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[Opus Angelorum]

Very sleek. I love the outer shell.

 

[neojubei]

Sexy Philips. I love how they minimize the function on the deck. Less is more.

Same here. Those old blu-ray players were large and ugly, the samsung and Phillips are slim and sexy.

 

[Pristine_Condition]

April, $349

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/philips-launches-bdp7200-bonusview-enabled-blu-ray-player/

Is that $349 MSRP? If so...street price should look nice.

This player is shit-hot though. Wonder how much it's going to cost. Specs seem awesome, but the no-nonsense unit design seems to indicate it might be at least semi-affordable.

I'm starting to really grow fond of Sammy's newer product designs. Simple, functional, yet smart and elegant-looking.

 

[Forsete]

No new HD-DVD players were announced by Toshiba?

 

[djkimothy]

No new HD-DVD players were announced by Toshiba?

Wasn't the recent refresh it? The A3 series?

 

[Forsete]

Wasn't the recent refresh it? The A3 series?

Ah ok

 

[Gary Whitta]

Just took adavantage of the $14.99 BD sale at Best Buy. Picked up Beerfest and Goodfellas. Tried to use the "Buy 3 and get $20 off" coupon but it doesn't apply to the $14.99 titles. But I used a $20 gift card I have to get The Lives of Others for $10 instead

Other $14.99 titles I saw included:

A Scanner Darkly
Deliverance
Blood Diamond
Lethal Weapon
The Fugitive

 

[Opus Angelorum]

No new HD-DVD players were announced by Toshiba?

They announced a new laptop with combo HD-DVD/DVD-RW.

 

[Raistlin]

I guess because there is no longer any such thing as "HD-DVD vs Blu-ray", at least not in any meaningful way. HD-DVD exponents at this point are like the 90 year-old Japanese solders they occasionally find holed up deep in the jungles of the far east with no knowledge that WWII has been over for decades.

OH ... MY ... GOD ...

:lol :lol :lol

 

[Gary Whitta]

BTW, these new players look super slick but at a $350 pricepoint how do they represent a better value than a $400 PS3? The PS3 is still one of the best (if not THE) best BD players you can buy, extremely versatile and updateable, plus for the extra $50 you get a games console into the bargain.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I just ordered that LG combo internal HDDVD/BluRay drive for my PC. I just put a number of titles on my wishlist for Amazon too. Now comes the part of having to spend tons of money to build up a library. I do think 2001: A Space Odyssey is going to be one of my first purchases. Can't wait for that one.

 

[el Diablo]

Why don't they ever include the price in these press releases :/

That's cause they want to you to hype yourself up about the product so much that whenever they do release the price you don't care what it is since you've convinced yourself you need it more than air heh.

 

[Replicant]

April, $349

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/philips-launches-bdp7200-bonusview-enabled-blu-ray-player/

Well, hello thar you sexy thing.

 

[HocusPocus]

BTW, these new players look super slick but at a $350 pricepoint how do they represent a better value than a $400 PS3? The PS3 is still one of the best (if not THE) best BD players you can buy, extremely versatile and updateable, plus for the extra $50 you get a games console into the bargain.

There's probably a pretty sizeable market of HD enthusiasts that would rather have that standalone player that looks like a normal piece of equipment in the cabinet than the much bulkier PS3.

 

[Pristine_Condition]

I just ordered that LG combo internal HDDVD/BluRay drive for my PC. I just put a number of titles on my wishlist for Amazon too. Now comes the part of having to spend tons of money to build up a library. I do think 2001: A Space Odyssey is going to be one of my first purchases. Can't wait for that one.

Good choice. I recently rented the 2001: A Space Odyssey Blu-ray from Netflix and was blown away by the quality of the transfer. It's definitely on my purchase list.

 

[distantmantra]

NeoBreaking GAFaton: Target stores going Blu-ray Exclusive?


Remember the rumor from 7/26/07 that said Target stores were going Blu-ray exclusive. That rumore was quickly shot down back in July...

Guess who's back?


According to Philips' Stewart Muller, at Philips' CES CES press event, (as being covered by Engadget live right now) it's happening.



http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/live-coverage-from-the-philips-press-event/


Assuming this is true, I wonder how many other retailers are going to start doing the same. It'll be really hard to coax customers into buying HD DVD over Blu-ray now, so why bother trying?

Well, that might explain what I saw at Target earlier today.

I was at the Seattle, WA (Northgate) Target this afternoon, and I saw an employee taking all the HD-DVD titles off the shelf and putting them into a shopping cart. She was also taking out the price labels from those plastic slide things. I stuck around for a second and saw that in their place, she put up price labels for the Harry Potter Blu-ray movies.

 

[djkimothy]

BTW, these new players look super slick but at a $350 pricepoint how do they represent a better value than a $400 PS3? The PS3 is still one of the best (if not THE) best BD players you can buy, extremely versatile and updateable, plus for the extra $50 you get a games console into the bargain.

They can decode DTS-MA, which the PS3 can't, ATM. But I see your point. PLus they have IR controls to allow for universal remote, plus they are probably quieter than the PS3. They also can probably load movies faster than their predecessor.

Really, for 350$, they are starting to become better players than the PS3. Who woulda thunk it.

 

[Stinkles]

Well, that might explain what I saw at Target earlier today.

I was at the Seattle, WA (Northgate) Target this afternoon, and I saw an employee taking all the HD-DVD titles off the shelf and putting them into a shopping cart. She was also taking out the price labels from those plastic slide things. I stuck around for a second and saw that in their place, she put up price labels for the Harry Potter Blu-ray movies.

gafwatch. I was there too! But I was looking for a good rice cooker. Actually, that's a thread request. Consumer Reports is shit.

 

[distantmantra]

gafwatch. I was there too!

Hehe. I had to put up granite wipes for our kitchen counters and some toothpaste, but I felt compelled to wander through the electronics department before leaving.

But I was looking for a good rice cooker. Actually, that's a thread request. Consumer Reports is shit.

Go to Uwajimaya, they have awesome rice cookers straight from Japan.

 

[Gary Whitta]

Go to Uwajimaya, they have awesome rice cookers straight from Japan.

Are there two main competing types of rice cooker? Because if so this could go places.

 

[avaya]

gafwatch. I was there too! But I was looking for a good rice cooker. Actually, that's a thread request. Consumer Reports is shit.

:lol

 

[distantmantra]

Are there two main competing types of rice cooker? Because if so this could go places.

:lol

I have no idea. I bought my rice cooker at Target, actually.

:lol

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Any of you want to unload some HD DVDs for cheap, I'm in the market for the following:

The Thing
Shaun of the Dead
Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder version)
Smokey and the Bandit

Just PM me

 

[soul creator]

Are there two main competing types of rice cooker? Because if so this could go places.

this war is so confusing...how's that LG combo Mahatma/Uncle Ben rice cooker?

 

[quest]

If it has ethernet gets good reviews at AVS and drops to 199 online I will buy 2.

 

[Nicodimas]

Hd-dvd
http://www.hddvdstats.com/
Blu-ray
http://www.blu-raystats.com/

Useful stuff.

 

[Ripclawe]

4:46PM - Time for the HD exec. "There's not another company in the world that has the depth of experience in technology in HD." He's going on about how amazing Sony high def gear and tech is. "Today we're taking the wraps off a new internal BD-ROM drive -- sub $200 -- offering consumers another option to enjoy BD movies."

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/06/live-coverage-from-sonys-ces-press-conference/

 

[ghostmind]

I want to see a portable BD drive that i can use in my car...

 

[Stinkles]

Are there two main competing types of rice cooker? Because if so this could go places.

THEY WERE $300!


All they do is cook rice.


$300!

I could geta standalone whatever for that.

 

[ghostmind]

THEY WERE $300!


All they do is cook rice.


$300!

I could geta standalone whatever for that.

I hope your not dissing the Zojirushi... it's the HD of rice cookers...

 

[Stinkles]

I hope your not dissing the Zojirushi... it's the HD of rice cookers...

That one is $350 and I almost bought it because it's so leet and has fuzzy logic. And um, 50Gig capacity...

 

[Eel O'Brian]

For $350 it better not only cook my rice, it better transform into one of those creepy uncanny valley japanese robots and feed it to me, too

 

[StoOgE]

i heard they jusf signed uncle bens to an exclusive contract... that just leaves rice-a-roni as the lone holdout to acheiving a 1 ricecooker future.

i fear if this goes on all rice sales will stagnate and potatos will remzin the sidedish of choice.

 

[Suikoguy]

How did this thread end up being a metaphor with rice cookers? :lol
Plus.. the WW2 comment :lol :lol

 

[krypt0nian]

SONY could have hammered HD-DVD but they took the high ground....for now. :lol

 

[bishoptl]

 

[Christopher]

I just watched Die Hard on Blu Ray and the reviews for it weren't that good, but for an old title it was pretty damn crisp/clear in the transfer.

Shit I haven't seen Die Hard in forever either...awesome movie.

 

[Riskbreaker23]

.

 

[Darko]

i heard they jusf signed uncle bens to an exclusive contract... that just leaves rice-a-roni as the lone holdout to acheiving a 1 ricecooker future.

i fear if this goes on all rice sales will stagnate and potatos will remzin the sidedish of choice.

:lol the fuck

 

[Zombie James]

HD-DVD got zero mention at the Microsoft conference. None. Not when they were talking about the 360, not when they were talking about HD content, and not even when they were talking about movies.

It's done.

 

[Kolgar]

HD-DVD got zero mention at the Microsoft conference. None. Not when they were talking about the 360, not when they were talking about HD content, and not even when they were talking about movies.

It's done.

One-format future seems here.

 

[Laurent]

 

[Nicodimas]

They talking about digital downloads through live though. 10 million people and 33 studios.

 

[XMonkey]

They talking about digital downloads through live though. 10 million people and 33 studios.

MS talking about DD? Color me surprised.

 

[Raistlin]

They talking about digital downloads through live though. 10 million people and 33 studios.

just stop

 

[RaidenZR]

More amusing quotables from Michael Bay:

"I know the look, color, and sounds on my own movies better they anyone in the world. I color-time every single image, and am there for every single audio tweak. I see my films in the editing and final process no less then a 100 times. I know ever single nuance. For some dick wads on these posts who think I can't make an informed choice on what format in the end, has the truer results for my own films. Well you where to shove.... My films finished in Blu-Ray are better - more true. Hd is better than DVD, but just not as good as Blu-Ray. So buying a Transformers Hd is still the best you will see this movie as of today. But when Paramount caves for Blu-Ray in the future - This will happen, then you will see Transformers one day finished in Blu-Ray and I will sure be able to tell the difference.

Bay"

 

[Nicodimas]

Michael Bay sounds like when Billy Walsh is on some manaic tiride.

Billy is cooler still though.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I think it was only supposed before but this confirms it:

Toshiba Defiant After HD DVD Setback
Sunday January 6, 3:33 pm ET
Toshiba Defiant After Warner Decision to Drop HD DVD in Favor of Blu-Ray

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Toshiba Corp. executives had a tough moment Sunday, when they had to face reporters just two days after its HD DVD movie disc format was dealt a potentially fatal blow by the defection of Warner Bros. Entertainment to a rival technology.

ADVERTISEMENT
"It's difficult for me to read the comments of the pundits that HD is dead," said Jodi Sally, vice president of marketing for digital audio and video at Toshiba America Consumer Products. She was speaking at a news conference ahead of the International Consumer Electronics Show, which starts here Monday.

Sally indicated that Toshiba would continue its fight with a Sony Corp.-led group to dominate the market for a replacement to the DVD.

"We've been declared dead before," Sally said.

Only two major U.S. studios now support HD DVD, while five support Sony's Blu-ray disc. Warner is the last studio to put out movies in both formats, but will stop publishing HD DVDs in May.

Akio Ozaka, head of Toshiba America Consumer Products, said the company was surprised by Warner's announcement Friday.

"We were particularly disappointed that the decision was made in spite of the significant momentum HD DVD has gained," Ozaka said.

HD DVD players, practically all of which are made by Toshiba, had their best sales ever in the fourth quarter of last year, Ozaka said.

Sally said HD DVD players represented 49.3 percent of the players for high definition discs sold as of Dec. 22, quoting figures from market research firm NPD. However, the figures don't include sales of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 game console, which plays Blu-ray discs. The format also has consistently beaten HD DVD in the number of discs sold.

While Toshiba sounded a defiant note, a media event scheduled for Sunday evening by the North American HD DVD Promotional Group, which includes Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., was canceled because of Warner's defection.

"We are currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps," the group said in a statement.

Warner said its decision to drop HD DVD was based on consumers' preference for Blu-ray.

The availability of two competing formats, and the confusion and uncertainty it's sowed among buyers, has been widely blamed for the slow adoption of high-definition players in general.

Warner Bros. Entertainment is owned by Time Warner Inc.

 

[Dot50Cal]

I seriously can't believe they use that stand alone players defense still. Its just so sad at this point.

 

[xaosslug]

i heard they jusf signed uncle bens to an exclusive contract... that just leaves rice-a-roni as the lone holdout to acheiving a 1 ricecooker future.

i fear if this goes on all rice sales will stagnate and potatos will remzin the sidedish of choice.

people cook Uncle Bens and Rice-A-Roni in rice cookers?