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Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is taking a step forward in addressing consumer confusion about high-definition formats. Beginning in early March, the leading consumer electronics retailer will prominently showcase Blu-ray hardware and software products in its Best Buy retail and online channels in the United States.Things definitely aren't looking good for HD DVD. Without big retailers like Best Buy behind them, its going to be very hard for the format to regain its market share. If you'd like to read more, Best Buy's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
“Consumers have told us that they want us to help lead the way. We’ve listened to our customers, and we are responding. Best Buy will recommend Blu-ray as the preferred format,” said Brian Dunn, Best Buy’s president and chief operating officer. “Our decision to shine a spotlight on Blu-ray Disc players and other Blu-ray products is a strong signal to our customers that we believe Blu-ray is the right format choice for them.”
Dunn continued, “Best Buy has always believed that the customer will benefit from a widely-accepted single format that would offer advantages such as product compatibility and expanded content choices. Because we believe that Blu-ray is fast emerging as that single format, we have decided to focus on Blu-ray products.”
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ASUS Maximus Formula Intel X38 Motherboard @ThinkComputers.org
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Cooler Master Hyper 212 CPU Cooler @TweakTown
Kingston SD2/8GB SDHC Card @ASE Labs
Lian Li Armorsuit PC-P60 @Hardware Zone
Moneual Labs M775 Mid Tower Professional Series Case @Bigbruin.com
OCZ Rally 2 Turbo 4GB Flash Drive @I4U
Scythe Ninja And Ninja Mini CPU Coolers @TechwareLabs
Thermaltake DuOrb VGA Cooler @Virtual-Hideout
Thermalright IFX-14 CPU Cooler @Madshrimps
XFX 8800 GT 256MB XXX Alpha Dog Edition @HotHardware.com
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Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced that PLDS (Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions Corp.) has signed a Qflix technology and IP licensing agreement. PLDS is integrating Qflix technology into a range of optical disc drives planned for release this year that will enable downloaded movies and video programs to be recorded to DVD with Content Scramble System (CSS) encryption. As the industry-approved content protection mechanism used on mass-produced discs, CSS has been deemed essential by many major content providers for the electronic sell through of premium entertainment. The Qflix drives by PLDS are available for duplication system vendors providing custom DVD manufacturing services to Internet retailers, as well as PC manufacturers developing consumer desktops and notebooks.With big names like PLDS and Pioneer supporting Qflix, it only be a matter of time before other drive manufacturers get on board. If you'd like to read more, Sonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
"We are extremely pleased to partner with Sonic Solutions to create a new entertainment distribution model that will offer consumers a convenient and reliable way to purchase and enjoy premium content in the home," said Charlie Tseng, General Manager of PLDS’ Optical Disc Drive Business Unit. "By participating in the Qflix technology and IP licensing program, we are able to add an exciting new capability to our comprehensive range of drives and provide our premier system manufacturers with the opportunity to differentiate their solutions."
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Chimicles & Tikellis LLP, along with its co-counsel, filed a class action complaint in the District Court for the District of New Jersey against Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (“Samsung”) on behalf of consumers who purchased allegedly defective Blu-Ray DVD players. DVD players that play disks in Blu-Ray format, which refers to the high-density storage of digital information, are high-end appliances that, when working properly, are supposed to provide more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs, according to the complaint. The complaint alleges that as a result of a design or manufacturing defect, certain Blu-Ray DVD players made and sold by Samsung will not play numerous Blu-Ray disc titles. Samsung sold its Blu-Ray DVD players without disclosing this material defect, and has failed to issue firmware updates or promptly take corrective action to repair or replace the allegedly defective Blu-Ray disc players, according to the complaint.The complaint seeks monetary damages ($5 million) and other relief, including a court order forcing Samsung to repair and/or replace its allegedly defective Blu-Ray DVD players. If you'd like to read more, the entire class action complaint can be found here. Add a comment
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With the industry now having picked a winner in the face-off between the two competing high- definition DVD formats, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world's largest online movie rental service, today said that it will move toward stocking high-def DVDs exclusively in the Blu-ray format.Netflix will not be dropping HD DVD immediately. While the company won't be purchasing any new HD DVD titles, it will continue to offer its current inventory until the discs' natural life cycle takes them out of circulation. If you'd like to read more, Netflix's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Citing the decision by four of the six major movie studios to publish high-def DVD titles only in the Sony-developed Blu-ray format, Netflix said that as of now it will purchase only Blu-ray discs and will phase out by roughly year's end the alternative high-def format, HD DVD, developed by Toshiba.
Since the first high-definition DVDs came on the market in early 2006, Netflix has stocked both formats. But the company said that in recent months the industry has stated its clear preference for Blu-ray and that it now makes sense for the company to initiate the transition to a single format.
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- Added: Support for multi-session/track CD reading/burning (*using a CUE file - this includes Audio CD's from anything DirectShow/ACM can handle - AAC/APE/FLAC/MP3/MPC/OGG/PCM/WAV/WMA etc).
- Added: 'Ez-Mode Picker' screen with big buttons for newbies to help them decide on which mode to use (and people who want the program to load up in a 'neutral' mode where no discs get initialised - bit faster).
- Added: Support for additional UDF revisions in Build mode. It now supports 1.02, 1.50, 2.00, 2.01, 2.50 and 2.60.
- Added: Ability to use 'Language Files' to have the GUI in your own native language.
- Added: New 'Create CD CUE File...' option to the Tools menu (and a button to the Write mode and Write Queue windows for easy access). Here you can build your own custom layout CUE file (for burning in Write mode). ID3/APE/OGG tags within Audio files can be used as a basis for CD-TEXT.
- Added: Support for building images that only (officially) use UDF but are bootable. A fake ISO9660 filesystem is added with a dummy 'README.TXT' file in the Root saying the disc uses UDF.
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Asus Eee PC 701 4G @ChileHardware andInsideHW.com
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NZXT Cryo LX Aluminum Notebook Cooler @Benchmark Reviews
OCZ Vendetta CPU Cooler @HardwareLogic.com
Palit GeForce 8600 GT Super+1GB Video Card @ThinkComputers.org
Powercolor Radeon HD3850 @TweakPC
Sunbeamtech Tuniq 3 Mid Tower ATX Case @Bigbruin.com
Zalman ZM-RS6F USB Surround Sound Headphones @ThinkComputers.org
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The PX-B920SA and PX-B300SA appear to be based on LG's latest Super Multi Blue drives, the GGW-H20L and GGC-H20L. No word on price yet. However, both drives are expected to be available by the end of February. More information, including a full list of specs, can be found here and here. Add a comment
Plextor, a leading supplier of optical and storage devices, announces a new 4x Blu-ray DVD ReWriter drive using the SATA interface - the PX-B920SA. Building on the success of its previous version, the internal dual-format drive is capable of writing Blu-ray discs at 4x (BD-R) and also plays HD-DVD ROM discs.
In addition, Plextor has added extra convenience by including LightScribe technology to enable custom text and designs to be printed/burned onto discs.
Rudy de Meirsman, Sales & Marketing Manager of Plextor Europe, says: “Plextor has developed its second Blu-ray drive to be faster, dual-format, as it reads HD-DVD discs, and utilises the SATA interface. Plextor has a long history in providing premium, high reliability optical drives and the new PX-B920SA sets the standard again.”
