While many of you have probably seen the Blockbuster DVD rental kiosks, what a lot of people aren’t aware of is that these Redbox-like devices have virtually nothing to do with their bankrupt namesake. But now that the once-great video chain is in the headlines for its Chapter 11 filings, the owners of the Blockbuster kiosks are making sure users know about the difference.

Some Blockbuster Express customers received this e-mail on Thursday from the VP & General Manager of NCR, the vending company that actually owns and operates these kiosks under the licensed Blockbuster banner:

You may have heard today that the company, Blockbuster, Inc. has announced plans to enter into bankruptcy protection to restructure their finances. We wish them great success in that process. You should know, however, that the BLOCKBUSTER Express business is 100% owned and operated by NCR Corporation, a rock-solid public company that has pioneered breakthrough consumer experiences for more than 125 years. We look forward to serving up those great experiences for another 125 years and more.

Meanwhile, I want to assure you that we are working hard every day to make your movie-rental experience with BLOCKBUSTER Express even better in a number of ways, including:

*Opening new locations nearby that make it more convenient to rent and return movies

*Adding more copies of more movies to rent at your local BLOCKBUSTER Express kiosks

*Preserving value, with most titles available to rent for only $1 per night

Perhaps its time for NCR to think about ditching the Blockbuster Express name? How about BlueBox? Or Not Blockbuster?

Thanks once again to RandomHookup for the tip!

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