Details

• Print

Software

12 January 2007

CyberLink has announced the launch of PowerCinema 5. With this Vista-ready software, users can watch digital TV, view photos and videos or even check the weather and news, all from their PC.

"CyberLink PowerCinema lets users turn their PC into a multi-functional media center that combines the best features of today's must-have consumer devices," said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink Corp. "Users can enjoy premium TV and DVD content as well as work with their personal media files, while plug-in options expand functionality according to their interests."

PowerCinema's stylish 3D interface and support for remote control operation allow the easy navigation of features, including recording and playing TV programs, watching DVDs and video files, synchronizing music files with portable music players, editing photos, and playing picture slideshows, among many other digital media activities.

PowerCinema 5 is available now for $99. More information is available on CyberLink's website. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Optical Storage

11 January 2007

Hitachi demonstrated the playback of a four layer Blu-ray Disc at CES this week. The Japanese website, Tech-On!, has reported that the drive used in the demonstration was based on the GBW-H10N. Only minor changes to the drive's firmware and optical system were needed to get it to read the four layer discs.

At the 2007 International CES, Hitachi, Ltd. has demonstrated playback of a Blu-ray Disc (BD) with four recording layers at its booth. Featuring 25 GB capacity per layer, a disc can record up to 100 GB data.


There have been other academic reports of creating four- or six-layer disc media and demonstration of picking up signals from those discs using test players embedded with a special optical head, but, according to Hitachi, "This is the first demonstration of quadruple disc readout using a player based on an optical head generally used in current BD drives on the market."

An optical disc drive based on the "GBW-H10N" supporting 4x speed BD recording, which Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. announced in July 2006, was used for the demonstration. The four-layer disc used in the demonstration was an outside company's product, but a Hitachi spokesperson said, "We cannot tell the name of its supplier."

While four layer discs are still in the developmental stage, this is definitely a good sign. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Home Entertainment

11 January 2007

If you want to watch porn in high-def, you probably don't want to buy a Blu-ray player. According to report by heise online, Sony will not allow pornographic films to be released on Blu-ray.

This is a U-turn for Joone, who at last year's AVN event had declared his support for the Blu-ray Disc format. Asked about his change of attitude by heise online the director responded: "Sony wants me to publish my films on HD DVD." He then went on to explain that he had in fact wanted to publish his movies on Blu-ray Disc, but that all Blu-ray Disc copying facilities in the United States had refused to cooperate. The companies had unanimously declared that Sony had threatened to withdraw their Blu-ray licenses should they stoop to making HD copies of pornographic films, Joone said. Even though he would have liked to supply with his movies the predominantly male group of Playstation 3 players he had been forced by events, he declared, to switch to HD DVD. The game console has the ability to play Blu-ray Discs built into it. The director said he was puzzled by Sony's attitude, which, he noted, had also turned out to be counterproductive in the case of Betamax.

This is definitely a blow to Blu-ray, as the adult film industry can make or break a new format. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Software

10 January 2007

NTI has announced a new version of their USB storage partitioning and encryption software, NTI Ninja. This new version runs off the USB device, giving users the ability to access their secured data from any PC.

NewTech Infosystems, Inc. (NTI), announced today a new version of NTI Ninja, the preferred data security solution for users and manufacturers of USB Flash and other external USB drives. In addition to the user-adjustable partitioning, anti-tamper encryption and password protection that have made NTI Ninja so popular, the new version has been enhanced with a new level of convenience. Users can now access the secured data stored on their private partition from any PC, anywhere - there is no need to pre-install Ninja on the PC to access the users' private data.

"Flash drives are ideal for the growing number of business people, students, and consumers who want to keep their digital data with them wherever they go," said Bill Yao, NTI president and CEO. "In addition to being able to store, protect, and share the information on these devices, users also want convenient access, and that is what NTI Ninja delivers. Users can now access the private data stored on their Ninja-protected USB device from any PC without having to pre-load the Ninja software on the PC."

I downloaded NTI Ninja back in September when NTI was giving it away for free. While it has come in handy, I've had to install it on all of my PC's. Needless to say, I'll be upgrading to this new version. If you'd like to read more, NTI's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Home Entertainment

10 January 2007

Warner Bros. unveiled their new Total Hi Def disc at CES this week. Developed to eliminate consumer confusion, Total Hi Def puts both HD DVD and Blu-ray content onto a single disc.

Warner Home Video (WHV), distributor of the largest film library of any studio, today unveiled its groundbreaking "Total Hi Def" disc, which plays the HD DVD format on one side and the Blu-ray Disc format on the other, at a presentation hosted by Warner Bros. Entertainment Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"Warner Bros. has a history of embracing and promoting new technologies, from producing the first sound movies to being early pioneers in 1950s television to the creation and proliferation of DVDs," Meyer said. "We understand the benefits to our business--and to consumers--that technology affords us."

While consumers rave about the quality of high definition when they see it, a confusing format dilemma will result in slower consumer adoption of HD technology. Until now, consumers have been forced to choose one high-definition format--not knowing if their favorite titles would be produced in their specific format or how long that specific format would survive.

While Total Hi Def won't be available until the second half of 2007, its already gaining support from retailers like Best Buy, Circuit City and Amazon. If you'd like to read more, Warner Bros' entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Hard Disks

09 January 2007

Verbatim has announced the launch of their new 12GB Store ‘n' Go USB drive. Based on 1" hard drive technology, this business card-sized drive comes preloaded with Mobile Launchpad for easy access to downloaded applications as well as stored files and folders.

Verbatim Corporation unveiled today its newest Store ‘n' Go? USB Drive based on 1" hard drive technology with up to 12GB of storage in a unit slightly larger than a standard USB flash drive. Designed to enable users to carry volumes of data, video and audio in a single portable unit; the new 12GB Store ‘n' Go USB will have a projected street price of $179. Verbatim will show the ultra-slim device for the first time this week at its CES Booth in the South Hall, #4/36249.

The new Store ‘n' Go Drive makes it convenient for users to keep vital information such as emails, photos, personal calendars, presentations and video files available at all times. The sleek USB storage device comes pre-loaded with Mobile Launchpad, a utility for downloading applications that can be run directly from the Verbatim USB Drive. Mobile Launchpad also allows users to have complete access to personal files and data without loading the content on a guest system. For quick and immediate access, the drives can also be used in the familiar drag 'n' drop mode.

Verbatim's new 12GB Store ‘n' Go USB drives will be available later this month and are expected to run about $179. More information can be found on Verbatim's website. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Other

09 January 2007

Sonopress, one of the world's leading disc replicators, has chosen a side in the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD. In a press release sent out earlier today, the company announced that they will be joining the HD DVD Promotion Group.

Sonopress, a subsidiary of the arvato storage media group, has joined the HD DVD Promotion Group. With this step the international media manufacturer continues its efforts in research, development and the production of next generation formats.

Sven Deutschmann, CEO of Western Europe at Sonopress, says he is looking forward to working together with the HD DVD Promotion Group: "We will be able to contribute valuable expertise in technology. In close cooperation with the other members of the HD DVD Promotion Group from all segments of the industry, we will develop marketing strategies for the HD DVD format and establish it on the market."

If you'd like to read more, Sonopress' entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Software

09 January 2007

Sonic has launched a new DVD authoring system called Scenarist Publisher. Developed with authoring studios in mind, Scenarist Publisher automates the authoring workflow, reducing both production times and costs.

Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today launched Scenarist Publisher, a revolutionary DVD authoring system for the creation of full-featured DVD-Video titles from a simple, yet powerful, wizard-driven interface. Built upon Sonic's world-standard Scenarist authoring engine, Scenarist Publisher automates the authoring workflow, allowing multiple titles with different content to be generated from a single Scenarist DVD project with virtually no additional authoring. By leveraging authoring time across multiple titles, Scenarist Publisher drastically reduces QC requirements while vastly increasing productivity, giving authoring facilities the option to redeploy their skilled authors to work on new high-definition titles. Scenarist Publisher is also the platform upon which Sonic is building an efficient and cost-effective system for Hollywood studios and other content owners to quickly prepare premium catalog video entertainment for on-demand electronic distribution.

Scenarist Publisher is available now, and is being demonstrated at CES. More information is available on Sonic's website. Add a comment

Details

• Print

Software

09 January 2007

Corel has announced that InterVideo WinDVD BD now supports the full range of Blu-ray formats, including BD-RE 3.0 and BD-R 2.0. The software will also be showcased this week at Corel's CES booth.

Corel Corporation (NASDAQ:CREL - News; TSX:CRE - News), a leading provider of digital media software, today announced that InterVideo WinDVD BD software now supports playback of rewriteable Blu-ray Discs, BD-RE 3.0 (BDMV format on BD-RE) as well as BD-R 2.0 (BDMV format on BD-R) and BD-ROM discs. Corel's next-generation Blu-ray (BD) playback solution will be showcased this week at Corel's CES Booth, South Hall - 4/35377. Visitors to the booth will learn first-hand how WinDVD BD can be combined with notebooks, barebone systems and TV tuners to maximize the high-definition experience.

The press release also mentions that WinDVD BD is being bundled with Plextor's new Blu-ray Disc writer, the PX-B900A. Of course, we wouldn't know this as Plextor has not sent us one yet (hint hint). If you'd like to read more, Corel's entire announcement can be found here. Add a comment