A woman walks past a Sony Corp flat TV at the company's headquarters in Tokyo Jan. 22, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Sony Corp. is offering a movie called "Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs" for free to U.S. buyers of its Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players from Monday.

    People who buy the equipment will be able to watch the movie in any 24-hour window from Dec. 8 until it is released on DVD and Blu-ray disc on Jan. 5.

    Sony's move highlights the way that movies are increasingly becoming available on TVs that connect directly to the Internet as the entertainment industry strives to come up with new business models.

    "What we're doing is game-changing for TV," said Robert Jacobs, senior business development manager for Sony Electronics Inc.

    Last year, Sony streamed "Hancock" to Bravia TV owners for two weeks before its home video release. The promotion created a "halo effect" helping electronics sales and the movie's DVD purchases and rentals, Jacobs said.

    Amazon.com Inc. and Blockbuster Inc. also offer movies for rental or purchase on certain Internet-connected TVs.

    Those services, however, don't provide the early-release jump Sony is trying with "Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs," which comes from the Sony Pictures movie studio.

    (Agencies)