Why did it take take Blu-ray two years to catch up to HD DVD?
(Credit: Amazon)Universal is set to roll out the first Blu-ray/DVD "flipper discs"--a single, dual-sided disc that contains Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. The "Bourne" trilogy ("Identity," "Supremacy," "Ultimatum") will be the first movies to get the dual-sided treatment, with all three discs coming out on January 19.
The flipper discs are a good idea, as one of the biggest drawbacks to Blu-ray is that new movies you buy can't be played in DVD players. That loss of flexibility can be a real pain in locations other than your home theater (car, plane, bedroom), where you probably haven't upgraded to Blu-ray yet.
On the other hand, the flipper discs aren't quite as attractive an option as the increasingly popular Blu-ray-DVD combo packages that include separate discs for both formats. Overall, Blu-ray-DVD combo packages offer more value--you do get two discs to take anywhere you like. The only advantage flipper discs might have is if they can drive down the price of the movies.
HD DVD fanboys (somehow they still exist) will also be quick to point out that this is hardly new technology. HD DVD/DVD combo discs were around back in 2007; in that sense, it's unbelievable that it took Blu-ray this long to get onboard with a good idea.
With God of War III coming in March 2010, Sony and Santa Monica Studios are set to release both original God of War games on a single Blu-ray disc for the PlayStation 3 this month. Packed with a high-definition upgrade and smooth 60-frames-per-second performance, the God of War Collection will also include a voucher for the E3 2009 God of War III demo.
We spoke with John Hight, Director of Product Development for Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, at Santa Monica Studio to find out what else we can expect from the game.
JB: Why should someone who maybe has played both original God of War titles for the PS2 want to pick up the Collection?
JH: For the same reason you watch a favorite movie or listen to a favorite song. These are epic, well-crafted games that stand the test of time. Seeing these moments in HD makes the memory that much more real.
JB: What advantages does Blu-ray provide?
JH: With Blu-ray, we were able to place both games and the bonus video content on a single disc.
JB: Is there any new content in these games?
JH: We've added PlayStation Network Trophy support so you can compare progress with your friends and see how you measure up to Kratos' high standards for combat and exploration.
JB: Are there any other technical improvements we'll see in the Collection besides anti-aliasing and 60fps?
JH: We "up-rezzed" some of the textures and the user interface to match the higher resolution of the models and environments.
JB: The original God of War games were praised for their great control and gameplay mechanics. Was it difficult to preserve that experience during the revamping of the games?
JH: You'll find these games faithful to the originals in every respect. The extra horsepower of the PS3 allowed us to keep both games at a consistent 60fps. Most people may not notice, but it improves the responsiveness.
JB: And a follow-up to the above: was there anything being considered for the Collection that was taken out because it compromised the feeling of the original games?
JH: We had a few requests to go in and tweak the difficulty of some areas but decided against changing things--why mess with success?
God of War Collection is set for release on November 17. Check back then for our final thoughts on the game!
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They said it couldn't be done, but we managed to fit an entire Family in our 12 foot by 12 foot studio; and besides, The 404 Podcast has never been that great at following orders. Today's episode welcomes Vanessa, Joe, Sebastian, James, Christina, and Brent from the band Family of the Year, who submit themselves to a chat about their new EP Where's the Sun, new music marketing 2.0, Bogie Ogretrons, which band member has the longest legs, and what it's like to share a shower with six other people in a tiny RV touring across the country.
The band also brought a couple guitars and a shaker for a good old-fashioned in-studio performance! They play two songs on today's show, including "No Good for Nothing" (download live recording) and a track called "Stupid Land" (download live recording) off their forthcoming LP. You can also preview all of their songs on their MySpace, but if you like what you hear you can support by the band by downloading the tracks (sliding scale donation) or by purchasing a physical album that features custom artwork. Being the mixed-media artists that they are, Family of the Year is also currently offering custom-made postcards that they'll send you from the road! From the band's description of their humble RV, it sounds like every little bit helps!
The band is also impressively tech-savvy and offers several ways for fans to interact with them; in addition to their mailing list on the Web site and MySpace page, you can also follow them on Twitter or fan them on Facebook. They're currently in town promoting the new EP and playing a series of shows for the CMJ Music Festival, so be sure to go and show your support!
EPISODE 448
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A quick sneak peek at Dell's new Adamo design.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)At a press conference to show off new licensed laptop lid designs from Major League Baseball and nail polish brand OPI, Dell teased the audience with a brief peek at the new design for its high-end Adamo laptop.
The system, purported to be only 9.99 millimeters thick, was previously hinted at with a single-shot teaser Web site launched by Dell in September. This time around, Dell VP Alex Gruzen pulled one of the new Adamo systems from a laptop sleeve and, keeping the lid closed, held it aloft for a few seconds before handing it off to be spirited away.
Also onhand were two new partnerships for customizable laptop lids on Dell systems. The Dell Design Studio will offer MLB designs for all 30 teams, with "Fan, Classic, and Die-Hard" versions available. Concurrently, OPI, a leading nail lacquer brand, will offer "26 exciting, high-style OPI fashion shades," as laptop lid design options. On top of that, Dell is adding another 80 designs from artists from around the world to the options available when customizing a laptop.
In keeping with Dell's current premiums for custom lids on most of its laptops, these new designs add $85 to the cost. Basic single-color lids are still an extra $40.
We managed to snap a few photos of the elusive new Adamo's brief appearance--check them out in the gallery below.
Today's guest on The 404 Podcast is The Paper Raincoat, a local band of the "experimental rock ambition" genre, as Jeff calls it. Amber Rubarth and Alex Wong have both garnered musical recognition for their individual acts, but only recently came together to form The Paper Raincoat. The release of their first EP, Safe in the Sound, ushered in an international fan following and an impressive list of accomplishments, including the iTunes Indie Artist Spotlight. We're very excited to have them in the studio with us today, and they come bearing instruments for a live acoustic show!
(Credit:
The Paper Raincoat)
As we talk to more bands, we're starting to understand the long process of dreaming, writing, playing, and touring with your music in the current music business scene. With outlets like Facebook, Myspace, Last.FM, and many more, artists can easily cast a wide net over an audience that would normally require a major label contract to reach. We talk with The Paper Raincoat about the naming of the band, their recording process, their fantastic DIY album art, and their upcoming tour.
In case you haven't figured it out by now, there are a million places to stream their music live, but the best thing you can do to show your support is to preorder a CD. One-hundred percent of the preorder money will go to printing the record, and you can pick between three packages, the highest of which lands you a limited edition CD, two signed posters, a T-shirt, and a custom USB wristband drive with a personalized video "thank you" and exclusive video content from the band. In the meantime, you can also follow the band on Twitter, attend their CD release party at Joe's Pub in NYC, and download their brand new song, "Right Angles."
EPISODE 434
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Even though consumers are flocking toward low-price Netbooks and other budget-friendly laptops, there's still room for the latest and greatest technology in Dell's lineup. The company is introducing three systems that use Intel's new high-end mobile Core i7 CPU (four, if you count the new Alienware m15x).
Here are spec details on the newly revamped 15-, 16- and 17-inch systems from Dell, featuring the 1.6GHz Intel Core i7 720QM.
Dell's Studio 17
(Credit: Dell)- Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz
- Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)--eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
- 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650
- 4GB shared dual-channel DDR3 at 1,066MHz
- 250GB 7,200rpm hard drive
- Slot load CD/DVD writer (DVD+/-RW)
- 17.3-inch HD+ (1,600x900) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP Webcam
- JBL-branded 2.1 audio solution with subwoofer
- Full-size keyboard with separate keypad
- 9-cell battery
- Black chainlink exterior color
Dell's Studio 15
(Credit: Dell)- Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz
- Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)--eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
- 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
- 4GB shared dual-channel DDR2 at 800MHz
- 250GB 7,200rpm hard drive
- Slot load CD/DVD writer (DVD+/-RW)
- 15.6-inch HD (1,366x768) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP Webcam
- 6-cell battery
- Black chainlink exterior color
Update: Dell original told us it was waiting until Thursday to reveal the third Core i7 laptop. However, the info is already widely available online, so here's the Core i7 version of the XPS Studio 16:
Dell's Studio XPS 16
- Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz
- Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)--eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
- 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670
- 4GB shared dual-channel DDR3 at 1,067MHz
- 250GB 7,200rpm hard drive
- Slot load CD/DVD writer (DVD+/-RW)
- 15.6-inch HD+ (1,600x900) edge-to-edge WLED display
- Built-in 2.0MP Webcam and facial recognition security software
- 7-watt audio solution with subwoofer
- Full-size backlit keyboard
- 9-cell Battery
- Obsidian black high gloss finish exterior
(Credit:
HP)
We said we noticed a recent trend of better-resolution HD screens showing up in Netbooks, and we like the direction. HP apparently does too, as its newly announced HP Mini 311 includes an 11.6-inch 1,366x768 pixel screen, a resolution that's standard in most laptops but not in most Netbooks. The extra pixel real estate is backed by an Nvidia Ion GPU--the same elusive processor we've been eagerly waiting to try but has been delayed in products such as the Lenovo IdeaPad S12.
The combination of the Nvidia Ion and an Intel Atom N270 processor should help push the Mini 311 to display 720p HD movies, and according to HP, it'll also output 1080p via its HDMI-out port. Other than the Ion and the higher-def screen, other details are mostly Netbook standard--although, in addition to the screen, the Ion, and the HDMI, the Mini 311's 1GB RAM is a speedier DDR3 instead of DDR2.
At a price of $399, it's also a really good deal for a Netbook. We already liked HP's Netbook line before this, but the Mini 311 could be something special (although it does lack 802.11n and Bluetooth). It comes in black and white.
- Mini 311 specs:
- 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270
- Nvidia Ion LE graphics
- 160GB 5400rpm HDD
- 1GB DDR3 RAM
- 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
- Altec Lansing speakers
- 3 USB 2.0 ports
- HDMI
The HP Mini 110's subtle patterns.
(Credit: HP)And, in other Netbook news, HP is releasing a more stylish Mini 110 with a design by Studio Tord Boontje, featuring white-on-white layers of flower and plant patterns. It's nice too, but we're a little more excited about the Mini 311.
The perfect Inspiron redesign?
(Credit: Dell Singapore)
Have you been looking for new, sleeker Dells on the imminent fall horizon? Perhaps you'd better pay attention to Singapore. Eyes on the Web spotted that Dell's Singapore site has the Inspiron 13 in a new redesign, featuring a look that seems more like a Dell Studio.
What this amounts to is an affordable Dell with good looks in a package that's decently priced, at least in the Singapore conversion rate (it amounts to a little less than $1,000).
It's a big shift from the current Inspiron, which has a pretty bland look to it, relatively speaking. While the specs are similar in the new Inspiron 13 (a shift to the Intel GMA X4500MHD instead of the Intel GMA X3100 is one of the few notable changes), HDMI and a 1366x768 LED screen are also included.
Would this be the upgrade you're looking for? If so, there might be an announcement in store sometime soon.
(Via Engadget)
The My Book Studio II.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)A while ago, Western Digital announced new lines of My Book single volume external hard drives that offer 2TB of storage. It was only a matter of time before the company introduced its new dual-drive My Book Studio Edition II external hard drive with 4TB of storage.
The new drive, like its previous versions, is designed to work with Mac computers and comes with most connection options found in an external hard drive. The My Book Studio Edition II comes with USB 2.0, FireWire, and eSATA and is preformatted for Macs and compatible with Time Machine, the automatic backup solution of OS 10.5 or later.
The My Book Studio Edition II's internal hard drives are configured in RAID 0, which offers high performance and a large amount of storage. There's a catch though, with this configuration: if one of the hard drives fails, you'll also lose data on the other drive. WD is, however, very sure about its product and back the My Book Studio Edition II with a generous five-year warranty. The warranty, of course, only covers the hardware, not the data stored on it.
For this reason, the external drive works better as a backup drive or a drive that contains data backed up somewhere else. According to Western Digital, thanks to its performance, the My Book Studio Edition II is best used for video and photo-editing work.
The two internal hard drives (2TB each) used in the My Book Studio Edition II are the WD's GreenPower drives that use less energy than other hard drives and offer quiet performance. The My Book design includes a nice storage gauge to show how much storage space has been occupied. The chassis can be opened in a snap, making servicing or replacing the internal hard drives an easy job. You can only use WD's GreenPower hard drives with the My Book Studio Edition II.
The My Book Studio Edition II is available now for an estimated $650.
(Credit:
Dell)
Targeted largely at students, Dell's new Studio 14z laptop was quietly announced this morning. Part of the upscale but affordable Studio line, which brings in design elements from Dell's high-end XPS laptops, the Studio 14z is thin and light for a 14-inch system, starting at 4.5 pounds and from .76-1.2-inches thick (the body is slightly tapered). Helping it shave away the extra millimeters is an LED display and the lack of an internal optical drive. Dell calls it, "a homework-busting system by day and an entertainment powerhouse by night."
In a press release, Dell says the 14z is good for consumers who, "want a slim, easy-to-carry laptop and like the choice of a larger hard drive over an optical drive," making an obvious distinction between this model, with drives up to 500GB, and smaller Netbook, CULV, and super-slim 13-inch models that usually have relatively small hard drives.
(Credit:
Dell)
Also new is a LoJack-like service called Failsafe Theft Protection, where victims of a laptop snatching can track their machine when it goes online, and even order files to be deleted remotely. Facial recognition login software is also included.
We're more excited about Nvidia's GeForce 9400 GPU, the same as found in current 13-inch MacBooks, and our favorite low-cost way to get decent gaming performance and smooth 1080p HD video playback in a laptop.
Available colors are Black Chain Link, Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Plum Purple, Ruby Red and Promise Pink, and the system is available now, starting at $649.
