Self-destructing DVDs coming to a Staples near you

The office-supply chain makes a bad idea worse by agreeing to sell Flexplay's disposable DVDs in 2,000 of its stores, starting this month.

PC World reports that the Flexplay DVDs, which are made with a special coating that renders the discs unplayable 48 hours after breaking the plastic seal, will go on sale at Staples locations nationwide by mid-June.

Flexplay discs, which sell for between $4 and $6, have been around for about five years now; titles include such recent releases as Beowulf, Blades of Glory, Flags of Our Fathers, Into the Wild, and Sweeney Todd.

Flexplay execs claim that its chemically treated discs meet EPA standards, and the company offers options for recycling expired discs, but let's face it—most viewers will simply toss the useless DVDs in the trash. Way to be green, there.

And, as I've written previously, the whole "disposable DVD" idea has been tried (unsuccessfully) before, most notably in the late 1990s by Circuit City with its DIVX discs. The DIVX system relied on proprietary players and a phone line rather than chemical coatings, but the end result—piles of expired, unwatchable discs—was the same. (At least with DIVX, you could opt to extend the viewing period for a given disc.)

DIVX died a swift death, and like many other observers, I figured that Flexplay's self-destructing DVDs would eventually meet the same fate. Unfortunately, thanks to the Staples deal, Flexplay has a new lease on life.

Anyway, do use all a favor and don't be tempted. After all (and as I've asked before), is it all that hard to return your rentals to the video store?

Related:
Self-Destructing DVDs Make a Comeback [PC World]