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The original Gears Of War game was a massive success for the Xbox 360 console and now the new instalment, Gears Of War 2 (GOW2), looks like it may be even bigger, racking up sales of 2m in its first weekend. Not only does that make it one of the biggest ever openings on the console but it managed to smash the Xbox LIVE record for online activity too. More than 1.5 million people signed into Gears of War 2 during the weekend, racking up a total 15 million gameplay hours, setting a new record for concurrent LIVE players. “We were so excited to launch ‘Gears of War 2′ on the same day all around the world, something virtually unheard of in the games business,” said Cliff Bleszinski, design director at Epic Games. “We wanted our fans, no matter where they live, to have a shared experience on day one, and that’s exactly what’s happened.” The game picks up………with reluctant war hero, Marcus Fenix, 6 months after the original showdown with the Locusts and, you guessed it, the big bomb didn’t get them all. Time to go on a bug-hunt. The game comes with 48-hours of free Xbox LIVE Gold membership and an LIVE token to download the Flashback Map Pack for free. This consists of five popular maps from the original game: Canals, Gridlock, Mansion, Subway and Tyro Station, all tweaked with new HD graphics. With 6 weeks left to Christmas, GOW2 could be a very popular stocking filler indeed. Hint, hint.-Martin Lynch xbox games xbox 360 console

Original post by nafiz

Roku representatives have responded to rumors on its online forum board regarding when it will launch streaming HD services and announced, earlier than they’d like, that it will team up with Netflix to bring HD content to its subscribers.

Compared to the recently announced Xbox and Netflix tie-up that will also see streaming HD content to the Xbox, Roku will use different Advanced Profile encoding to deliver the HD content at significantly lower bit-rates. 

In related news, CNet reports that Netflix has decided to stop selling used DVDs to its customer base, instead deciding to focus its attention on its rental by mail and Watch Instantly services.

“As you know, our core business is delivering great movie rentals to you on DVD by mail and instantly to the computer and TV, so we’ve decided it makes sense for us to focus exclusively on that,” the company stated in a Netflix blog post.

More on the streaming from Electronista (and thanks for the photo).

Tags: CNet, netflix, roku, streaming HD, xbox

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Original post by nafiz

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

It’s one thing to witness an HDTV under the watchful eye of the company that made it, but it’s an entirely different experience to get out on your own, with your own hand-picked sources, your own food stash and the freedom to really speak your mind. From what we’ve seen under Mitsu’s own conditions, the 65-inch LaserVue is truly a sight to behold, and even when the gurus over at TheTechLounge managed to see this thing in their own element, they were equally amazed. They wouldn’t go so far as to call it the best HDTV ever, but even when compared side-by-side with Pioneer’s heralded PRO-151FD KURO plasma, they found the laser-packed set to be superior in a few instances. The test subjects underwent a few grueling hours of Iron Man and Ice Age: Meltdown on Blu-ray, and at the end of the night, critics didn′t hesitate to recommend the set for anyone with loads of cash.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

We’ll be frank — Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue ᷱ-A90 was one of the most stunning things we saw at CEDIA 2008, so we’re not surprised to hear that one of the very first production units impressed the lucky folks over at TheTechLounge. Said individuals were able to take a first-hand look at Mitsu’s forthcoming beast, and while the situation was obviously optimal for viewing, they couldn′t help but praise the TV. The demonstration included two LaserVue sets, one of which was displaying 3D 1080p content from an HTPC and another that was setup beside LCDs for comparison. When staring at the aforesaid comparison setup, critics noted that “color performance on the LaserVue was noticeably more impressive.” There’s lots more reaction and images where this came from, so delve on into the read if this here set is on your wish list.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We may already have spray-on bandages, but Arch Therapeutics has developed a nanostructured substance that they say stops bleeding almost instantly. Originally developed at MIT, the material is awaiting FDA approval and could make its way into operating rooms soon. The liquid is made up of amino acids that form peptides and cluster into long fibers when exposed to salty environments, like, say, a whole bunch of blood. The material isn’t terribly new — it was originally discovered in the 90s, but only recently during an experiment did researchers realize that it would be great for blood control. Shortly thereafter, people saw dollar signs and Arch Therapeutics was founded.

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Original post by Joshua Fruhlinger

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Okay, so we’re not exactly doctors, but we couldn’t help but be intrigued by PEAK Surgical’s announcement today that its PlasmaBlade electrosurgery scalpel had completed preclinical testing with positive results. Unlike traditional electrosurgery tools like the bovie cutter, the PlasmaBlade operates at low temperatures, using pulsed plasma energy to cut tissue and control bleeding. Then, stupidly, we watched the video. Let’s just say now that it no longer matters to us that surgeons using the PEAK PlasmaBlade produce “minimal collateral damage” to tissue and that bleeding was reduced. Sure, it’s great for the surgeons, but our eyes? Not going to be the same.

[Via MedGadget]

Read - PEAK PlasmaBlade press release
Watch - PEAK PlasmaBlade demo video (WARNING: not for the squeamish, we mean it!)

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Slowly but surely, we’re seeing retailer after retailer conjure up its own trade-in / exchange program to deal with the finality of the format war. Canada’s Future Shop, however, has certainly put an interesting twist on things. First off, it’ll accept standalone HD DVD players purchased from anywhere until April 3rd. In exchange, you’ll receive $100 off the purchase of an LG or Samsung Blu-ray / HD DVD combo player, but not a standalone Blu-ray player of any kind. Unfortunately, that means your options are pretty limited, but we can certainly understand the retailer’s desire to wash its hands of anything with an HD DVD logo on it. Better still, Future Shop will be donating all of the returned HD DVD players to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada “for use in their after-school and evening programs.” Now if that’s not a reason to trade-up, we don’t know what is.

[Thanks, Josh]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Given the finality of the format war, we can’t say we′re totally shocked to hear that Samsung will be pulling the plug on its recently announced BD-UP5500 HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player, but still, it’s not good news for folks planning to pick it up for kicks (or watching their library of HD DVDs). Interestingly enough, Sammy had already planned to axe its current flagship hybrid player — the BD-U󄢈 — this May, just months after it went on sale and began taking heat for not meeting expectations. On the plus side, the firm’s latest BD-only player was a real gem, so hopefully we’ll see lots more where that came from in the future. Oh, and if you’re weeping this very moment at the thought of never getting to see one in person, feel free to click here and live vicariously through us.

 

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Home Entertainment

We’ve already seen a couple of Blu-ray exchange programs offered to HD DVD owners looking to jump ship, but looks like Sony is now finally getting in on the action itself, albeit only in Switzerland. While some of the details are lost in translation, it seems that if you buy either the BDP-S500 or BDP-S300 Blu-ray player before the end of March, you’ll then be able to send in your HD DVD player for Sony to recycle and receive a discount of 200 Swiss Francs (about $190), plus both the Spider-Man trilogy and Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy on Blu-ray. Not surprisingly, the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive and all computer HD DVD drives are excluded, and you’ll need the proof of purchase and cash receipt for your HD DVD player (purchased before February 29th) in order to take advantage of the offer. Needless to say, we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath for Sony to offer a similar deal ‘round these parts.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: HDTV, Laptops

Although Rock began offering a Blu-ray option on its pricey gaming rigs soon after Toshiba threw in the HD DVD towel, prospective buyers were forced to specifically inquire in order to get one. Now, however, the company has finally bit the bullet and began offering internal BD drives as an option on its gamut of gaming laptops. Reportedly, Rock’s CEO Nick Boardman proclaimed that he was “disappointed that HD DVD didn’t make it,” but noted that even if you have a machine on order right now, you can “stick with HD DVD, downgrade to DVD-RW or upgrade to Blu-ray″ sans issue. Interestingly, the company is still offering up HD DVD drives as “standard,” but we suppose it has to move that suddenly worthless inventory somehow, eh?

[Via Tech Digest]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

Though the Maxell brand name will live on, the company announced it is ending production of CD, DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD discs at the end of the month. It plans to outsource to other manufacturers (like Mitsubishi perhaps?) and though the name on the packaging will be the same, we just don′t see how anyone else can provide the rather unique experience of Maxell tape discs.

[Via Impress]

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Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

We had an inkling that the format war was soon to be over when Warner announced it was going Blu-ray just before CES and HD DVD canceled its press conference, but we didn’t realize how quickly things would come to an abrupt end. It looks like Toshiba CEO Atsutoshi Nishida was decisive in ending the battle, telling the Wall Street Journal that HD DVD didn’t stand a chance after Warner left, and that if HD DVD wasn’t “going to win then we had to pull out, especially since consumers were already asking for a single standard.” That’s interesting, especially since Toshiba issued all those jilted-lover press releases as former partners defected and continued to waffle for another month or so and even air a Super Bowl ad, but we suppose PR people can’t go running around saying things like “One has to take calculated risks in business, but it’s also important to switch gears immediately if you think your decision was wrong,” like the CEO can. Of course, the CEO probably shouldn’t be saying Toshiba’s upconverting DVD players are so good “consumers won’t be able to tell the difference from HD DVD images” either, but give the man a break — he’s still in mourning.

[Thanks, ogscorpion]

 

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

We don′t know if Jeffrey Katzenberg got a text message, fax, e-mail or smoke signal indicating the format war was over, but Video Business has confirmed Paramount and Dreamworks Animation will (rather abruptly) to stop releasing HD DVDs after next week. If you were looking forward to Bee Movie on March 11, Sweeney Todd on April 1 or the just announced There Will Be Blood, those are cancelled. Into the Wild and the appropriately-named Things We Lost in the Fire will be Paramount’s last reminders of its exclusive agreement. Not specifically mentioned was Star Trek: TOS Season 2, but don’t hold your breath. Blu-ray release plans are still up in the air but we wouldn’t be surprised to hear something soon. As far as HD DVD movies still scheduled, that leaves two from Universal (for now) and twelve from Warner Bros, who may have been the first to leave red, but will apparently be the last major studio out the door.

Read - Video Business
Read - High-Def Digest

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Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

While even the most steadfast red fans have accepted things are over for HD DVD, it appears Dreamworks Animation isn’t able to let the format war go. Even though Paramount seems to have found a way out from under its exclusivity deal, Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told Reuters he still needs to hear from Toshiba what to do with the truckloads of money HD DVD gave them about its agreement before making any Blu-ray release plans. He seems (to be the only one) worried about the upcoming DVD release of Bee Movie and what will happen there. An analyst quoted said they should certainly have this taken care of by the holiday season, which would only be six to eight months after HD DVD manufacturing has ceased to be. We have a feeling it won’t take that long long to turn Shrek Blu.

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Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment.

When Sony included a DVD drive on its PlayStation 2, it was clear which technology was helping sell which product. After just avoiding being a victim of a format war itself, DVD was on its way to enticing consumers with many of the same benefits that had turned the compact disc into a huge success — high-fidelity, portability, durability and the end of rewinding. The PS2 may well have been a success without DVD, but DVD did not need the PS2.

For the PlayStation 3, the issue was a lot murkier. While US sales of standalone — that is to say, excluding PS3 — players for Blu-ray and HD DVD were almost dead even in 2007, Blu-ray titles consistently outsold HD DVD titles. Part of this may have been due to Toshiba’s heavy bundling of titles with HD DVD players, but PlayStation 3 owners seem to have bought Blu-ray movies in droves. While Sony consistently promoted Blu-ray’s game and movie capacity as a PS3 selling point, the PS3 — specifically its owners′ embrace of Blu-ray movies — was the major consumer factor in swinging the fate of the high-definition video disc for Blu-ray.

Yet the fight was fought at least as much by corporations as by consumers. Out of the gate, Blu-ray had more studio support and a Murderers′ Row of consumer electronics companies — Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, LG, Sharp, and Pioneer — backing the format. Not only did these companies account for the vast majority of DVD player sales in the US, they also accounted for most of the large-screen TVs, paving the way for bundles and other promotions that are sure to accelerate now that there is more security in buying Blu-ray.

Continue reading Switched On: Blu-ray had friends in high def places

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Original post by Ross Rubin