This has got to hurt. Playstation 3's lastest firmware offering, which improves gaming capabilities, has tripped up at least one user's console so that it refuses to turn on. 
Hours after the firmware's download availability, users began complaining that the firmware was inoperable. Sony promptly pulled the upgrade, according to several reports such as this BetaNews story.
It appears that just a small number of PS3 users reported problems to varying degrees in downloading the firmware. Sony promises the upgrade will be tweaked and soon ready for downloading again.
Although Sony went into quick damage control, this can't be a great advertisement for BD-Live, right? If people become afraid...Read More

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Circuit City has placed all of its Blu-ray set-tops on sale this week, spanning models from Sony, Philips, Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic. Depending on the player, savings vary between $20 to $50. But in all cases, the models are selling below the $399 mark, which has been the going average for some time.
Set-tops do need some promoting these days, since they are running a distant second to Playstation 3, which offers a gaming system and a Blu-ray player for the same $399 tag.
Most of Circuit City's sale-priced set-tops represent last year's models. Panasonic and Sony will be launching their first B...Read More

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It looks like at least one QFC grocery store in Seattle is starting to stock Blu-ray Discs. Tyler Pruitt, editor for the Format War Central blog, made the discovery at his local QFC. Here is a picture of his find. The store seems to be carrying mostly new releases, such as Fool's Gold, over catalog.
At my nearest Los Angeles area groceries, Ralph's and Von's, I haven't seen any Blu-ray titles being sold. Ralph's and QFC are sister grocery brands under parent Kroger. 
Additionally, beyond a few hot releases near the cash register, there is not a whole lot in terms of even standard DVD at these two L.A. stores. But it will really mean something for the Blu-ray format, if groceries can start increasingly including...Read More

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Here's a screenshot, courtesy of Engadget, of an July 6 ad hyping the normally $349 20 GB Xbox 360 for $299. In recent months of NPD console sales tracking, PS3 and Xbox 360 have been running neck and neck. But I wonder if a larger $100 price difference between the Xbox 360 and $399 PS3 will steer people away from our Blu-ray built-in buddy.
PS3 plays such a key role in expanding the Blu-ray format, because it still represents the best Blu-ray/gaming two punch value going. Standalone Blu-ray manufacturing sources admit that PS3 proved the big winner during Wal-Mart's Father's Day promotion, when you scored a $100 chain gift card with purchase of any Blu-ray player. Technically, the Magnavox was the cheaper pick at $198, when acco...Read More

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In embracing consumer attendees for the first time, the Home Media Expo pushed free HD DVD players to Home Theater Forum conference-goers last year. So far, at this 2008 Vegas installment, I was wondering what would be the lure for HTF consumers? Apart from the usual parties, not much. 
This is probably just a function of the fact that there is no format war battling to court consumers to their side. It's just Blu-ray, and backers probably feel that the early adopting HTF members likely have already gone out and bought their players. 
In talking to some of the HTF guys this week, who are likely constantly blogging about their Vegas experiences, I get a sense they are a little underwhelmed, or even somewhat bored, with the presentations. I'll guess that some Home Media Expo electricity...Read More

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The serial celebrity dater knows his women and Blu-ray technology as well! Mayer's concert release on Blu-ray on July 1 will represent Sony BMG's first release that incorporates picture-in-picture and Web-enabled BD-Live interactivity.
Where The Light Is: John Mayer in Los Angeles features 22 songs, and picture-in-picture experience with Mayer musician buddies Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino. The BD-Live feature is a backstage performance of the song "Belief" that viewers download with their networked BD players or Playstation 3.
Besides being Sony BMG's first, this Mayer Blu-ray release has to be one the first music-based discs to boast BD-Live at all.
That is very forward-thinking on Sony BMG's part, since the studios haven't even all got their act together on that ...Read More

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With Samsung already on its third generation Blu-ray set-top, it's about time that the company is launching a Blu-ray Resource Center The site helpfully includes a FAQ section about the various profiles, which is where I stumbled upon the fact that the Samsung's latest model, the BD-P1500, is Profile 2.0-ready. 
The BD-P1500 launched as a Profile 1.1 player, meaning it can handle picture-in-picture interactivity but not Web-enabled BD-Live features. However, it turns out the BD-P1500 features Profile 2.0-ready machinery, according to Samsung, which is something that wasn't really clear to me when the player was announced back at CES. Samsung is promising to release firmware by this fall that will upgrade its BD-P1500 to the full Profile 2.0 specification. That way hard...Read More

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Sony is really eager for this Blu-ray stuff to take off. The studio is offering a sneak peek of Hancock on Blu-ray exclusively at Best Buy before the Will Smith movie even comes out in theaters on July 2. 
All you have to do is purchase one of the selected Blu-ray Sony titles at Best Buy, and you'll get the Hancock Blu-ray Disc for free. Participating Sony discs include The Pursuit of Happyness, Men in Black and Hitch.
It's not clear what you'll actually see on the freebie disc, but I imagine it will be something substantial as the studio has been pushing this movie since at least January's CES. 
Sony is also helping you see Hancock for free on the big screen. If you pick up one of 10 Sony disc releases at Best Buy ...Read More

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The Incredible Hulk director, Louis Letterier, will be inserting an additional 70 minutes of footage into the film's release on Blu-ray, according to site Collider.com, and cited by The Man Room.
Because this Hulk is getting loads better reviews than that other Hulk, I'm imaging these extra 70 minutes beyond the cut you'll see in theaters will be in demand. That should bode well for the Blu-ray release, likely headed to stores sometime in the fourth quarter after its big screen premiere this Friday.
Letterier adds that he's probably not going to add as much extra footage to the film's standard DVD release&nbs...Read More

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German optical equipment manufacturer Singulus says its orders for Blu-ray replication machines are outpacing those for standard DVD. 
Singulus handled 21 orders for Blu-ray machines in the first quarter. That trumps the 17 orders Singulus fielded for standard DVD replication machines at a similar point in its format lifetime over 10 years ago.  
Maybe Singulus is just pushing to sell more of its products. But it does look like Blu-ray is has been riding a wave of positive industry buzz of late. Singular's Blu-ray hurrah comes at the same time that Wal-Mart is offering $100 gift cards with purchase of any Blu-ray player at its stores. Also, ...Read More

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Since HD DVD was toppled, there have been rumors bordering on hysteria that Microsoft was going Blu, most likely in the form of the company selling an external drive for its Xbox 360. Speculation even peaked on Sunday, when it was understood Microsoft would roll out a major spoiler news announcement on the eve of Apple's development conference in S.F. today.
Well scratch that again, as Microsoft's Robbie Bach denies all that Blu-ray funny business. As told to an SF Gate reporter, Microsoft has no plans for Blu-ray. And if anything, the company isn't too impressed yet by what it sees.
Here's one excerpted Bach quote form the story:
...Read More

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The Tudors cinematographer Ousama Rawi and Edward Scissorhands editor Richard Halsey are among those sharing their thoughts while visiting Pioneer's Kuro loft. 
Launched back in March, the loft is a seriously decked out pad in Hollywood that showcases the best in Pioneer's high-end line of Kuro TVs, Blu-ray players, among other home theater products. Rawi and Halsey are among those on video at the Kuro loft site talking about the importance of getting things 'black' enough, which matches Pioneer's signature specialty technology. Pioneer's Kuro TVs, for instance, promise they'll display the darkest black possible which helps truly pop out color images.
Rawi mentions that "black should be emphasized," and in a subtle nod to Pioneer, questions, "How black is your TV? ...Read More

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