BLU STATE   

In this recession, I get that retailers and manufacturers are hurting. But really, someone needs to come up with more compelling promotions to sell these Blu-ray players.
You hear time and time again, that Blu-ray set-top momentum is the key to mainstream high-def format adoption. PS3 owners rarely buy Blu-ray movies/TV discs, but the set-top owner can be counted on to pick up Blu-ray titles in bulk.
So...Panasonic and Best Buy, you guys need to figure out something better than your current 'Get a free Blu-ray title, when you purchase this $599 Blu-ray home theater system.' This deal is advertised in Best Buy's current circular encompassing the July 4 holiday. At least offer up a handful of Blu-ray titles, because to me, just the one freebie seems really stingy. If people are considering going to a higher-end $599 player, ...Read More

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Shots are being fired against a Harris Interactive poll suggesting the more people currently own HD DVD players than Blu-ray players. I took a look at the survey last week, raised my eyebrows, but then determined it wasn't saying all that much. 
Engadget agreed, particularly noting that Harris misleadingly breaks out Playstation 3 and Blu-ray players separately, essentially handing each a weaker score than had they bundled the high-definition hardware types together. 
Basically, Harris reports that 11% of those surveyed owned a HD DVD player in 2009. That compares to 9% who have a PS3 and 7% with a Blu-ray set-top. Making matters worse, Harris shows that more people owned HD DVD players in 2009 than 2008, following Blu-ray winning the format war....Read More

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The $399 Playstation 3 is forever being rumored to drop in price. Most usually a slashing of $100. But the pressure has been turned up for Sony to actually go through with it, due to threats from Activision. 
The video game publisher's CEO Bobby Kotick recently warned Sony chief Howard Stringer that if PS3 doesn't cut its price Activision will consider stopping its title flow to the console. Activision's thinking is that a high-priced PS3 cuts its consumer base, and consequently limits sales of its game titles.
This news comes courtesy of a Times Online report, via PaidContent.org.
Kotick said, "...Read More

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Well, there was a $99 Blu-ray player at regional mass merchant Meijer. It just didn't last at the store for long. Thanks to Blu-ray.com for reporting today on the deal, which features a set-top from somewhat obscure brand Curtis Mathes.
But by the time I got down to writing up a blog post, Meijer was reporting that it was sold out on the units. The Curtis Mathes CMMBX130, relatively stripped down with no BD Live capabilities, originally launched in December 2008 with a suggested price of $249.
In a quick scan of othere retailers, it looks like the CMMBX130 is pretty cheap everywhere, but just not $99 cheap. Am...Read More

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Amazon.com is hyping a TV Blu-ray and DVD sale, with high-definition titles as low as $17.99. The sale does seem limited to such Lionsgate titles as Weeds and Mad Men, but who cares? 
I'll take below $20 for a TV season on Blu-ray. Normally, you have to pay at least twice that and sometimes more. Take, for instance, this week's season one and season two releases of Lost on Blu-ray. Each are now retailing for $48.99 on Amazon.com. 
The sales represent good promotional timing. Weeds' latest season just bowed on Showtime. Mad Men will launch its third season in August.

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Over the past few days, I've noticed a Wal-Mart TV ad jointly promoting Sony, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players. There is nothing too flashy about it, but it does fits with Wal-Mart's wholesome family togetherness branding.
The spot simply features a family gathering for Blu-ray entertainment, and then intercuts with shots of the three Blu-ray players. 
Part of me doubts that the spot is very impactful, because it sort of sleepily suggests buying a Blu-ray player - rather than dazzle you into a purchase. 
But then I'm thinking the Blu-ray industry should be happy that anybody is bothering to advertise the format at all on TV this year. Major Blu-ray promotion, outside chain circulars, has been pretty weak. I haven't seen much of anything on TV this year apart from these Wal-Mart Blu-ray ads. And even if it's boring, t...Read More

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Special for Father's Day, Wal-Mart will be selling its Magnavox Blu-ray player for $128, starting June 14. That's the chain's same clearance tag for the product during last year's Black Friday.
Wal-Mart is hoping Dad can put the Blu-ray player and some other related sale-priced products into what the chain somewhat creepily calls his 'Man Cave.' I take it this is just a cool word for 'living room.'
There are also 2 for $20 Blu-ray title bundles, featuring such discs as The Italian Job, The Shooter, Face Off and Next. Dad can also buy a $399 Playstation 3 that comes with free copies of Quantum of Solace on Blu-ray and game MLB '09: The Show.
...Read More

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It looks like Criterion Collection has tallied up the votes for its next Blu-ray release, and people have chose Howards End. 
Thanks to Blu-ray.com for catching the Howards End pre-order post on Amazon.com. The site is selling the title for $29.99, reasonable for a Criterion effort. A street date hasn't yet been specified.
A while ago, I wrote about Amazon.com hosting the Criterion Collection vote, suggesting other studios would be wise to try something similar. Studios need consumers to be invested in what is released on Blu-ray to break the format into the mainstream. What better way to do that than to let them pick what comes out, right?&nb...Read More

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Yes, liking and not liking titles is very subjective. But I wonder what is going through Warner's head as they prepare to launch a slew of moderately successful movies on Blu-ray this September.
Coming September 8 are Catwoman, Creepshow, Dead Calm, Freddy Vs. Jason, The New World Extended Cut, Over the Top, The Postman, Snakes on a Plane, Sphere, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
It's not as if there are any true snoozers in the bunch. Er, maybe with the exception of Catwoman - my apologies to Halle Berry. But it's just that it all makes you wonder why these? and why at this time? 
I can't think of the exact motivation fueling these titles' release. But let me know if you can! 
The good news is that the titles seem decently priced with $28.99 SRPs, and retail wil...Read More

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The Cowboys are keeping busy in the off-season, rolling out the world's largest high-definition screen inside the football team's new stadium. 
This 1080p masterpiece is 25,000 square feet and is worth about $40 million. Mitsubishi is behind its construction. 
Jessica Simpson must be proud - her boy Romo will be shown in all his eye-popping glory. Thanks Gizmodo for the tip!
You can also take a look at this video of the screen getting installed at the Cowboys stadium. It looks, purrrrty (as those lucky Dallas fans might say)

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It looks like Wal-Mart will be greatly beefing up its electronics department, hungrily eyeing the down-on-their-luck Circuit City customer. Gadget blog Gizmodo via the Wall Street Journal has quoted an executive saying, "Circuit City's business is up for grabs right now and we expect to get our share." 
There is no specific mention of fattened Blu-ray hardware offerings. But I'm thinking the players, which continue to show annual growth, will make good candidates in Wal-Mart's expansion. Other products likely getting increased presence include netbooks, Apple products, mobile phone items, HD TVs and other home theater offerings.
I would imagine Best Buy has to be scared at the prospect...Read More

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It looks like the people have spoken on which episodes they want included in a fan-created Stargate: Atlantis Blu-ray Disc. 
Thanks to TVShowsonDVD.com's reporting, we know that the the Aug. 4 release Stargate: Atlantis - Fan's Choice will feature extended versions of the series' pilot "Rising," as well as the episode "Enemy at the Gate" from season five. 
The two-episode set comes with a $29.99 SRP.

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