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Archive of entries posted on September 2008
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Dell begins pre-loading movies on new PCs

30 September 2008, 6:56 pm

Dell begins pre-loading movies on new PCsPC giant Dell has announced that it will begin pre-loading movies on some of its new PCs.

Beginning with the blockbuster hit Iron Man, Inspiron 1525 notebooks and XPS 420/630 can optionally have a digital copy already installed on the PC when you purchase it. The digital copy will also come with bonus special features.

The company says you cannot burn the copies to DVD but you can share them around a network using a Windows Media Extender such as the Xbox 360.

Dell says it will have titles from all studios but will focus only on blockbusters or classic movies rather than offer an entire catalog. The optional digital copy will be priced at $20 USD like its DVD counterpart but there was no word on whether that is standard pricing.

There was no technical details available about the digital copy but it will most likely have over 4000Kbs video bitrate and at least 192Kbs audio bitrate, just as most digital copies have now.

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RealNetworks sues Hollywood over RealDVD

30 September 2008, 6:32 pm

RealNetworks sues Hollywood over RealDVDEarlier this month we reported that a legal DVD ripping application was coming from RealNetworks by the end of the month.

The software, RealDVD, has now successfully launched today and with the launch RealNetworks has also announced they have filed a lawsuit against the major Hollywood studios hoping to have the court rule that the program “fully complies with the DVD Copy Control Association’s license agreement.”

The suit names the DVD Copy Control Association, Inc., Disney, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox among others.

RealNetworks claims that the software “allows consumers to securely store, manage and play their DVDs on their computers” and “does not enable users to distribute copies of their DVDs.” It also mentions that RealDVD adds another layer of DRM to the ripped movies which makes it much harder to move to films off the computer that has the program installed.

“We are disappointed that the movie industry is following in the footsteps of the music industry and trying to shut down advances in technology rather than embracing changes that provide consumers with more value and flexibility for their purchases,” RealNetworks said in a statement. “For nearly 15 years RealNetworks has created innovative products that are fully legal, great for consumers, and respectful of the legitimate interests of content creators and rights holders. RealDVD follows in that tradition. We expect to successfully defend our right to make RealDVD available to consumers and consumers’ rights to use it.”

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Xbox 360 outselling PS3 two-to-one, says Microsoft

30 September 2008, 5:57 pm

Xbox 360 outselling PS3 two-to-one, says MicrosoftMicrosoft has made a statement saying that since they cut the price across the board for their Xbox 360 console, the system has been outselling its rival, the Sony PlayStation 3, by a two-to-one ratio.

Figures from Chart Track seem to back up that statement, saying sale are up 215 percent since the price cut was announced in Europe.

“This data shows that the Xbox 360 trajectory continues upwards, and not just in the UK,” added Chris Lewis, VP of Xbox in Europe.

“We’ve seen uplift in all countries in Europe and are confident that even at this rate of growth we can keep retail satisfied with a steady supply of consoles throughout the Christmas season.”

The company did not however, go into detailed units sales for the last month.

“Our commitment to continuously improving and innovating new content, our new high-profile marketing campaign and the fact that we’re now the best-value next-gen console on the market with an entry-level ERP of GBP 129.99 combine to make Xbox 360 the right blend of gaming and wider experiences at the right price to offer unparalleled entertainment for everyone. And these figures prove it,” finsished Lewis.

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Dell S1909WX And S1709W LCD Screens

30 September 2008, 5:49 pm

Dell today rolled out their new entry level LCD screens in the form of the 19-inch S1909WX and the 17-inch S1709W. Both LCDs provide 16:10 ratio, 1440×900 resolution and a detachable stand that allows users to use a VESA mount for display arms or walls. The Dell S1909WX boasts a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300cd/m2 brightness, [...]

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‘Jasper’ Xbox 360s begin shipping?

30 September 2008, 5:21 pm

'Jasper' Xbox 360s begin shipping?According to the Xbox 360 DVD Drive Database, the new ‘Jasper’ Xbox 360s have begun shipping as of August in the UK and in the US.

The ‘Jasper’ hardware revision is the shrinking of the CPU from a 90nm chip to a 65nm chip which the company hopes will keep the system cooler and significantly reduce the now infamous ‘red ring of death’, the sign that your 360 needs to be replaced.

Overall, Microsoft has spent $1 billion USD in replacing 360s that have failed (mainly from overheating) which has dipped into profits the software maker is making on the console.

The database says the Arcade model is shipping with the Jasper revisions in the UK, the US and other countries around Europe. A new update marked this week shows the Elite model shipping to the US with the Jasper revisions.

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USB Volcano is useless, no sacrifices, no virgins

30 September 2008, 4:55 pm

We’ve seen our share of useless gadgets, no question about it. They don’t get more useless then the USB volcano. I mean, they could have done something cool with this. How about a little diorama with some ancient civilization dropping a virgin or two into the thing? What about making it a real lava spewer(Okay, [...]

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New Nintendo hardware spotted in pedometer form

30 September 2008, 4:40 pm

Nintendo has stated that it doesn’t plan to release “a whole lot more” accessories for the Wii. Most of us take that to mean that there is at least something coming, but is this that something? The images come from some European trademark registry site with very little detail, but it’s some kind of [...]

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Feeding Nemo: Sega Toys’ handheld aquarium

30 September 2008, 4:18 pm

This device looks like a Wiimote and an iPod collided at seaworld. It’s a toy that’s similar to the Tamogotchi toys, but in this case it features a fish in an aquarium that is displayed on the screen. Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to take care of it so that it [...]

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Firefly introduces new kid friendly phones

30 September 2008, 4:13 pm

With everything kids have going on today, it’s often easier to get them a cell phone so you can keep in touch at all times. Even young kids age five and up use cell phones today. They are a great way for parents to know where the kids are, even if they are just down [...]

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GPS Golf Guru goes color

30 September 2008, 4:03 pm

I have never understood the appeal of golfing myself and have never been to a real golf course. I take my kids to play put-put on occasion and typically, my 7-year-old beats me. As close as I care to get to a real game of golf is on the Wii.
For those of you who like [...]

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