CinemaNow, a service that provides legally downloadable movies, has updated its 'Media Manager' to allow content to be played through the Xbox 360.

We'll let CinemaNow's CEO, Curt Marvis, tell you about it:



What he doesn't point out in his pleased-as-punch corporo' gubbins is that said content was already available to those “Xbox users”.

Why? Because the 360 isn't actually able to download the content. Rather, it acts as a “connective device” between Windows boxes (XP and Vista) and your TV. Media Manager will detect your 360 on your home network, you download content to your Windows XP or Vista PC and you'll then be able to play said movie on your TV via your 360.

So the 7,000 movies Marvis brags about were already available to those Xbox owners unless they're I.T. mavericks who don't actually use monitors to operate their computers.

"Fair point", you might say, "but at least now they can watch the movies from the comfort of their living rooms instead of perching in front of a PC monitor."

True, but the upgrade will now enable users to burn the movies they download to DVD.

So, basically, thanks to the 360 you'll be able to spare yourself the epic struggle that is burning a DVD and retain the calories you would have used having to carry said disc to your DVD player.

Well, at least there are options.

If you want to actually download movies with your 360, rather than using it as a pointless middleman, you can still use Xbox Live's video on demand service, at least. Well, if you live Stateside, that is.