Tag Archives: waitlist

Entertainment

MoviePass is almost back, and you can sign up to get on the waitlist now

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MoviePass is back, kind of. Starting today, you can sign up to be on a waitlist to become a MoviePass subscriber, and if you want to, you should move quickly since the waitlist will only be open for five days. The new MoviePass is scheduled to launch around Labor Day, and its first users will be those at the top of the waitlist.

If you’re wondering what, exactly, this new MoviePass is going to be… join the club. This is the company that once promised all the in-theater movies you could watch for $10 a month, only to quickly discover that business plan both infuriated theaters and effectively set millions of dollars on fire. It got so bad so fast that Helios and Matheson Analytics, the parent company of MoviePass, went bankrupt last year.

Stacy Spikes, an original co-founder of MoviePass, bought the company back in late 2021 and has been working on relaunching it since then. Now, as first reported by Insider, the MoviePass subscription will cost $10, $20, or $30 a month, depending on where you live, and will give you access to a certain number of movies every month — there’s no unlimited version, at least not yet. (Gavin Skillman, a spokesperson for MoviePass, declined to offer more details but did confirm the Insider story.) You’ll still be able to use a MoviePass-branded debit card to get into any theater or use the MoviePass app, and in a nice new change, you’ll be able to use your credits to bring friends to the theater. If you were previously a MoviePass customer, you’ll also apparently get some “complimentary bonus credits,” but no word yet on exactly how much.

This is all very vague so far. All we know for sure is that you’ll be able to see some movies, for a price. But there are plenty of other hints as to what Spikes and co. might be up to. For one, Spikes has also created another company, PreShow, which uses attention-tracking software to make sure you watch an ad and then rewards you with credits (or, in this case, movie tickets). Spikes has also talked about the new MoviePass being “powered by Web3 technology,” though that doesn’t appear to mean much right now. Spikes, presumably feeling burned by MoviePass’ previous growth-at-all-costs mentality, promised to run the new MoviePass like a co-op.

The movie theater business has also changed dramatically since MoviePass died. The theater chain Cineworld is heading for bankruptcy, and business has been bad for AMC, IMAX, and other theater companies over the last couple of years, thanks to the pandemic and the overall shift to streaming services. (AMC has only been saved by its meme-stock status.) But a few recent hits, like Top Gun Maverick, are giving theaters a glimmer of hope that movie watchers might be turning back into moviegoers again. Are they going to want to split their increasingly hard-won ticket earnings with MoviePass?

An all-you-can-watch movie subscription always seemed like a good idea for consumers — for a while, it was too good to be true. It’s going to take a while to see if Spikes can get it right the second time, but if you want to go along for the ride, you’re going to want to get on the waitlist quickly. And bring popcorn.

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Technology

Spotify opens its Car Thing waitlist to all US users

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Spotify is expanding US availability of its Car Thing, an $80 music and podcast player for vehicles. The company debuted the gizmo back in the spring on an invite-only basis and only charged users for shipping during a test phase.

Those who signed up for the Car Thing waitlist before now will get first dibs on the company’s first hardware device, though it’s still in limited release for now. In addition, both free and Premium Spotify members in the country can now sign up for the waitlist, though the Car Thing requires a Premium subscription and a smartphone for connectivity. Everyone who signs up for the waitlist will eventually be offered a Car Thing.

Spotify worked on Car Thing for several years before it started shipping the device a few months ago. The idea is to bring infotainment features to almost any car, particularly older ones without newfangled touchscreens. Once you hook up Car Thing to your vehicle with the help of one of the included mounts, you can use it to play music and podcasts with either physical controls or “Hey Spotify” voice commands.

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Health

Galveston County opens COVID-19 vaccine waitlist for high-risk people

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HOUSTON – Galveston County and local health partners announced Wednesday a new online waitlist application for those seeking to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Appointments are currently available for high-risk individuals who meet the criteria in Phase 1A and 1B. You do not have to be a resident of Galveston County or a UTMB patient to sign up for the waitlist, officials said.

The waitlist will begin accepting applicants on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Go to utmbhealth.com/vaccine to register for the waitlist.

“This will be the single portal for people to come on and get in line to get their vaccine.” Dr. Philip Keiser, the Galveston County Local Health Authority said. “There’s a very big need to do this because as you can see, not just for us, but all across the whole region as soon as any appointments open up they go away really quickly.”

Officials said applicants will be asked to create an account and answer a few health questions, which will be used by medical professionals to make sure those most at risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19 will get an opportunity to schedule an appointment as vaccine supplies become available.

The waitlist will be based on the level of risk and people will be able to register for the waitlist on an ongoing basis, officials said.

Once a person is eligible to receive the vaccine based on his or her level of risk, they will receive an email alerting them to schedule an appointment. Within the notification, there will be a link to the website where they can schedule an appointment. The scheduling link will only be valid for 24 hours, officials said.

A separate email address is needed for each person interested in joining the waitlist.

For those who may not have internet access or a working email address, a phone bank can assist them with the waitlist registration process. They will be asked to provide an email and cell phone number for a relative or close friend to ensure they receive scheduling notifications.

The phone bank can be reached at 877-389-2318.

Health officials said the process will help them to prioritize those at higher risk.

”If you sign up, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to get vaccinated next week. What it means is that we know who you are and we’re going to get to you as soon as we can,” said Keiser.

Galveston County, UTMB Health and the Galveston County Health District continue to follow Texas Department of State Health Services eligibility requirements and are only vaccinating those that fall under Phase 1A, health care workers, and Phase 1B, those 65 and older or 16 and older with certain medical conditions.

County leaders believe the on-line vaccine waitlist will help simplify the process to get people vaccinated.

”Once we get people on this list we’ll know what the demand is and we’ll know who those people are so that we can better plan as we get more doses of the vaccine,” said Keiser.

Copyright 2021 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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Health

Harris County to launch coronavirus vaccine waitlist Tuesday

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HOUSTON – Harris County will launch a waitlist Tuesday for people who want to get the coronavirus vaccine.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the list is aimed at creating an equitable way to distribute and administer the vaccine.

“Getting a COVID-19 vaccine shouldn’t be like ‘The Hunger Games,’” Hidalgo said. “It shouldn’t be about who can hit refresh on a browser the fastest.”

Hidalgo said the waitlist will be made available at ReadyHarris.org or by calling 832-927-8787. The phone line will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

While anyone can signup for the waitlist, only people who are eligible to receive the vaccine in phases 1A and 1B will be able to get the shot at this time, Hidalgo said. She said the system will not be a first-come-first-served system. She said eligible people will be subject to a randomization system to ensure that the administration process is fair. She said that people who are currently ineligible will be contacted once they are eligible.

Hidalgo said Harris County Public Health has administered 27,426 vaccines to date and the county is receiving about 9,000 doses per week. She said that while county leaders are advocating for receiving more doses, the waitlist does not mean that the county has a huge stockpile of the vaccine.

“Supply continues to be extremely limited,” Hidalgo said.

This story will be updated.

Copyright 2021 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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