It's also not clear whether the movies that Walmart converts will be available through other Ultraviolet services besides Vudu, such as Flixster's apps for and . Unlike Vudu, Flixster allows users to download their Ultraviolet movies onto an iPhone, iPad or Android device for offline viewing. Walmart hasn't said whether its solution includes a way to watch offline.

It's too bad, because movie watchers really could use a way to store all their movies online, making them available for streaming or download on any device regardless of hardware maker. That's what Ultraviolet aims to do, but there may to be too many conflicting interests between movie studios, retailers, and hardware makers to offer a truly seamless experience for users.

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