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HDMI Licensing, LLC, theagent responsible for licensing the High-Definition MultimediaInterface(TM) (HDMI(TM)) specification, today announced the rapidpenetration of HDMI into the PC market with more than 50 HDMI PC productscurrently available, including nearly two dozen desktop and notebook PCs,families of HDMI PC monitors from major manufacturers and a broad range ofmotherboards and graphics cards with HDMI outputs.If you'd like to read more, HDMI Licensing, LLC's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
HDMI is the de facto standard digital interface for HDTVs and high-definition (HD) consumer electronics products. HDMI is also currently theleading interface for PCs intended for HD content usage, includingconnection to HDTVs and HD video camcorders.
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Sony has announced that the first 500,000 consumers to register their PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network after the console's European launch will receive a free copy of James Bond film Casino Royale on Blu-ray.As much as I like Will Ferrell, I'd take Bond over Talladega Nights any day. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Sony's Darren Carter, VP of brand and consumer marketing, described it as a "phenomenal incentive" for consumers to sign up to the console's online service, which allows for free online gaming as well as downloadable content through the PS3 Store.
"Casino Royale not only makes the most of the features and capabilities of the Blu-ray format, but is one of the most exciting and entertaining movies to debut on Blu-ray this year," Carter added.
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My confidential industry source revealed that one large replication company is currently charging approximately $1.15 per single layer HD DVD (15GB) and $1.30 per single layer Blu-ray Disc (25GB), assuming a quantity of 25,000. For comparison purposes, a run of 25,000 Dual Layer DVD (DVD9) discs would cost about $0.50 per disc at this same facility. DL HD DVD (30GB) was right inline with SL Blu-ray (25GB) pricing, but an exact figure was not provided. This translates to a cost of approximately $0.077 per GB on HD DVD SL media and $0.052 per GB on Blu-ray SL media.As Wes is quick to point out, these prices don't include setup or AACS fees. This and the cost to author a title, can have a big effect on the overall price. In an case, its an interesting read. if you'd like to check it out, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
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As Cyberlink's support forums show, however, not everybody's been rewarded for their patience (and hundred bucks), with a number of reports cropping up of playback problems with both high-def formats on systems that Cyberlink's own system adviser says meet the necessary requirements. The main problem appears to occur with those using an HDMI or DVI-to-HDMI connection between their video card and display device, with the video reportedly only playing for a few seconds before throwing up an "Error 0103" message stating that the player couldn't be initialized. While there's reports of the problem dating back to shortly after the software's release in late December, there's so far been no fix for the issue and no word from Cyberlink on when one might be coming.While I've run into my share of problems with PowerDVD BD and Ultra, my experiences aren't nearly as bad as some of the ones on CyberLink's forum. If you'd like to read more, head on over to Engadget. Add a comment
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The OptiFix Pro is available now for a suggested retail price of $29.99. More information can be found on Memorex's website. Add a comment
When a CD skips or a DVD freezes, the Memorex OptiFix Pro is the best solution on the market for salvaging a disc full of music, photos and memories . With a sleek new design, the automated OptiFix Pro safely and effectively cleans dust, dirt, oil and fingerprints, and repairs scratches on your discs in less than three minutes! It's a quick fix for CDs and DVDs, as well as XBOX, Gamecube and Playstation games. The system comes with an AC adapter, so no batteries are required; and a practical, user-friendly design makes for an easy out-of-the-box experience. Just plug-in, repair, and clean.
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Thermaltake Ruby Orb CPU Cooler @ThinkComputers.org
Plantronics Voyager 510 USB Bluetooth Headset @Futurelooks
XClio Stable Power 460 Watt Power Supply @Tweaknews.net
Buffalo FireStix PC2-8000 5-5-5 @Overclockers Online
Logitech diNovo Edge Bluetooth Keyboard @The TechZone
Corsair XMS2 Dominator PC2-10000 @TweakTown
SuperTalent 2GB MEGA Screen Review @BCCHardware
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To deliver extreme protection for critical business and personal data, Imation improved the security of the Pivot Flash Drive by upgrading to 256-bit AES Encryption. The added security of the new Pivot Flash Drive makes it the ideal solution for today's mobile business professional. With its innovative jackknife design, tough rubberized casing, password protection and up to 4GB of capacity, the compact drive protects important files and applications on the go. Current Pivot Flash Drive users can upgrade from 128- to 256-bit encryption by registering online at http://www.imation.com/flash.The Imation Pivot Flash Drives with 256-Bit AES Encryption and Clip Flash Drive 4GB are available now. The Pivot Flash Drive has a suggested retail price of $19.99 to $119.99, depending on capacity, while the Clip Flash Drive 4GB has a suggested retail price of $99.99. More information on both can be found on Imation's website. Add a comment
For those seeking a sportier flash drive, the Imation Clip Flash Drive is now available with up to 4GB of capacity. Featuring the smallest of USB flash drives safely encased in a durable, rubberized shell, the Clip Flash Drive 4GB can store more than 8,000 digital photos, 1,200 songs in MP3 format, or tens of thousands of text files. A genuine carabiner clip lets you attach the drive quickly and easily to laptop bags, shoulder bags or belt loops. The Clip Flash Drive also is available with 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB of capacity.
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The writers set new performance benchmarks by writing at 18X speed to write once DVD media (DVD-R and +R) and 10X speed to write once Dual Layer / Double Layer (DL) media (DVD-R DL and +R DL).According to Pioneer's press release, prices are expected to start at about €40. I should also point out that the DVR-112D is available in the US. However, it is being sold as the DVR-1810. Add a comment
The writers will be available on an OEM basis in PCs from February 2007 and can also be purchased from our distribution network.
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Royal Philips Electronics (AEX:PHI; NYSE:PHG) announced today that in a patent infringement case between Philips Electronics and CD-Recordable and CD-Re-writable disc manufacturers including Princo and Gigastorage, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled positively in granting a general exclusion order prohibiting the unlicensed importation into the United States of recordable and rewritable compact discs that infringe any of the six patents asserted by Philips. Philips welcomes this positive step in its continuous effort to stop the import of illegal CD-R/RW discs into the US, which creates unfair competition in the recordable disc market.Needless to say, it's good to see this court case finally come to an end. If you'd like to read more, Phillips' entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Philips filed this case with the ITC in 2002 seeking to prevent unlicensed CD-R and CD-RW discs from entering the United States. The ITC had found in March 2004 that six Philips patents were valid and infringed by the manufacturers, but also determined that the patents were unenforceable because of patent misuse. After Philips appealed the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) held that the ITC's legal analysis was incorrect and remanded the case to the ITC for further proceedings consistent with its opinion.
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Apricorn, (www.apricorn.com) the leader in personal storage, today released its latest product, the EZ Writer DVD LS, an ultra portable optical drive featuring LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling and Dual Layer recording. Weighing just 12 ounces, the EZ Writer DVD LS optical drive offers a sleek, all-inclusive and portable solution for burning, playing and labeling your own DVDs and CDs.The EZ Writer DVD LS is available now for a suggested retail price of $139. More information can be found here. Add a comment
The EZ Writer's new dual layer recording engine enables the user to record up to 8.5GB of data per DVD, virtually doubling data storage capacity on a DVD recordable disc from the single layer recording capacity of 4.7 GBs. This enables users to record four hours of DVD quality video, 16 hours of VHS quality video or up to 8.5GB of files, perfect for storing data, music, movies and MP3s.
