Every now and then I get trivia texts from Xbox. Today was one of those days, and as usual after the trivia was done, they promoted a new Xbox feature. This time it was something I’d never heard of: Redbox Instant.

Streaming Video’s Newest Player

Like any self-respecting netizen, I did some Googling to find out what this was all about.

It turns out Redbox, whose obnoxiously red movie rental kiosks litter the storefronts of gas stations and McDonald’s across the nation, is teaming up with Verizon, the internet service provider, to enter the streaming video business.

Another Nail in Netflix’s Coffin?

Though Netflix was the first major player in video streaming, things have been tough for them with the rise of Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video. Not to mention the whole Qwikster fiasco.

Will another competitor overcrowd a lackluster market? Or will that market grow and help everyone prosper?

Obviously it’s too soon to tell. But in the meantime, I’m going to check out the beta.

Signing Up for Netflix Instant Beta

After landing on the Redbox Instant gatekeeper page, you can enter your email address to request an access code. A little box pops up letting you know they got it, and if you’re lucky like me you’ll already have been sent a code by the time you check your email.

When you get your access code, click the link in the email — which takes you back to the same gatekeeper page — and click “YES! LET ME IN!”

Enter your code and you are ushered in to the Redbox Instant website where you can sign up for a 1-month free trial.

After the trial, it’s $8 a month. A movie rental from the Redbox kiosk is at least a dollar (more if you get Blu-ray), and Redbox Instant includes 4 physical movie rentals per month.

If you’re already renting Redbox movies regularly, these rentals plus the instant streaming might be a pretty good deal for you.

Giving Redbox Instant a Shot

The only danger with a free trial is that you’ll sign up, never use it, forget to cancel, and then be billed for something you’re not going to use. Hopefully that won’t happen, but even if it does, it’s only $8.

So I’m going to try it out and report back with my thoughts on it.

Oh, and the reason Xbox cares about this is because they are going to allow access to Redbox Instant through Xbox Live, just like they do with the other streaming services.

Are you going to give Redbox Instant a try? Why or why not? Leave a comment below.

Update:

I tried Redbox Instant for a full month. Click here to read my Redbox Instant review.