For the last week or so, its been rumored that Sony would be lowering the price of the 60GB Playstation 3 by $100. Earlier today, Sony confirmed the rumor, stating that the 60GB model will now be priced at $499. To fill the $599 price point, the company will be releasing a new version of the console that includes an 80GB hard drive and a copy of the game MotorStorm.
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Inc. today announced a new 80GB model of its PLAYSTATION3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system. Beginning in August, the new PS3 model will be available in North America for a suggested retail price of $599/$659 CND and will be sold with the popular online-enabled racing game MotorStorm(TM). In conjunction with this news, the company also announced that effective immediately, the current 60GB PS3 model will be available in North America for $499/$549 CND, or $100 below the original launch price.

By featuring an expanded hard disk drive (HDD), the new 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the online gaming and entertainment enthusiast, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content from PLAYSTATIONNetwork. There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PLAYSTATIONStore, with expanded entertainment content coming soon. The new model features the million-selling game MotorStorm in the box, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time, hitting the dirt in this visually-arresting, fast-paced racing title.
If the $100 price cut isn't enough, remember that you can also get five free Blu-ray movies by mail. Full details on Sony's price cut and the 80GB PS3 can be found here. Add a comment
Plextor LLC sent out a press release this morning, announcing their new external "Super Multi" drive, the PX-810UF. Along with support for both FireWire and USB 2.0, the PX-810UF features 18x DVD±R, 10x DVD±R DL and 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds.

Plextor LLC, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media equipment, today announced the immediate availability of the PX-810UF DVD Super Multi Drive. This external drive combines the 18X DVD+/-R and 12X DVD-RAM performance of Plextor's PX-810 Series drives with the convenience and portability of USB and FireWire interfaces.

The PX-810UF features a dual interface with Hi-Speed USB and IEEE 1394 (FireWire), enabling users in a small office or professional studio to share a single external high-performance DVD/CD burner among multiple Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows-based PCs. Burst data transfer rates of 480 Mbps (USB 2.0) or 400 Mbps (FireWire) allow a user to burn a 4.7 GB DVD+R disc in approximately six minutes.
The PX-810UF is scheduled to ship later this month for a suggested retail price of $139.00. More information can be found here. Add a comment
Primera has announced that they've started shipping their new Bravo XRn Network Disc Publisher. This enterprise-level disc publisher lets users burn and print CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs quickly and easily from their networked computers.

Primera Technology, Inc., the world's leading developer and manufacturer of CD, DVD and BD duplication and printing equipment, today announced its Bravo XRn Network Disc Publisher is now shipping.

Powered by an internal Windows XP Embedded computer, the Bravo XRn Network Disc Publisher gives everyone in the office the ability to produce their own professional-quality CDs, DVDs and BDs. Jobs can be sent from an unlimited number of networked users. The included Windows XP/2000 and Vista(TM) client software is based upon Primera's PTPublisher(TM) disc publishing software. PTPublisher utilizes a robust disc burning engine from industry-leader Sonic Solutions, Inc.
The CD/DVD and CD/DVD/BD versions of the Bravo XRn Network Disc Publisher are priced at $6995 and $8995 respectively. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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While companies like Blockbuster have thrown their weight behind Blu-ray, Video Business has reported that most major retailers are still supporting both high-def formats. With more and more people buying Blu-ray and HD DVD players, retailers have also started to devote more floor space to high-def titles and promote them in their weekly circulars.
Retailers are going mainstream with their marketing and merchandising efforts for high-definition discs as the number of titles released across the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats approaches 1,000.

Amazon.com, Best Buy, Trans World, Virgin Megastores and others are promoting both formats, unwilling to potentially snub a portion of their early adopter consumers.

“Our feeling is that we should continue to supply both until the customers tell us that we shouldn’t,” said Jim Litwak, president and chief operating officer at Trans World. “Blu-ray is outperforming HD DVD in stores, but the customer is still telling us they want HD DVD.”
While most retailers are deciding to support both high-def formats, I wouldn't be surprised if some eventually decided to sell only Blu-ray titles, at least in their stores. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
A few weeks ago, we reported that Verbatim had agreed to acquire SmartDisk's external hard disk drive and digital imaging business. According to a press release sent out this morning, the acquisition was completed on June 30th and includes SmartDisk's physical assets, patents, trademarks, technology, engineering and marketing expertise.
Verbatim Corporation and its parent company Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM), announced today the purchase of substantially all of the assets of SmartDisk Corporation’s external hard drive (HD) and digital imaging business. The acquisition, which includes physical assets, patents, trademarks, technology, engineering and marketing expertise, was effective on June 30, 2007. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

The Verbatim brand is recognized worldwide for delivering data storage solutions with the latest technologies, the highest quality, and features that add value for the consumer. The company’s role as an innovator is especially apparent in the magnetic and optical storage markets where it has been known as a pioneer for more than 30 years. Verbatim is also enjoying an increasing presence in the global portable storage market. As part of its corporate strategy to capitalize on this trend and complement its existing portable storage product line, the company purchased SmartDisk’s hard drive and imaging assets. NPD reported that SmartDisk had a 16 percent market share in the US retail portable drive market in 2006.
If you'd like to read more, Verbatim's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Nero released a new version of Nero 7 this morning. There is no change log yet. However, this new update brings the version count up to 7.10.1.0. If you'd like to check it out, the update can be downloaded here. As usual, feel free to share your experiences in our forum. Add a comment
Toshiba announced this morning that they've filed a lawsuit against the German DVD maker, EDD Bizz GmbH. According to Toshiba's press release, EDD is infringing on their patents by manufacturing DVD's without a licensing agreement.
Toshiba Corporation announced today that the Company filed a lawsuit in Germany against a German disc replicator of DVD discs on July 4, 2007. The suit was brought to the Düsseldorf Regional Court against EDD Bizz GmbH (EDD) and its managing director, Mr. Denny Holwerda, as a means to halt infringement of some of Toshiba's DVD patents. Toshiba seeks injunctive relief and declaration that EDD is liable for damages resulting from its infringement of Toshiba's DVD patents.

Toshiba licenses patents essential for meeting DVD format specifications. EDD has not entered into license agreements with Toshiba or the DVD6C Licensing Group, and has engaged in the manufacture and sales of DVD video discs in Germany without permission. EDD's infringement of Toshiba's patents has damaged Toshiba's DVD-related business, and also caused damage to the legitimate and licensed DVD product manufacturing and distribution business as a whole. In filing the lawsuit, Toshiba prepares to recover monetary damages, and secure agreement from EDD to respect Toshiba's intellectual property rights in future.
Toshiba isn't messing around when it comes to their patents. In April alone, they sued 17 companies over patent infringements. If you'd like to read more, Toshiba's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
LG announced this morning that they've filed a lawsuit against Quanta Computer. According to their press release, Quanta has infringed on four patents related to DVD standard.
LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, filed a lawsuit against Taiwanese computer maker Quanta Computers (Quanta), for infringement of patents related to LG’s DVD technology. LG is seeking an injunction for Quanta’s use of this technology as well as monetary compensation in the suit that was filed in U.S. District Court, the Western District of Wisconsin on July 3, 2007.

LG’s claims include infringement of four patents related to DVD standard. Quanta has been using these patents without LG’s permission to produce notebook computers that were supplied to U.S. computer companies.
Sadly, this isn't the first time LG has sued Quanta over a patent. The company filed a suit against Quanta in 2000 and it has been tied up in the courts ever since. If you'd like to read more, LG's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Panasonic announced today that they will be introducing the world's first 4x Write-Once Blu-ray Discs. Available in 25GB and 50GB capacities, these new discs offer extremely low error rates and a wide power margin enabling writing speeds from 1x to 4x.

Panasonic, the leadingbrand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, announcedtoday that the company will globally introduce Write-Once Blu-ray Discs(BD-R) with 4x writing speed.

The new discs will be available in both 25GB and 50GB, which will beintroduced in the market this July and September respectively.

In conjunction with the launch of 4x BD drives, the new discs have thecapability of 4x speed writing and reading, allowing users to handle largeamount of data or High Definition content with greater convenience.Panasonic is the first company to announce the market introduction of 4xBD-R Discs.
While details are still a bit sketchy, Panasonic is also developing a new Blu-ray Disc drive capable of writing to BD-R and BD-R DL media at 4x. According to their press release, this unnamed drive can write an entire 25GB BD-R disc in as little as 23 minutes. Add a comment