This week on the Digital City, Joey tests the new Netflix/PS3 BD Live disc, with mixed results; we talk about all the cool new luxury laptops you'll never buy, including Sony's Vaio X, Dell's Adamo XPS, and HP's Envy.

We also show off Nokia's new Booklet 3G Netbook, and debate the relative merits of games sequels, from Bioshock 2 to God of War 3. We also note how everyone in New York seems to have gotten their hands on a copy of Modern Warfare 2 early, giving the holiday season's biggest game an unusually sloppy launch.

Related links:
>>Hands on with Nokia's Booklet 3G
>>Say goodbye to sleep: Modern Warfare 2 arrives
>>Hands on with the new Dell Adamo XPS

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter; and Scott!

Finally: Netflix on the PS3.

(Credit: Matthew Moskovciak/CNET)

The PS3 has picked up a lot of momentum as of late (thanks to price cuts, PS3 Slim, Uncharted 2), and the addition of Netflix streaming is the most recent blow in the feature-war against the Xbox 360. While Netflix streaming is nearly identical on most devices that support it, there are some significant differences with the PS3 that make it worth testing.

Netflix on the PS3 photos

Unlike Netflix streaming on other devices, the PS3 requires the Netflix Streaming Disc for PS3. That means you'll need to request a disc from Netflix and it will come in the mail like a standard Netflix movie. It doesn't count against your allotment of movies allowed out and you never need to return the disc. The disc uses Blu-ray's BD-Live functionality to enable streaming, and this is by far the best use of BD-Live we've seen so far.

Once you insert the Netflix Streaming Disc, it shows up in the XMB in the video section. Select Netflix from the XMB and the experience is largely identical to streaming Netflix on other devices, with a few new features.

The main interface shows you the cover art of the movies in your instant queue, arranged horizontally. If you select a movie, it will show a screen with more detailed information, a summary of the plot, and a star rating. You're also able to scroll horizontally within the more detailed view, without having to return to the main screen. If you stop watching a movie, you're able to resume where you left off or start again from the beginning.

The step-up over standard streaming Netflix devices are the tabs at the top of the interface. With other devices, like the Roku Digital Video Player, you're only able to access movies that you've added to your Instant Queue using a PC. On the PS3, you're given some additional tabs that allow you to browse new arrivals, movies Netflix thinks you'll like, and categories you use often. That's not quite as good as the Xbox 360's Netflix interface, which allows you to add new titles to your instant queue without using a PC, but it's a welcome addition to the basic Netflix streaming available on other devices.

While we've seen some reports that the image quality of streaming Netflix isn't quite as good as it is on the Xbox 360, we didn't notice any significant quality drop-offs in our testing. In our experience, the image quality of streaming Netflix movies is basically identical across devices. ... Read more

Kenley Bradstreet and Mark Licea join the show today because Justin Yu is still battling with SARS. We wish him a speedy recovery, but in the mean time, we welcome the presence of two beautiful people. Plus, it's just fun to watch Kenley rock out to today's Audio Draft pick.

(Credit: Kenley Bradstreet and Mark Licea)

On today's show, we recant what we said about Sony yesterday. The company managed to botch up a feature that would have leveled the playing field with the Xbox 360. For those of you who didn't listen, Sony and Netflix announced the arrival of streaming on the console. Sounds great? Not so fast. Apparently, you'll need to plug in a BD-Live disc every time you want to watch Netflix. We know it's only temporary, but come on! It's accessible from the dashboard on the Xbox 360, and you don't need no stinkin' disc.

Audio Draft Pick: Rancid

(Credit: Wikipedia)

It's Jeff's pick today for the Audio Draft, and while traditionally we usually pick smaller bands or unknown acts, Jeff has decided to go the other way and picked Rancid. They've been around for a while, and released a couple of albums. According to Mr. Bakalar, their latest is turning heads. We play "The Bravest Kids" and "L.A. River" from their latest album. Stay tuned for the last Audio Draft pick of the month on Friday from Wilson! It won't be country music this time.

To round out the show, we talk talk a little bit about Droid from Verizon, the company's first Google Android phone. Wilson still thinks the phone is a pretty ugly design, but that it may change the market around considering it's the first non-BlackBerry-Storm smartphone on the network. Still, Apple seems to be the one still innovating in the smart phone market.

In other news today, Kenley tells us that it's the 15th anniversary of the birth of Internet advertising. That's right on October 27th, 1994, Hot Wired ran the world's first banner ad, and surprisingly, it was pretty effective! Mark gets excited about the Tekken 6, while Wilson can't really tell the difference between Tekken 5 or Tekken 6. Jeff adds snidely, "Tekken 4." Think it's hot that Kenley likes to watch guys play videogames? Well send her a message as usual through voice mail at 1-866-404-CNET (2638).

The last time I found a Blu-ray player with BD-Live support in this price range, it was a refurbished Sony model that sold out in about 10 minutes.

Right now, Amazon has an even better deal: a new Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player for $128.23 shipped. Regular price: $250.

This player not only supports Profile 2.0 (meaning it can play the BD-Live features found on some discs), but also performs such nifty tricks as streaming Amazon On Demand and YouTube video, accessing your PicasaWeb photos, and fetching weather and stock reports.

You'll need a wired Ethernet connection to take advantage of these goodies; the DMP-BD60 has no Wi-Fi capabilities.

You'll want to read CNET's review of the player (and/or watch the above video), which is mostly positive but concludes with a mere three-star rating.

Apparently users don't agree with the criticisms, having rated it four stars out of five on average. And on Amazon's product page, the DMP-BD60 averaged 4.5 stars.

In other words, this high-end Blu-ray player rocks. And it's unheard-of to find so many advanced features for just $128. If it supported Netflix streaming, I'd call it a must-buy. As it stands, it's a must-consider.

Update: Sorry, sorry! Looks like this is already out of stock. Try checking back later, but in the meantime I'll try to find you another deal for today!

Update #2: If you're still on the prowl for an inexpensive, BD-Live-friendly Sony Blu-ray player, here's an option for $199.99. Yep, it's the Sony PlayStation 3 slim deal from a couple weeks ago. Not quite $130, but you are getting a kick-ass game console as part of the bargain.

We've seen a few Blu-ray players for under $100, but most of those were low-end models from lower-tier manufacturers.

At the SonyStyle store, which has been cranking out some serious deals of late, you can grab a refurbished Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray player for $129.99 shipped.

(The product page shows $249.99, but you'll see the lower price when you add it to your cart. Also, it's backordered right now, but you can still place an order if you don't mind waiting.)

What's the big deal about the BDP-S350? For starters, it's a lot more compact than most Blu-ray players, measuring just under 9 inches deep.

It also has an Ethernet port for firmware updates--and there's an update available immediately that'll enable BD-Live!

That much-ballyhooed feature lets you download/stream bonus content. I don't consider it a big deal, as I'm not all that into extras, but any serious videophile will insist on it.

Other perks include a quick-start mode (six seconds from power-on to operation), a built-in Dolby TrueHD decoder, and "very good DVD upscaling," according to CNET's review.

The one and only downside here is the warranty: a refurb-standard 90 days. Even so, I can't recall ever seeing a BD-Live-ready Blu-ray player for under $200, let alone for $130. If I was in the market for one, I'd hop on this like Kanye hops onstage at an awards show.

The new Blu-ray-enabled Vaio notebook starts at $879.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)

SAN FRANCISCO--Even as Blu-ray Disc and Blu-ray player sales are growing, Sony is looking to build out its larger strategy surrounding the company's high-definition disc products.

At a small press event here Thursday, the company introduced a new feature of BD-Live and a new piece of Blu-ray hardware.

MovieIQ will be included on some high-profile releases from Sony starting in September. It's essentially IMDb live--while a movie is playing, facts about casting, directors, production, and actors' filmographies pop up onscreen. It's powered not by IMDb, but by Gracenote, creators of CDDB, which Sony purchased just over a year ago.

It's the kind of feature intended to keep people from pausing a movie and hopping online to ask questions like, "I totally recognize that actress, but from what movie?" It's also meant to build on the inherent capability of Blu-ray players that have Internet access. Sony has tried to do this by allowing BD-Live access to exclusive trailers and some trivia games, but MovieIQ seems like something that users would engage with repeatedly, not something they'd just use once and forget about.

A senior Sony exec at the event, Tracy Garvin, called MovieIQ the "first killer-app for BD-Live." That sounded like an admission that none of the BD-Live features thus far have been all that compelling.

It's clear Sony is still in the process of fine-tuning its BD-Live strategy. ... Read more

For most people, the Panasonic DMP-BD35 will offer the best combination of features, performance and value.

According to the early reports, Blu-ray is faring well this holiday season and it's not hard to see why. With standalone player prices finally slipping below $250, more popular movies available, and reliable standalone players hitting the market, Blu-ray is now a solid option for those that want the best image quality from their home theater. If you're looking to go Blu over the next few weeks, here's a roundup of our recent Blu-ray coverage to help you make your choice.

Five Blu-ray players for less than $250
If all you care about is price, check out our roundup of some of the cheapest players on the market. Not all of these players are Profile 2.0 compliant, but if you're not interested in Internet-enabled BD-Live features, you can go with a cheaper Profile 1.1 player. And if you're still trying to figure out what the different Blu-ray profiles actually mean, check our guide on Blu-ray Profile 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0.

Blu-ray players with BD-Live for less than $300
If you're a little more flexible on price, you'll be able to buy a Profile 2.0 player, which will let you play BD-Live features that are becoming more and more popular on Blu-ray releases. Also at this price level, you'll see players with bonus features such as Netflix streaming.

Blu-ray players with 7.1 audio outputs
If you're using an older non-HDMI receiver, you can still take advantage of the new high-resolution audio soundtracks--Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio--available on Blu-ray. If your receiver has multichannel analog inputs, pair it up with a Blu-ray player with analog outputs to hear the new soundtracks at their full resolution.

Best Blu-ray players list
If money is no object and you just want the best home theater experience, check out our best Blu-ray players list. It rounds up the top players we've reviewed over the year and you'll notice that the PS3 still holds the top spot, as it offers much more functionality (high-def gaming, media streaming) over its competitors. You'll also find the Samsung BD-P2550 on this list, which offers Netflix and Pandora streaming, in addition to great Blu-ray playback thanks to HQV video processing.

More recent Blu-ray coverage
Is Blu-ray becoming a commodity?
Sony claims BD-Live is catching on
PS3 firmware update enables full-screen flash video
Roundup: IR-to-Bluetooth converters that let you control your PS3 with a universal remote

We've certainly been critics of BD-Live in the past, but Sony reports that Blu-ray's interactive platform is catching on. Sony's servers for BD-Live content are coming up on the one million hit mark, according to a report by Video Business, and Sony VP Rich Marty is quoted saying that "consumers are engaging with this game-changing interactivity and are defining BD Live as that killer application." That's in pretty stark contrast to previous reports that industry insiders considered Blu-ray's interactive features to be mostly a let down.

If BD-Live truly is catching on, then we've underestimated the public's desire for slowly loading movie trailers.

While the one million mark is surprising to us, we'd bet that the majority of those visits were made by PS3 owners--rather than more mainstream standalone players--for a few reasons. First, only a fraction of standalone Blu-ray are Profile 2.0 compatible, which is necessary to access BD-Live features. Of those Profile 2.0 players, so far all of them require a wired Ethernet connection to connect to BD-Live features, while the PS3 can connect via Wi-Fi. Lastly, in our experience, even the best standalone Blu-ray players have handled online content clumsily compared to the PS3, which boasts superior processing power. For BD-Live to go mainstream it needs to work on all players, which means Blu-ray hardware makers have to improve the user experience.

While we've often found interactive Blu-ray content to be lacking, we've seen some signs of improvement. The upcoming The Dark Knight Blu-ray disc will feature a BD-Live feature that allows you to create your own picture-in-picture video commentary track and share it. We're also looking forward to seeing Office Space on Blu-ray, which according to The Digital Bits features bonus content such as, "Jump to Conclusions 2.0, Grab the Stapler, Printer Beat-Down, Last Piece of Cake, Whack-a-Drone, Post-It Pandemonium and The Apathy of Man: History Track."

What's your take? Is BD-Live set to take off in 2009? Or will it continue to be more of a gimmick than a useful feature?

(Credit: Amazon)

So far, BD-Live has been a pretty questionable feature overall, and last week's Iron Man mishap only makes matters worse. According to High-Def Digest, BD-Live servers were overwhelmed last week, making it impossible for many customers to access the extra content.

The fact that the BD-Live servers were overwhelmed only emphasizes the fact that most BD-Live features could easily be fit on the Blu-ray Disc, instead of having to download them from the Internet. For example, we loaded up Iron Man this morning on the LG BD300, which uses a standard USB memory stick to save the BD-Live content. Afterward, we checked out how much space the BD300 used on the USB stick--only 13.5 MB. According to Blu-ray Statistics, there is over 2.5 GB of free space left on the Iron Man Blu-ray Disc, which means the feature easily could have fit on the disc. Perhaps future BD-Live features will make sense, but as of now, BD-Live seems like it's a gimmick to sell more discs, while actually making it harder for people to access features.

And if you're one of the unfortunate Iron Man buyers that got shut out of the BD-Live features last week, don't feel too bad. What Paramount is calling a "truly state-of-the art Blu-ray presentation" is merely trivia questions about the movie, with a short clip of the movie played behind them. Our experience on the BD300 was that it was frustratingly slow, but even if it was fast, it didn't seem like much fun. While Internet connectivity is needed for some functions, like comparing scores of downloading future question packs, the initial round of questions could be stored on the disc. We're still waiting for a BD-Live feature that's worthwhile.

(Source: High-Def Digest via Gizmodo)