Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Microsoft denies latest round of Blu-ray for Xbox 360 rumorshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/microsoft-denies-latest-round-of-blu-ray-for-360-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/microsoft-denies-latest-round-of-blu-ray-for-360-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/microsoft-denies-latest-round-of-blu-ray-for-360-rumors/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Hey there, Blu-box. We suppose you've heard by now that Microsoft has denied your existence yet again? It's true. This time, it told Edge Online, "As we've said before, Microsoft has no plans to introduce an Xbox 360 Blu-ray add-on." Now, now, Blu-box. Don't cry. We know that just yesterday it sounded like you were finally going to get to come out of hiding.

Microsoft doesn't hate you, Blu-box. It's just focused on other things right now. It told Edge that, "Games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles, and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available." That doesn't mean you're not important. Hang in there. You could still possibly be announced at CES in January. So just try not to be so blu about things, 'kay? You can still play lots of cool games between now and then, like Fable 2 and Gears of War 2. Aww, you're smiling again. That's the spirit!

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]]>blu-rayrumorRandy Nelson2008-10-09T18:30:00+00:00Rumorang: Xbox 360 external Blu-ray drive ready, waitinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/rumorang-xbox-360-external-blu-ray-drive-ready-waiting/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/rumorang-xbox-360-external-blu-ray-drive-ready-waiting/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/rumorang-xbox-360-external-blu-ray-drive-ready-waiting/#commentsFiled under: ,

blu-box
Aw, and we were just starting to miss our Blu-box graphic ... Sure enough, after several months of peaceful bliss, here we are again on the verge of an Xbox 360 Blu-ray announcement! Or not. Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp. (not to be confused with plain old "Toshiba Corp.," which is apparently "strictly against Blu-ray") has allegedly been contracted to manufacture an external Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360, reports X-bit labs. The drives are rumored to retail at around $100 to $150 in an attempt to cut into PlayStation 3 sales (combine a $150 drive with the Xbox 360 Arcade, for example, and the total cost would be $350).

X-bit labs speculates Microsoft may launch the external drive this holiday, but with reportedly low sales, Blu-ray could likely wait until a proper CES unveiling. Still, we've got TGS popping off in mere hours and Blu-ray's clock ticking down every day. No time to waste then?

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]]>blu-raybreakingnewsmicrosoftrumorangsamsungtoshibaJames Ransom-Wiley2008-10-08T12:28:00+00:00LittleBigPlanet fills up Blu-ray dischttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/littlebigplanet-fills-up-blu-ray-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/littlebigplanet-fills-up-blu-ray-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/littlebigplanet-fills-up-blu-ray-disc/#commentsFiled under: ,


Anybody who thought that the PSN-friendly nature of LittleBigPlanet meant the game could be offered as a downloadable title will probably dash that dream when they find out the game takes up 40GB. In an interview with GI.biz, developer Alex Evans explains the game will be "filling up" the Blu-ray disc.

Evans explains there's a lot of tutorial content in LittleBigPlanet, narrated by Stephen Fry for English audiences. As we've learned in the past from Heavenly Sword and Ratchet, it's the (uncompressed and/or multi-region) audio that takes up a significant amount of space on the Blu-ray. Evans expresses that thanks to the Blu-ray, file size hasn't been a concern. This loose attitude to size for the disc's contents will not be applied to the player-designed content, however, which Evans says is "relatively compact."

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]]>alex-evansblu-raydlclittlebigplanetmedia-moleculepsnsonyAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-10T16:15:00+00:00Blu-ray has 'five years left' says Samsunghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blu-ray-has-five-years-left-says-samsung/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blu-ray-has-five-years-left-says-samsung/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blu-ray-has-five-years-left-says-samsung/#commentsFiled under: ,

Samsung UK consumer electronics boss Andy Griffiths doesn't see a lengthy lifespan for the Blu-ray format. Speaking to Pocket-lint, he said, "I think it [Blu-ray] has 5 years left, I certainly wouldn't give it 10." 10 years as in the product cycle Sony has mapped out for PS3, which features Blu-ray as a core technology?

Griffiths' prediction could very well be accurate, but consider DVD, a format that is still going strong 12 years after the first player launched in Japan in 1996. To put things in perspective, Blu-ray players only hit the scene two years ago. With adoption of HDTVs continuing at a steady pace and that whole victory over HD-DVD thing, the format (for video, at least) has to have at least six years left in it.

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]]>blu-raysamsungRandy Nelson2008-09-04T20:30:00+00:00Built for Blu-ray: LittleBigPlanet won't have PSN versionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/built-for-blu-ray-littlebigplanet-wont-have-psn-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/built-for-blu-ray-littlebigplanet-wont-have-psn-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/built-for-blu-ray-littlebigplanet-wont-have-psn-version/#commentsFiled under: ,

Despite the fact that Sony has previously listed LittleBigPlanet as a disc-only affair, there continue to be doubters. The crew at Bits Bytes Pixels Sprites decided to end any debate as to whether or not LBP would be a BD and/or PSN release. Being in the northern bit of North America, it rang up Sony's Canadian PR crew, who replied that "The game will be available at retail. The user [generated] content will be available on the PSN." Okay, Canada's covered.

We got in touch with LBP's US PR manager, Scott Goryl, who had this to say: "LittleBigPlanet is a Blu-ray Disc product exclusively for PS3," adding, "LBP will utilize much of PlayStation Network's vast functionality for online and community features, but the game will indeed be distributed as a Blu-ray Disc." Sorry folks, but you'll totally, absolutely, definitely have to tack on the price of gas to that $59.99 as you trudge down to one of those old-fashioned "game stores" to pick it up.

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]]>blu-raylittlebigplanetmedia-moleculepsnsonyRandy Nelson2008-08-15T18:30:00+00:00Carmack: Xbox 360 Rage 'a little blurry,' 'key scenes' same as PS3http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/carmack-xbox-360-rage-a-little-blurry-key-scenes-same-as-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/carmack-xbox-360-rage-a-little-blurry-key-scenes-same-as-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/carmack-xbox-360-rage-a-little-blurry-key-scenes-same-as-p/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

mgs4
How many DVDs does it take to screw in a light bulb? ... Are we talkin' a Mega Texture light bulb that casts penumbra shadowing?

In an update to id Software's data dilemma, John Carmack tells Tom's Games, "We're pretty much resigned to the fact that we're going to make [Rage] fit onto two DVDs on the 360." In other words, Microsoft isn't about to write off the steep royalties that allegedly add up with each additional game disc. The good news is you'll only have to whine for mom to swap your Xbox 360 discs once. The bad news, as headlined last week, is that Rage for Xbox 360 will supposedly look worse than the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray version due to data compression. But how much worse?

"All of the key scenes, the things anyone is going to take a screenshot of are going to look exactly the same on both platforms," Carmack explains. "They'll get the high quality compression. But if you go into some areas in the wasteland, like behind a fence where nobody will typically go and explore, this is where the 360 version may look a little blurry compared to the PS3." We hear id's been sweeping some artifacts under the rug too. And watch out for those jaggies hiding beneath the bed!

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]]>blu-raydvdeaid-softwareid-tech-5john-carmackrageJames Ransom-Wiley2008-08-08T13:45:00+00:00Japanese Advent Children directors cut includes FFXIII demo, will come in new PS3 bundlehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/02/japanese-blu-ray-advent-children-includes-ffxiii-demo-will-come/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/02/japanese-blu-ray-advent-children-includes-ffxiii-demo-will-come/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/02/japanese-blu-ray-advent-children-includes-ffxiii-demo-will-come/#commentsFiled under: ,


Are you itching to get your hands on the much anticipated (and highly controversial) Final Fantasy XIII, yet you're not hip enough to get invited to Square Enix's exclusive soirees? If you live in Japan, your first chance to overcome your wicked triskaidekaphobia will come in the form of a FFXIII demo, packaged with the Blu-ray directors cut of the CGI feature film, Final Fantasy: Advent Children. You know, the Buscemi-less CGI Final Fantasy movie.

Square Enix revealed both film (titled Advent Children Complete) and demo at their DKΣ3713 event, with a Japanese release date of March 2009. The demo will also include video previews of Final Fantasy Agito XIII and Versus XIII (which they took care to mention is still a PS3 exclusive). Squeenix also announced a new PS3 SKU that will include the Blu-ray directors cut. What they didn't announce, however, was the American release date of the film -- and whether the demo and bundle will even make it to American shores.

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]]>advent-childrenblu-raybundledemodirectors-cutfinal-fantasy-agito-xiiifinal-fantasy-versus-xiiifinal-fantasy-xiiiPS3square-enixGriffin McElroy2008-08-02T18:00:00+00:00Re-animated: Dead Space movie cels itself via trailerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/re-animated-dead-space-movie-cels-itself-via-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/re-animated-dead-space-movie-cels-itself-via-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/re-animated-dead-space-movie-cels-itself-via-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We know what you're thinking, and we're right there with you. The absolute best way to capture the intense horror and gore of EA's upcoming Dead Space for a direct-to-DVD (and Blu-ray) movie is with a cartoon. Oh, that wasn't what you were thinking? C'mon - as if the age gate on this trailer for the flick wasn't enough indication, it's not exactly a kid-friendly affair. No sir. It's nice and gory (as gory as cel animation can get, at least).

Set for release on October 28 (hey, that's right around when the game's hitting ... coincidence?) the film follows the events that occurred on the mining ship Ishimura (the game's setting, in case you're just joining us) and the planet it's lifelessly orbiting (and why it's orbiting said planet lifelessly) before the outset of the game. Think of it kind of like Enter the Matrix in reverse. On second thought, don't think about Enter the Matrix.

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]]>animationblu-raydead-spacedvdelectronic-artshorrorRandy Nelson2008-07-24T16:45:00+00:00Pioneer develops 16-layer, 400GB Blu-ray dischttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/pioneer-develops-16-layer-400gb-blu-ray-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/pioneer-develops-16-layer-400gb-blu-ray-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/pioneer-develops-16-layer-400gb-blu-ray-disc/#commentsFiled under:

Dual-layer Blu-ray discs are so 2006. The new hotness is Pioneer's just-developed, 16-layer Blu-ray disc (pictured above) with a whopping 400GB of writable storage space. For reference, that disc could hold roughly eight copies of Metal Gear Solid 4, 187 copies of Final Fantasy VII, or 1.25 million copies of the original Super Mario Bros.

The new discs require a special "wide-range spherical aberration compensator and light-receiving element" to detect the weaker laser signal, so don't plan on sticking one of these data-bloated monstrosities into your existing PS3. That said, the next generation of game consoles could support this new disc system, which is fully backward-compatible with existing Blu-ray discs. Of course, by the next generation, game systems might not be using optical discs at all, so who knows what the future will hold.

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]]>blu-raydata-storagediscoptical-discPioneerPS3SonystoragetechnologyKyle Orland2008-07-07T21:30:00+00:00Microsoft's Bach tamps down Blu-ray Xbox rumorshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/microsofts-bach-tamps-down-blu-ray-xbox-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/microsofts-bach-tamps-down-blu-ray-xbox-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/microsofts-bach-tamps-down-blu-ray-xbox-rumors/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Well, it's tomorrow, and despite yesterday's rumor that Microsoft would be announcing a Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360 today (that's yesterday's tomorrow, for those of you confused by that first clause), so far we've so far heard bupkis. In fact, we've heard less than bupkis if you take into account the San Francisco Chronicle interview with Robbie Bach, in which the Microsoft Entertainment & Devices president downplays disc-based movie formats and stresses Microsoft's HD video downloads.

"Xbox 360 has a great ability to deliver [high-definition experience] through the Xbox Live (online download) service," Bach said. "It's a great way to get the high-definition concept because it's right there. There's no additional media. There is nothing you need to purchase ... You have to look at how fundamentally compelling the difference is between a progressive scan DVD player and the picture that it can produce and what you get on a high-definition player. The reality is there is some difference, but most people look at it and say, 'I am not going to pay extra for that.'"

The full interview also includes Bach's thoughts on in-game ads, the next-next-gen Xbox, and motion-sensitive controllers. Check it out.

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]]>blu-raybreakingnewshd-dvdhigh-defmicrosoftrobbie-bachrumorxbox360Kyle Orland2008-06-09T12:00:00+00:00Rumor: Microsoft to announce Blu-ray 360 tomorrowhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rumor-microsoft-to-announce-blu-ray-360-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rumor-microsoft-to-announce-blu-ray-360-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rumor-microsoft-to-announce-blu-ray-360-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under:


Tech blog CrunchGear is reporting that an inside source at Microsoft who was a former member of the company's HD-DVD department has confirmed that the company will announce that the "Xbox 360 will get Blu-ray before Christmas" via a press release set to go out at 9 a.m. PDT. Details about the supposed system are slim, though the tipster confirmed that the new model will cost less than an Elite model ($449.99).

The announcement is supposed to drop one hour before the opening of the Worldwide Developer's Conference in order to steal the spotlight from Apple's annual event. Kind of a bizarre move on Microsoft's part -- we doubt announcing a new model of your gaming console will overshadow an entire conference-worth of Apple-related news stories. As per usual with rumors (especially ones involving Blu-ray 360s), we'll keep our standard level of skepticism at heart as we refresh our mailboxes tomorrow morning.

[Via X3F]

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]]>appleblu-raybreakingnewsrumorworldwide-developers-conferencewwdcxbox360Griffin McElroy2008-06-08T15:00:00+00:00PlayStation boss: making PS3 non-exclusives more 'exclusive'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/playstation-boss-making-ps3-non-exclusives-more-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/playstation-boss-making-ps3-non-exclusives-more-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/playstation-boss-making-ps3-non-exclusives-more-exclusive/#commentsFiled under: ,

The UK's "semi-official" PlayStation blog, ThreeSpeech, has posted up an interview with SCEI head honcho Kaz Hirai, covering a range of topics including those little things that make a console stand out to consumers: exclusive games.

Hirai says it's no longer a question of paying publishers for exclusives, but rather whether third-parties can afford to release a game on only one platform, period. Sony's role, according to Hirai, is to work with publishers to make the PS3 releases of their games "more compelling for the consumers than any other version." Hirai says that Blu-ray Disc is the key to this, since its capacity for huge amounts of data makes it perfectly suited for movie-style bonus features and "maybe additional levels."

With third-parties "going wide" with their biggest releases, Hirari believes that internal dev teams will play a pivotal role in defining the overall PlayStation experience with "envelope-pushing, genre-defining content." Bring it on, Kaz.

[Via The Escapist]

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]]>blu-raykazhiraiplaystation3ps3Randy Nelson2008-06-03T18:25:00+00:00Microsoft denies Blu-ray Xbox 360 for umpteenth timehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/microsoft-denies-blu-ray-xbox-360-for-umpteenth-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/microsoft-denies-blu-ray-xbox-360-for-umpteenth-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/microsoft-denies-blu-ray-xbox-360-for-umpteenth-time/#commentsFiled under: ,


We've absolutely lost count of how many times Microsoft has had to deny rumors of an Xbox 360 with Blu-ray drive, but here's another one. Following a resurgence in the rumor last week, GamePro was told today by a Microsoft official that the company continues to have no plans of introducing a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360.

The statement goes on to say that "games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles, and [Microsoft] remains focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available." OK, that's good and all, but if the Blu-ray thing is out, could the NetfliXbox 360 idea still be on the table?

[Via Engadget]

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]]>blu-raymicrosoftnetflixAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-05T17:25:00+00:00Rumorang: Xbox 360 Blu-ray console shipping Q3http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/rumorang-xbox-360-blu-ray-console-shipping-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/rumorang-xbox-360-blu-ray-console-shipping-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/rumorang-xbox-360-blu-ray-console-shipping-q3/#commentsFiled under:


Here we go again! This time around we've got the Chinese-language Economic Daily News reporting that Pegatron (an OEM subsidiary of Asus that handles "motherboard and component OEM manufacturing") has been tapped to assemble "Xbox 360 consoles equipped with a Blu-ray Disc ROM drive." The admittedly unreliable language indicates an internal drive as opposed to another external attachment but, with shipments expected to begin in Q3 of this year, we'll now soon enough: internal or external; true or false.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>AsusBlu-rayRumorChristopher Grant2008-05-02T09:54:00+00:00Rumorang: Lite-On not manufacturing Xbox 360 Blu-ray drives, Microsoft insistshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumorang-lite-on-not-manufacturing-xbox-360-blu-ray-drives-mic/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumorang-lite-on-not-manufacturing-xbox-360-blu-ray-drives-mic/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumorang-lite-on-not-manufacturing-xbox-360-blu-ray-drives-mic/#commentsFiled under: ,

boring, old white
Microsoft has again flipped the 'light off' on the glowing promise of Blu-ray for Xbox 360. Of the latest reports spread from Digitimes that Lite-On would begin shipping Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360 later this year, Microsoft told Techradar: "Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360. As we have stated, games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster game available."

Additionally, Microsoft used its swift denial as an opportunity to plug Xbox 360's Video Marketplace, saying, "For our customers who want a premium movie experience we offer the largest library of on-demand HD content available" ... and oh, don't forget, a budget-priced HD-DVD player! (While supplies last.)

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]]>blu-raylite-onrumorangJames Ransom-Wiley2008-04-02T18:30:00+00:00Rumor: Blu-ray in Xbox 360 could start a price warhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumor-blu-ray-in-xbox-360-could-start-a-price-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumor-blu-ray-in-xbox-360-could-start-a-price-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/rumor-blu-ray-in-xbox-360-could-start-a-price-war/#commentsFiled under: ,


[Update: Sounds like Microsoft still isn't having any of this "Blu-ray on Xbox 360" nonsense, despite the ever-churning rumor mill's insistence to the contrary. In a prepared statement, Microsoft stated (rather unequivocally we must say), "No. Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360." Speculation over? Something tells us that's unlikely.]

If you believe yesterday's rumor from Digitimes that Microsft is looking to integrate a Blu-ray drive into future revisions of the Xbox 360 console, then you'll want to hear their followup: their source claims that "Sony, as a main global producer of BD-ROM pick-up heads, may decide to combat the market competition by selectively reducing the supply of key BD-ROM components to OEM makers partnering with Microsoft on the new Xbox 360 drives."

What does this mean? Since the BD-ROM drives are roughly $95-100 "according to industry sources," and since the current DVD-ROM drives in the Xbox 360 are only $18-20, Microsoft would ostensibly be selling the console at a loss or risk selling a Blu-ray equipped 360 for more than a PlayStation 3. (Here, we'll do the math for you: $350 Xbox 360 Pro + $80 price delta > $400 PS3). So what happens if Sony jacks prices or withholds components, making that margin even less palatable to Microsoft? We're really not sure ... competition is always good for consumers, but Sony controlling the means of production is certainly an x-factor. Oh yeah, that is if Blu-ray is coming to Xbox 360 at all.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>Blu-rayChristopher Grant2008-04-02T14:58:00+00:00Rumor: Lite-On bringing Blu-ray drives to 360http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/rumor-lite-on-bringing-blu-ray-drives-to-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/rumor-lite-on-bringing-blu-ray-drives-to-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/rumor-lite-on-bringing-blu-ray-drives-to-360/#commentsFiled under:


We're beginning to get a little dizzy amidst all this tête-à-tête action between Microsoft and Sony regarding the Blu-ray format. Sony says Microsoft's building a Blu-ray drive, Microsoft says it's not. MS CEO Steve Ballmer says the company's thinking about it, then another MS exec says disc technology's on its way out. Now, Digitimes is reporting that manufacturer Lite-On IT is amidst development of Blu-ray drives for the Xbox 360, to be included in future iterations of the 360 hardware.

According to Digitimes' sources, the BD-ROM drives are due to ship out to Microsoft in the second half of this year. Lite-On has previously developed internal DVD-ROM drives for the Xbox 360, leading us to believe that Microsoft may plan to include internal BD-ROM drives in future 360 iterations (such as those including the Jasper, Opus and Valhalla chipsets). No need to fear, however: Such an inclusion would likely be solely for Blu-ray disc playback, and not for Xbox 360 games pressed on BD-ROMS (we hope).

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]]>blu-raylite-onmicrosoftsonyScott Jon Siegel2008-04-01T13:00:00+00:00PS3 firmware 2.20 available nowhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ps3-firmware-2-20-available-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ps3-firmware-2-20-available-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ps3-firmware-2-20-available-now/#commentsFiled under:


Tired of your Blu-ray copies of Saw IV and War not pulling their own weight? Good news: You can now force them to give up all of their BD-Live downloadable treasures via a new update to the PS3 that went live last night: Version 2.20. Go, download away, see all the secrets they have to reveal! And then go buy some better movies.

If you've got more discerning theatrical tastes, the update offers other benefits like the ability to play bigger DivX files, Remote Play music with the PSP and Mosquito Noise Reduction (and just in time, too, the eternal flapping of their wings has become maddening). See what else you're getting right here.

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]]>bd-liveblu-rayfirmwareps3-firmwareJustin McElroy2008-03-25T09:00:00+00:00US Trade Commission investigates Blu-ray patenthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/us-trade-commission-investigates-blu-ray-patent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/us-trade-commission-investigates-blu-ray-patent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/us-trade-commission-investigates-blu-ray-patent/#commentsFiled under: ,

While we hear Sony has kept the party going non-stop since HD DVD's demise, the US International Trade Commission has stepped in as the role of the party pooper. Gertrude Neumark Rothschild, a former Columbia University professor, has filed a complaint with the ITC over what she says is infringement for patent she owns on certain light-emitting and laser diodes contained in Blu-ray players and other electronics.

The commission has voted to investigate the claim, though they have "not yet made any decision on the merits of the case." Rothschild's complaint lists over 30 companies, including Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and Nokia.

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]]>blu-raydiodelawlawsuitpatentRoss Miller2008-03-24T10:30:00+00:00New PS3 firmware to add Blu-ray Profile 2.0 supporthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/ps3-firmware-2-20-to-add-blu-ray-profile-2-0-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/ps3-firmware-2-20-to-add-blu-ray-profile-2-0-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/ps3-firmware-2-20-to-add-blu-ray-profile-2-0-support/#commentsFiled under:

Sony has announced that an upcoming PlayStation 3 firmware update will enhance the system's Blu-ray playback capabilities. Tucked into firmware update 2.20 will be support for Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0, otherwise labeled as BD-Live. The feature enables certain Blu-ray movies to connect to the internet and enable download additional interactive content -- movie DLC, if you will. Sony notes that the update will make the PlayStation 3 the first BD-Live Blu-ray player on the market. Oh, sorry, the PLAYSTATION 3.

Other enhancements included in firmware 2.20:
  • Music and photo playlists can be exported from the PS3 to the PSP.
  • DivX and WMV files larger than 2GB can be played.
  • DVDs and Blu-rays will resume playback from the moment you last stopped them.
  • The PSP can be used as a remote control to play music on the PS3.
  • The web browser will feature faster page loading times and the ability to save linked files and stream linked videos.
  • "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added to the AV control panel for Blu-rays and DVDs.
The update will make its way onto the PlayStation Network "in the next few days."

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]]>BD-LiveBlu-rayBreakingNewsPS3-FirmwarePS3firmwarePSNLudwig Kietzmann2008-03-20T08:00:00+00:00