Intel Launching HD Movie Service With WiDi 2.0

Intel is getting into the entertainment side of things.

Along with the Sandy Bridge CPUs unleashed earlier, Intel also has its second generation of Wireless Display, or Wi-Di 2.0.

With its new graphics technology, Intel is getting into the media game with an Intel Insider program with arrangements with CinemaNow, Dixons Retail, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, Image Entertainment, Sonic Solutions, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

To show this feature, Intel VP Mooley Eden used a clip from the feature film Inception from Warner Bros. and demonstrated how easy it would be to get the movie from CinemaNow and watch it in full 1080p HD on a laptop. Eden then demonstrated how consumers can also use Intel WiDi 2.0 to beam content like Inception to their big screen HDTVs.

Through Intel's control of the hardware, the chipmaker is better able to create a DRM scheme that should be more appealing to content providers. This will hopefully mean more digital downloads the same date as DVD/Blu-ray releases. Commercial distribution of HD premium content using the Intel Insider technology is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2011.