Is the dream of getting proper digital versions of your favorite tacky videos finally coming true?
Shofha (meaning see it, with a touch of Egyptian accent), the Middle East’s first legal website to download Arabic video content has launched, allowing users to download, stream or rent films at DVD quality without resorting to online piracy.
Call it NetFlix for the Middle East, Shofha features a good – and really tacky, in my opinion – collection of movies, series and live TV.
Operated by a subsidiary of Orascom’s LINKdotNET, the same company that manages the content of MSN Arabia, Shofha’s claims that its prices are cheaper than the many pirated DVDs that are prevalent in the region.
I think Shofha now needs to create partnerships with TV and digital boxes like Netflix has done to ensure proper propagation of their service. Even a Boxee plugin for now should help Arabic content hungry users to enjoy the service from the comfort of their couch.
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