2009 Holiday Gift Guide: Roku HD-XR Player

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Internet, Women, Techies, Under $100, Under $250

We are kicking off our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide with the Roku HD-XR player. Why? Well, we think that it’s the perfect time to introduce someone to the new hotness that is TV, delivered over the web, and right into the living room. Sure, Netflix has come to the Xbox 360, but if you want streaming access to the Netflix service and don’t own a game console, this is your cheapest barrier to entry. The HD-XR model also gives you access to the Amazon Unbox catalogue, as well as the entire MLB game service as well, if you are subscribed.

Definitely a great gift for movie buffs, the Roku HD-XR player is able to stream over 12,000 movies and television shows from the Netflix Watch Instantly catalogue, and over 45,000 from Amazon Video on Demand. It connects to your home network through an ethernet port, or over Wi-Fi, connecting at up to 802.11n if you have it. There’s also a USB port on back, which Roku says is for future use. Our guess is that they’ll be allowing the device to read from an external USB drive, which would be stellar.

The actual device is tiny, so it takes up barely any space, and setup takes just a couple of minutes - very simple. Of course, a Netflix subscription is required, but once you have that, everything else is a piece of cake.

Honorable Mention: If you want all the features of the Roku HD-XR, but don’t need the USB port or 802.11n wireless speeds, you can grab the Roku HD Player for $99!

Read More | Roku HD-XR

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Xbox LIVE Fall Update: We’ll be previewing Facebook, Twitter, Zune 1080p for you on Monday

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live

We just got word from our friends at Xbox LIVE that we’ll be getting the new Fall 2009 Dashboard Update on Monday, which means we’ll be bringing you a preview and walkthrough of all the upcoming Xbox 360 dashboard features, including Twitter, Facebook, Zune instant-on 1080p movies, Last.fm, and more. For a look at everything we’ll be bringing you on Monday, hit the jump. Now go enjoy your weekend!

Click to continue reading Xbox LIVE Fall Update: We’ll be previewing Facebook, Twitter, Zune 1080p for you on Monday

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James Cameron’s Avatar: New ways for the current 3D fad to bloom?

Posted by Mark Rollins Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies

In case you were asleep on the Internet last week, James Cameron’s long awaited film Avatar just launched its first teaser trailer.  All I can say is “it’s about time,” because I’ve been hearing about Avatar for years. Word is that James Cameron, who hasn’t given us a decent blockbuster since that one with the big sinking ocean liner, had to reinvent cinema technology to give us this 3D science-fiction epic. 

It would appear that Panasonic is getting behind Cameron by helping to promote it by bringing their huge 103-inch screens to locations everywhere to show people the 3D effects.  I got a chance to see Panasonic’s 3D television at CES, and it was quite something. 

All I can say is that Avatar had better be worth this kind of promotion.  If it is the Titanic hit that people believe it will be, than I have no doubt that 3D will soon become the new standard of big blockbuster movies. 

In the meantime, check out the teaser trailer below:

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Disney/Panasonic to offer movies on microSD

Posted by Mark Rollins Categories: Cell Phones, Home Entertainment, Movies

I don’t know about you, but I use my microSD reader just about everyday to retrieve information from my camera, so it stands to reason that movies should be released onto microSDs. 

This is exactly what Disney and Panasonic have teamed up to do.  These will “accompany DVDs that hold similar movie content, giving viewers more options when it comes to viewing their recently purchased movie”. 

So far, plans have been in effect for DVD + microSD bundles of Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure, to be released sometime in November. 

Read More | Reuters

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90 Blu-ray movies with 7.1 surround sound

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Hot Deals, Movies

For you extreme audiophile Blu-ray fans out there, we just came across a great list of movies that include a 7.1 surround sound audio track. If you’ve got a 7.1 speaker setup, you’ll likely find this list to be worth checking out. There are some gems on here (3:10 To Yuma, Pan’s Labyrinth, Weeds,) as well as a few horrible movies (Disaster Movie, Hannah Montana, Witless Protection,) but the common thread here is that all o the currently listed 90 movies hit you with a lossless 7.1 audio track.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Read More | Blu-ray Stats

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Blockbuster Summer Escape Pass

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Hot Deals, Movies, Video Games

Another deal from the ailing company Blockbuster comes in the form of a Summer Escape Pass. Available for a limited time in participating stores, $10.00 plus tax gets you unlimited movies and games. A new one can be purchased the following week and can be acquired at either the retail level or online. This sounds like a great idea for couch potatoes who have a week’s vacation and want to make it a staycation, especially for those who happen to live close to one.

Read More | Blockbuster via PR Newswire

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Submit Shorts to The Hyde Tube

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Movies

Budding filmmakers, there is a new site for you to put up your stuff, the Hyde Tube. Submit live action, animation, 3D and mixed media of no more than 3 minutes under a pseudonym. Their jury will screen to make the final selections. After the process, if an agent or record company likes your stuff, they will contact you. Make the cut and join the best shorts to be shown at screenings in Paris, London and New York with awards to be given out. We have to admit, though, you are going to have some competition.

Read More | The Hyde Tube

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Amazon DVD Trade-In Program

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Hot Deals, Movies

Get rid of some of your old DVDs through Amazon and get a gift certificate. They will accept regular DVDs, HD and Blu-ray movies and TV shows with original container and worth at least $10.00. Shipping is free and your account is credited within a couple of days. Looking at their offer, we found the average price, no matter what format, was about $5.00, depending on age, but some were as low as $2.50. We found a Harry Potter Gift Set, that sells for $112.49, was worth all of $13.50. Still, it will give you the ability to buy a DVD you haven’t seen.

Read More | Amazon Trade-In

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Panasonic Portable DMP-B15K Blu-ray Player

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Portable Audio / Video

Panasonic has released the supposedly first portable Blu-ray Disc Player. The DMP-B15K has an 8.9-inch WSVGA LCD Screen, a PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, 2 1/2 hours battery life, a built-in LAN port and can playback photos. With its signature Viera Cast, it can handle Internet content such as Amazon VOD, YouTube and Google. Nice as the player looks, you might want to wait for the next generation, as the DMP-B15K will set you back $799.99.

Read More | Panasonic

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iRiver B30 PMP Supports DMB

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Movies, Music, Portable Audio / Video

Iriver has released their new B30, a successor to the B20. The PMP has an accelerometer, supports UCI and comes with SRS CS headphones. Other features of the 109.5 x 56.9 x 11.15mm player include a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a battery life of 40 hrs. music, 6 hrs. video and 5.5 hrs. DMB. Compatible with MP3/WMA/OGG/ASF/FLAC/APE audio and AVI/WMV/MP4 video, select white, black or silver in 4/8/16GB (with microSD) at prices starting at $155.00.

Read More | DAP Review

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