September 25 - Online services offering legal downloads of feature films have been around for more than six years now, but odds are that when you ponder buying or renting a movie to brighten a homebound Saturday night, your first thought isn’t, “I know—let’s fire up the Web browser!�

There are changes afoot, though, that bode well for the future of movie downloads. To date, movie download services have been overwhelmingly computer-focused—you download video files to a PC or Mac and that’s where you watch them.

There are advantages to this approach. Your computer is already connected to the Internet, making downloads a snap. It also has a decent-sized screen and, thanks to plummeting LCD prices and the growth of widescreen formats, often a very impressive one, capable of handling high-definition images.

And if you’re traveling with a laptop, downloaded movies represent a DVD-free way to carry first-rate entertainment on the go, including the option to load up on new titles from your hotel room.

Next: The 2 ways to enjoy video on your computer