Tag: DVD

Netflix Preemptively Takes On Apple: Unlimited Online Movies

January 13, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 5 Comments

Netflix will be making a big announcement tomorrow, coincidentally one day before Apple will be making some [similar] big announcements of its own:

Starting Monday, January 14, 2008, Netflix subscribers will have unlimited access to movie viewing online. The company plans to do away with its quota/hours system it had in place before (viewing hours per month were based upon how much you paid for you mail-in DVD plan). The only group of Netflix subscribers to be left out of this unlimited plan: you who pay the minimum of $4.99 to rent just two DVDs per month.

Apple, Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0

Irony Alert: HD DVD Eases the Pain of Its Death for Owners

January 8, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 20 Comments

HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Back in November, I asked for help in deciding between HD DVD and Blu-ray. I ended up choosing HD DVD via an amazing Amazon deal: HD DVD player and 10 HD DVDs for $174. (That deal is now over, but now there’s an even better deal: HD DVD player and 7 movies for only $132.)

But it wasn’t just the price being nearly half of any Blu-ray equivalent (check out Amazon’s Blu-ray page, where every player is well above $300 with not nearly as many included movies), it was other little things. For instance, HD DVD is region free. This means that any movies bought in Europe or the U.S. can work on any player bought anywhere as well. The same isn’t true for Blu-ray.

Do-It-Yourself Tech, Media, Tech News

HD DVD Press Releases Before & After Blu-ray Warner Deal, Bloggers Already Giving Up On HD DVD

January 5, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 1 Comment

HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray Right on the heels of Warner Bros. announcing exclusive Blu-ray support comes news of HD DVD canceling its CES press conference due to its rival’s announcement. The HD DVD group previously invited attendants with this upbeat message:

“Please join us as we present exciting news and a sneak peak at what’s to come for 2008, featuring executives from the HD DVD Promotional Group: Intel, Microsoft, Paramount Home Entertainment, Toshiba, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video.”

Media, Tech News

HD DVD Still Winning Price War vs. Blu-ray: Player & 10 Movies $219

December 12, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 16 Comments

HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray (*Update* The deal mentioned in the title is over, but Amazon has an even better deal: HD DVD player & 7 Movies for $132.)

Today I came across this article by Joel Hruska at Ars Technica in which he links to this Blu-ray deal on Amazon and says the following:

“Samsung is hoping to tilt the scales in favor of Blu-ray; as of right now, Samsung’s BD-P1400 Blu-ray player is selling for $279 on Amazon, down from a $499 MSRP. That’s not so much a discount as it is a steal, and it drops the BD-P1400 squarely within the price range for an HD DVD box.”

I couldn’t help but respond with all of Amazon’s concurrent HD DVD deals, which happen to be much better than the above mentioned “steal.”

Amazon, Do-It-Yourself Tech, Just For Fun, Media, Shopping, Sony

HD DVD’s New Feature: Watching Movies Together But Not In the Same Place

December 3, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 35 Comments

Perhaps in an attempt to differentiate itself from Blu-ray, HD DVD tech wizards will launch the HD DVD version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with a new feature called “community screening.” The movie takes advantage of the fact that all HD DVD players are equipped with an Ethernet hookup (unlike Blu-ray, which has players that do not include network connectivity). “Community screening” is a way to watch a movie simultaneously with your friends while you’re each in the comfort of your own homes. Here’s how it works:

Gaming, Media, Sony, Tech News, Web 2.0

Amazon Made Me Do It: HD DVD Wins Over Blu-ray, Player & 10 HD DVDs for $174

November 23, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 19 Comments

HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray A little over a week ago I asked for help in choosing between the two next generation movie formats: HD DVD and Blu-ray. I have had all the necessary equipment for a few months now (meaning, a nice HD home theater system minus a next-gen player) but have stuck with my regular old DVD player. I had hoped that my patience could last me through the ensuing format war. But then Amazon came along with this deal. (Actually, now there’s an even better deal.)

Do-It-Yourself Tech, Media, Sony

Help Me Decide: HD DVD or Blu-ray?

November 13, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 9 Comments

HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray A few months back I purchased a high-definition television (HD-TV) but have yet to experience its true capacity (sharper images, etc.). The apartment complex I live in has me locked into one satellite provider which does not offer any HD broadcasting. And I have been reluctant to purchase a next generation DVD player because of the format wars.

For those not up to speed, Sony’s next generation DVD is called Blu-ray whereas Microsoft and Toshiba have a format called HD DVD. The two are comparable in terms of the higher picture quality they offer (unless you want to nitpick) but are, of course, incompatible with each other. To make matters worse, most movies are only released in one format or the other. For instance, Disney movies are only available in Blu-ray whereas Universal Studios movies are only in HD DVD.

Do-It-Yourself Tech, Media, Microsoft, Sony

Why Netflix Will Make Online Movie Watching a Reality

January 22, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 2 Comments

If you missed the Netflix news last week, the company announced that it will offer existing subscribers the option of watching movies and TV shows online at no additional cost. So if you pay $18 a month for your regular three DVDs at at time mailing plan, soon you’ll be receiving 18 hours of free online watching time too.

What I found intriguing about the story is that just days and weeks earlier, certain prominent bloggers posted why Netflix is in trouble. Mike Arrington had his post “Why I Am Breaking Up With Netflix” while Robert Scoble had his thoughts on “Netflix is dead.” Both came back with follow up stories after the news release (“Netflix, I Was Just Kidding About Breaking Up With You” and “Netflix tells Scoble he’s wrong” respectively).

Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0