Starting today, customers using Amazon’s Video On Demand will be able to watch ad-free content on their Mac’s, PC’s and select TV’s. Previously, users had to use the Unbox application or use TiVo. Users can still use the Unbox app to download content, but options are opened with the ability to view directly in the browser. If you have a compatible Sony BRAVIA television set, you’ll be… → Read More
Confirmation came Monday from Netflix that the movie rental giant is charging more for Blu-ray discs in a test program. No hard and fast pricing is available yet as the company is determining a pricing model. One thing for sure though, is that Blu-ray discs cost more, and Netflix is looking to pass along the extra charge. While Netflix is charging more for some DVD’s, they are charging less… → Read More
Toyota, Nissan and Matsushita have formed an alliance to attempt to create a worldwide standard for Li-ion batteries for automotive use. If they succeed in convincing the International Organization for Standardization that Li-ion batteries are the best way to charge the upcoming onslaught of commercial electric vehicles, the involved companies will certainly hold the advantage. → Read More
Betting on the losing format isn’t such a bad thing for Microsoft. Sure they made an expensive peripheral HD-DVD player, but at least they didn’t integrate it, leaving gamers stuck with a costly price tag for the core console. But now that the format is dead and Blu-Ray is the winner, will the Xbox get a Blu-Ray player? No. Which of course, doesn’t really come as a surprise. The simple fact… → Read More
[photopress:samsung_hd_dvd_blu_ray_players.jpg,full,center] If you’re like me, you love yourself some home theater setup, and Blu-ray is likely your next purchase, if you haven’t already bought a player. Samsung been playing both sides of the court and was set to release a duo HD-DVD/Blu-ray player, but now has wisely decided against it. Samsung has always been a backer of Blu-ray, and… → Read More
[photopress:blurraymenups3.jpg,full,center] Did you know that the Playstation 3 can play that new, next-gen DVD standard called Blu-ray that virtually all movies will be coming out on? It’s true! Sony wants you to know this, as it wants to remind everyone that the PS3 is an excellent Blu-ray player, which it is. Everyone agrees that PS3 is going to outsell Xbox 360 in the near future, and… → Read More
[photopress:hd_dvd_videos.jpg,full,left] Now here’s something to think about: Now that HD DVD is dead, do you see anything wrong with HD DVD disc owners breaking the DRM on their discs to make backups of the media that they’ve bought in an effort to future-proof their investments? Think about it: when you buy a disc, whether a DVD or CD, you’re really paying for a copy of… → Read More
[photopress:hddvdrip.jpg,full,center] It’s over, and Blu-ray wins. The main backer of the HD DVD format for next-gen video discs, Toshiba, has itself withdrawn from production of said discs. Without Toshiba to lead the way, HD DVD is more or less a done format. We feel bad for supporters of the format, but they welcoming arms of Blu-ray will be open, waiting to embrace you and make you feel… → Read More
The pornography industry, ever-delivering the deciding blow (pun intended) in video format wars, looks to be jumping mid-race from one pony to another. See first the industry picked the HD DVD pony. Then that pony stumbled and has currently commenced its falling-down sequence, so Porn jumped onto the Blu-ray pony as it was passing the HD DVD pony, which it started to do a couple of weeks… → Read More
Forget holiday shopping deals, many Toshiba HD DVD players are now selling for under $200 anyway. The HD-A3 and HD-A30 are going for $134.98 and $174.98 on Amazon, respectively. You’ll still get two free movies in the box (Bourne Identity and 300) plus five more by mail, too. These may very well be closeout prices, though. Often times, retailers will change the last two digits in the price… → Read More
There’s a lot of confusion going around about Samsung’s dual player, BD-UP5000, and when it may actually hit retailers. Amazon says it won’t be here till next month, but Samsung is on record saying the player is shipping now and that we’ll see it before the end of the year. Well, you better get a move on, Samsung. The gift giving day is fast approaching and people… → Read More
As I’ve said before, the so-called format war won’t be coming to an end anytime this year or next. It’s not really even a war amongst the two formats. Each camp must convince the consumers to upgrade their old tubes to HD before the war can even begin. So what we have here is the Chinese finger trap. Now, we all know the only way to get out of said trap is to come together or cut… → Read More
Looks like we won’t be seeing Warner Home Entertainment’s hybrid HD DVD/Blu-ray discs after all. The company recently reported that it’s pulling the plug on the project that would have offered consumers movies under the Total HD moniker, simply meaning an HD DVD version on one side of the disc, Blu-ray on the other. To date, Warner is the only major studio that produces… → Read More
Howard Stringer (Sony Corp. CEO) says that Blu-ray and HD DVD are in a stalemate. He has to say that, though. I’ve stayed out of the debate since it started because, as a consumer, I don’t care who wins. I care about how much it’s going to cost me versus how much benefit I’ll get out of it. As it stands right now, I wouldn’t buy a Blu-ray player for $450 when… → Read More
Remember the Toshiba HD-A2 player that was going for $99? Yeah, well, it sold over 90,000 units over the weekend. Crazy, huh? That comes close to Sony’s Blu-ray player, the BDP-S300, which retails for $499 and has shipped around 100k since its debut in the summer. Figures are expected to be higher for Toshiba because not all retailers have reported back. Not too shabby, guys. Have another sale… → Read More
Currently, Circuit City is listing LG’s much-anticipated BH200 combination Blu-ray / HD DVD / DVD player for $799.99. That’s an expensive player with a price reminiscent of the first HD DVD and Blu-ray players to hit the market. Sure, it can do 1080p, DVD upscaling and play both formats, but with Toshiba’s A2 HD DVD player going for $198 at Wal-Mart and the PS3 going for $399 or… → Read More
…and I say "take on" loosely, although this is going to be interesting to watch. A company called New Medium Enterprises (NME) has manufactured a "low-cost true high definition solution" that uses standard red lasers found in today’s CD and DVD players. The format is called "HD VMD" or High Definition Versatile Multilayer Disc. → Read More
Australian? Not sure whether to go with Blu-ray or HD DVD? Who cares? Not exactly "new" news but Acer recently released a computer in your neck of the woods with a combo drive made by LG. Expect other computer makers to follow suit. This is why the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD thing doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s going to end up being the same situation as DVD-R vs. → Read More
Say hello to the new Advanced Interactivity Consortium. Its goal is to promote "superior interactivity for a wide range of next-generation consumer devices, digital content and distribution scenarios [and] maximize consumer satisfaction worldwide by accelerating industrywide adoption of advanced interactivity and interoperability across a broad array of HD DVD products." → Read More
Call me a flip-flopper all you want, but me thinks HD DVD might kick Blu-ray to the curb. That being said, allow me to preface this by saying that the so-called format war is lame and it will undoubtedly drag on for at least another year. The average consumer isn’t going to pony up a few Gs on a home theater system. I think that’s a pretty fair assessment of the situation. HD DVD is cheaper… → Read More
The Blu-ray camp was obviously not going to sit idle while the HD DVD side was given a boost yesterday from Paramount and Dreamworks. Fox and MGM have announced their comebacks into the HD realm with 29 titles for Sony’s HD format. Blu-ray also has new features that are sure to kick major ass. Among the BD industry ‘firsts’ from the Studios’ upcoming global release slate are picture in… → Read More
Did I say something about HD DVD being dead this Fall? Bloops. Paramount and Dreamworks have announced they’ve joined the HD DVD camp and that means you’ll see Shrek 3 along with any other film from Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films. Dude! Ali Larter in her whipped cream bikini in HD DVD! That’s awesome. Blu-ray can have… → Read More
Many have said that the porn industry could be the deciding factor yet again in the format wars and this seems to ring true. While the US porn industry has adopted HD DVD with open arms, the Japanese porn industry is canoodling with Blu-ray and it’s about to get sticky. Sony may go on record and denounce pornography altogether, but they’ve found a loophole so as not to piss off any major… → Read More
Microsoft today announced that it would be cutting the price of its HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360. With Blu-ray gaining momentum and leading the next-gen format war, the move is Microsoft’s push to get more people into HD DVD. Instead of $199, you’ll now only pay $179 and you get five free HD DVDs to boot. Better hurry though, ’cause this deal is only good from August 1st to… → Read More
Sharp has announced their first Blu-ray player, BD-HP20S, and the specs are quite tantalizing to say the least. The biggest conundrum for consumers is the amount of time it takes for discs to begin playing, right? Sharp has apparently heard all the moaning and done something about it. The ‘Quick Start’ feature claims to start the disc in a matter of seconds, but I’ll see it when I believe… → Read More
Toshiba is certainly making big moves to ensure that the next-gen DVD war is far from over. I’ve been curious about the built-in internet connections on HD DVD players and now the answer is so clear. Freedom- a Japanese animated feature – was released early last week and a few hidden gems allowed consumers to download a HD trailer for another movie, alter menu styles and download… → Read More
It’s become perfectly clear how Blu-ray will squash HD DVD and win the ‘war.’ They’re going to be giving away five free movies as a promotion in Q3 when you purchase a Blu-ray player or PS3. I don’t think HD DVD can afford to let this one slide (though they ran a similar promotion a while back). They’ve got 60-90 days to turn things around or they’ll be closing up shop. Toshiba may… → Read More
I had an interesting and very informative conversation with Ken Lowe of Sigma Designs and what he had to say about the next-gen DVD format war blew me away. But first, a little bit about Sigma Designs and why this man’s opinion should matter to those of you on the fence. Sigma Designs’ media processors work with both standards and currently power six of the nine Blu-ray players available on… → Read More
Aw, snap! Looks like Blu-ray is beginning to honestly win the format war. With Toshiba sucking and Sony grinning, it’s only a matter of time before the format takes over as the next-generation optical format. Now Blockbuster is choosing sides and the company seems to favor Blu-ray over HD DVD. Blockbuster just announced it would begin carrying more high-def discs in 1700 stores by mid-July. → Read More
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