movie and TV purchases permit the videos to be stored on two PCs and two portable media players, a burned DVD cannot go for a ride in a family’s Honda Odyssey to entertain the kids.

There is also the competitive factor to consider. “Apple to the starting gate when it comes to movie download business, but that doesn’t ensure success,” wrote GigaOm’s Om Malik. His informal website poll showed overwhelming support for the idea that Apple will be the big movie download winner, should next week’s Apple announcement deliver that news.

Techdirt ran down a list of issues with the service, and acknowledged that these limitations may have been inflicted by Hollywood movie moguls:

Discounting the DVD portability issue is the same as disregarding the purchasing power of families who buy DVDs to keep their children entertained on car trips. While one could argue the merits of having children plugged in on the road like this, DVD players are a sought-after feature in minivans and certain SUV models.

Rafat Ali at paidContent pointed out a gaping hole in the list of studios offering movies through Unbox:

Disney and its recently-purchased Pixar have a huge presence in the entertainment of families. Nickelodeon is a lot of fun, but Disney holds tremendous power when it comes to shoppers looking for an entertainment brand.

Ali also noted another red flag with Unbox, this time in the terms and conditions of the service. Amazon recommends that buyers make a backup copy of their videos as, “From time to time, videos on Amazon Unbox may become unavailable for further sale or for further downloading from Your Media Library, due to content provider limitations and for other reasons.”

Just as the studio give rights to Amazon and Unbox for distribution, those rights could be withdrawn as well. Currently these rights only include the ability for Unbox to sell content to US residents. That and other limitations, like the time-expiring movie rental provision of a 24-hour deadline to watch after hitting the play button for the first time, may make consumers choose to leave Unbox in the box and buy a DVD instead.

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David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.

or staging a peaceful protest in Miami without getting shot in the face.

According to this blogger, the service will be called “Amazon Unbox Video” and will offer Television show downloads for $1.99 and current movies for $10-$15. The content appears to be available for viewing on the computer via a product called Amazon Video Player, but also viewable on customers’ televisions or portable devices – except for the iPod.

Apple is working on its own movie distribution deal for iPod, news that was leaked by a Lions Gates executive. Just can’t keep those media executives quiet, now can they? Lions Gates has made some fun movies like The Punisher, Terminator 2, Natural Born Killers, Dogma.

20th Century Fox appears to be in on the deal with Amazon, according to the numerous screenshots, but its unknown if Amazon ever reached an agreement with ABC, who according to last month’s loose lips, wasn’t even close to an agreement.

A reader tipped off HackingNetflix to the secret service’s development. That blogger told another blogger, Alan Taylor, who put up several screenshots and told Nate Anderson at Ars Technica, who told me, who’s now telling you. Don’t you just love the grapevine effect of Internet rumors and discoveries?

Nate sheds some light on why, potentially, Amazon’s video offerings will not be available for the iPod:

So, in conclusion, it appears Amazon really is working on a online video store, and if you want to keep something quiet, don’t tell a blogger, a journalist, or AOL.