Why is it so hard for some studios to produce good packaging?

Some studios put DVDs in "books" with scratch-causing cardboard sleeves. Other studios stack discs in a spindle. And then there are others with a good idea, but execute it poorly.

An example of a poorly executed idea, are the Dragon Balls DVD season sets. The spines create Shenron in all it's glory, but only if you remove the partially embossed slipcovers.

Slipcovers on:

Slipcovers off:

It makes no sense why someone would produce a design like this that can only be seen if you get rid of part of the packaging (a part that a lot of people like keeping on).

Google Maps on iPad

Last night Google updated their iPhone app to also work natively on the iPad, as well as a list of new features. Download it if you miss Google Maps on your iPad!

Why I ditched the Disney Movie Club

Like most people, I was sucked into the Disney Movie Club by the allure of inexpensive movies. For the privilege of purchasing five movie for only $1 a piece, I had to commit to purchasing five more movies at their regular price of $29.95.  Although the Disney Movie Club sells their movies at far higher prices than other retailers, for around $155 to get ten movies, I figured it was a decent deal (not a good deal, but a decent one). I can of course, get ten movies cheaper elsewhere, but I wanted to give Disney a shot.

After the five movie commitment is met, you can cancel or continue at a "VIP" level, and I even considered sticking around. What changed my mind and made me decide to cancel after my commitment, was the horrible customer experience I had with the Disney Movie Club.

I ordered two films, one being Oz The Great and Powerful and I waited ten days (Disney tells you to wait 7-10 for delivery). On the tenth day my order still had not shipped and I called up Disney, I was told Oz was on back order. I was a bit puzzled that they couldn't ship the other movie, since other online retailers will do that for you (Target, Macy's, Amazon, etc.) but Disney decided to keep a hold on the one movie until both could ship. I asked the person on the phone if my order could be split, so I could at least get one of the movies I ordered. I then asked if it would affect the shipping cost, and was assured that it would be the same (he lied, I was charged an extra $2 for splitting the order). I called back a few minutes later and asked if the Oz movie could be cancelled and another ordered in its place, because I didn't want to wait on a back order. I then asked if the two movies would ship together, and was told yes she'd put them together in one shipment. Wrong, another lie. The two movies were on different shipments, and I was still charged the $2 extra (it's not about the money, it's the principle).

So after being lied to twice, being overcharged on shipping, and having to wait close to 20 days for a movie that I was supposed to get in 7-10 days (and there was no reason for it, they had the movie I'm stock), that's why I decided to give the Disney Movie Club the boot. And I say, good riddance to bad rubbish!