Toshiba Will Offer Blu-Ray After The Downfall of HD-DVD Format
Toshiba has failed in selling HD-DVD player and now must join the dark side by offering Blu-ray players by end of this year. Japan’s Yomiuri media newspaper was reporting last week that Toshiba is now preparing the BD 18 player for a 2009 release.
Toshiba has previously failed to back HD-DVD format along with Microsoft almost a year ago. and Sony, Panasonic, and a consortium of consumer electronics companies promoted Blu-ray Disc.
Samsung to Launch 1.5 Inch Thin Blu-ray Disc Player
Samsung will soon reveal their 1.5 inch thin blu-ray player at CES 2009 on Wednesday. So we will not only see thin LCD display on the event but also thin devices and players.
Source: Samsung to Launch Thin Blu-ray Disc Player at CES
PS3 Will Read Pioneer’s 16-layer 400GB Blu-ray Discs
Your investment on a PS3 is future proven when you know the console can read Pioneer’s latest Blu-ray 16 layer disc can store up to 400GB. This technology will be available to consumers in 2010. Now Square Enix can create mega huge Final Fantasy games.
From press release, The technology of the super multi-layer read-only disc is based on Blu-ray Disc (BD) with a breakthrough in material of reflective layers, according to Pioneer High Fidelity Taiwan. The specifications of the pick-up head (PUH) of the disc is the same as those for the PUH of blank BD discs, and therefore the Pioneer discs can be read on BD players, the company said.
Source: Pioneer showcases 16-layer 400GB optical disc
LG Add Blu-Ray Player With Netflix Streaming
LG will release a blu-ray player LG BD300 for under $500 with built in Netflix movie streaming capabilities. Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings said, If you’re going to buy an LG to play Blu-ray, its a great extra to get streaming. Full press release after the jump.
Microsoft To Announce Blu-ray For XBox 360
This is still a rumour, an insider at Microsoft has revealed the company will announce XBox 360 with Blu-ray will appear before this Christmas. And the new model will cost less than the current Elite model.
Micorosft Denies XBox 360 Blu-Ray
Microsoft has officially denied the latest Blu-ray for Xbox rumor that a Chinese company had gotten the contract to produce Blu-ray drives for the console, and that they would be shipped this fall.
Microsoft said to GamePro: “As we have stated, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360,” said a Microsoft official in an email to GamePro on Monday. “Games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles, and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available.”
Source: Microsoft has “no plans” for Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive
Microsoft Will Add Blu-ray to XBox 360 This Year
This is no rumour, Microsoft is said to be in talks with Sony to add Blu-ray drive to XBox 360. This will arrive in Q3 of 2008. Xbox 360 with a Blu-ray drive would only allow users to watch Blu-ray movies, and not play Xbox 360 games issued on Blu-ray discs.
Dell Unveils Blu-ray Laptop
Sub-$1,000 Blu-ray laptop now available from Dell. The Inspiron 1525 laptop features a 15.4-inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution. It also includes an HDMI port for easy connectivity to high resolution displays and HDTVs.
Source: Dell Press Release
PS3 Firmware 2.20 Adds Blu-ray Profile 2.0
The next firmware update for Playstation 3 will allow users to take advantage of BD-Live (Profile 2.0), a feature of Blu-ray Profile 2.0. PS3 will be the first player on the market with BD-Live functionality. BD-Live will also enables multiplayer gaming, downloading new content, social networking and more.
The first Blu-ray disc to take advantage of BD-Live are due out on April 8 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment: The 6th Day and Walk Hard.
Microsoft, Sony Discussing XBox 360 Blu-ray
This is no rumour, Microsoft is said to be in talks with Sony to add Blu-ray drive to XBox 360.
From Financial Times: A Blu-ray drive in a 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with the PS3, but it would also mean extra revenues for Sony’s electronics division. It would also add further cost to the 360, meaning a premium edition of the console could be necessary. A Blu-ray drive could be incorporated in its top-of-the-range Elite Xbox, or Microsoft could again offer a drive as a plug-in peripheral.
Source: Sony: Microsoft Wants Blu-Ray Xbox
