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BLU STATE   



Posted by Susanne Ault on October 29, 2009
To me, this would be nothing short of rad. Or at least rad for Blu-ray adoption. The most popular game console going is now offering up a model with Blu-ray playing capabilities?
That is the rumor circulating today - much thanks to Blu-ray.com for spotting the news! Basically, speculation is that Nintendo will launch next year a 'Wii 2,' which comes equipped with a full-fledged Blu-ray player.
The sourcing on the news is admittedly fuzzy - one Web site heard another Web site hear something from some Nintendo executive. Yet many of these gaming rumors have eventually come true...uh...hello, $299 PS3.
Still, I have my doubts about a Blu-ray Wii actually coming to fruition. One big doubt revolves around the fact that the a huge consumer allure for the Wii is that it's relatively cheap. ...Read More

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Posted by Susanne Ault on October 16, 2009

Sorry, Apple fans. Those rumors of an imminent launch of Blu-ray enhanced Mac computers appear to be just, well, rumors.
Appleinsider has reported that although there were some initial plans to include a Blu-ray drive on upcoming computers, manufacturers pulled back on the decision just before the latest Mac models went into production in September.
Yet, Appleinsider was the source claiming that Blu-ray Macs were just around the corner, leading me to believe that heck, Apple could very well change its mind again.
Appleinsider speculates that the company may baby step into Blu-ray by offering it through made-to-order computer requests. 
That seems like a smart guess, but I think its more contingent on h...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Retail, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on October 15, 2009
TDK is announcing that its successfully developed and demoed a super-sized 350 GB Blu-ray Disc, according to various reports.That would put it at about 7 times roomier than the current capacity 50 GB Blu-ray Disc.
The big 'IF' though is the fact that currently there are no manufacturers making players that would be able to handle such a 350 GB disc.
Although the idea of this huge capacity disc is neat - we can get all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films into one place, etc. - I'm doubting this concept is going to fly. 
Manufacturerers, and studios for that matter, are killing themselves trying to get people to buy today's Blu-ray technology. I doubt they'll be motivated to go back to the drawing board to convince ...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on October 15, 2009
Or at least that's the opinion of many bloggers regarding Amazon.com's Halloween-themed Blu-ray sale, spanning around 200 titles. Thanks to Blu-ray.com for pointing out the promotion, which ends on Oct. 27.
Catalog horror movies 1978's Halloween and 1987's Hellraiser are marked at $16.49 and $13.99, respectively. This is reasonable, but not shocking pricing. I bet you could find these same films for around $5-7 on standard DVD, and it might be hard to convince people to pay a lot more for them in high-definition. 
There are a handful of sub-$10 Blu-rays listed, representing mostly older films, such as Risky Business, B...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on October 7, 2009

Amazon.com is giving people a chance to buy the Oct. 6 combo Blu-ray/DVD release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for $4.99
Shoppers will have to do a little leg work first. 
When checking out, people must input the promo code SNOWHITE in order to get the $19.99 retail price knocked down to $9.99. Next, customers will have to send in for a $5 rebate that is valid after purchasing the title together with one of a selection of Hefty products. Folks can download the rebate with instructions here.
The other sticking point is that people will still need to pay for Amazon.com shipping. But they can qualify for free shipping, though, by buying additional Amazon.com products for a total $25 checkout.
Thanks go out...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on October 6, 2009
It looks like China, problem source for piracy, is taking to premium Blu-ray Disc product. 
Ritek, which is based in the country, says that it is looking to double its monthly production capacity from one million units to two million units, according to Digitimes.com via Chinese-language newspaper Economic Daily News. The company hopes to complete this expansion in this fourth quarter.

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on October 6, 2009
I doubt that Sony would ever endorse these darkly humorous photoshopped ads, created by various visitors to blog Gizmodo.com. But I would hope that Sony approves, at least secretly.
The ads, as the site points out, are hilariously offensive. But the fact that people took the time to throw all of this stuff together, shows that PS3 has fans. That's a good thing. 
This console and its Blu-ray supporters are trying their darndest to expand PS3 penetration into people's homes. So PS3 can use all the loving it can get.
Gizmodo even handed out rankings to its favorites. First place is a picture of a woman breastfeeding a baby with a PS3 remote control superimposed on her chest. No joke, the remote control weirdly...Read More

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Posted by Jennifer Netherby on September 24, 2009
Or so the latest Apple rumors say. Apple Insider reports that Apple is one the verge of announcing its updated line of iMacs in the next week or so with not just a lower price tag but a Blu-ray drive, which would bring the company into the Blu-ray business ahead of the fourth quarter.

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Industries: Retail, Technology
Posted by Susanne Ault on September 24, 2009

Toshiba and Best Buy's in-house Insignia brand appear to be set to release combo HDTV/Blu-ray players in the near future.
Thanks to Blu-ray.com, it looks like Toshiba's combo will be demoed at the upcoming CES show. It'll be dubbed 'Cell Regza' and will be interestingly powered by the same processor found in the Playstation 3. 
Blu-ray.com, via Smarthouse, includes quotes from Toshiba's president talking up the combo set as 'its flagship model.' The chief insists it will offer the same game changing experience for consumers as when they experienced color TV for the first time.
This could be the start of a trend as ...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on September 22, 2009

True, the fourth quarter doesn't formally start until another week or so. But Amazon.com has some fourth quarter worthy pricing on over 200 Blu-ray titles, with a number of them tagged as low as $9.99.
Some of the cheaper $9.99 titles are Under Siege, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, The Proposition and Breed
There are also under $15 deals with The Haunted Mansion, Crimson Tide and Bad Santa, among others.
The big takeaway for me with this sale is that if Amazon.com is already hitting a $9.99 price point in September - what will it be offering during the thick of fourth quarter, like on Black Friday? 
Could we see $5 Blu-ray...Read More

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Posted by Susanne Ault on September 21, 2009
I admit it. I snickered when I read the latest Sept. 19 Best Buy circular and found a big box running down a list of Blu-ray facts. Under the banner headline, "Did You Know?" Best Buy told people that yes, Blu-ray players and Playstation 3 consoles will play your regular standard DVDs. Also, Blu-ray players will upconvert your standard DVDs to a higher quality video. 
Really? Wow! That's amazing info that I have never heard before!
But then I shut up my sarcasm valve. This is a very smart thing for Best Buy to do. In fact, they should have this box continuously in their circulars reminding people what all the high-def fuss is all about.  I also think that Best Buy should go further and install a permanent wall s...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software
Posted by Susanne Ault on September 14, 2009
Just weeks after PS3's own $100 price cut to $299, it looks like Nintendo is prepared to cut the Wii price by $50 to $199 - if early K-Mart ad scans are to be believed. 
Game blog Kotaku has the scan, featuring a $199 Wii with the included game title Wii Sports. It's blurry, but you get the idea.
This isn't a huge surprise for the Wii, as its sales have been declining for much of this year. My big question is if this will siphon away any sales for the PS3, which is banking on its new low price to spur buying. Studios are hoping for a PS3 sales boost, to stoke their consumer base in time for when they release their major end-of-year Blu-ray releases.
I think that the PS3 does offer the best deal, where you get a game console, Blu-ray player, and access to o...Read More

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Industries: High-Def, Software

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