With Toshiba slipping out of their mourning clothes and readying a Blu-ray player, it seemed as good a time as any to check whether their erstwhile HD-DVD partner Microsoft had reconsidered their “no Blu-ray for Xbox 360!” attitude. Unfortunately, when TeamXBox asked them if such a peripheral might be in the works, the response was a definite no; according to Microsoft, instant downloads and streaming content are far preferable to a physical disc.
Full Microsoft Blu-ray statement after the cut
Sony has announced three brand new Blu-ray players today that are sure to capture the attention of the high-end market. First up is the BDP-CX960 MegaChanger, which can actually hold up to 400 Blu-ray titles at one time.
It’s not just HP’s blunt-edged Mini 5101 netbook that has gone on sale today; the ProBook 4310s ultraportable is also a débutante to HP’s online store. Packing a choice of Core 2 Duo processors, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and a choice of hard-drives up to 500GB, the ProBook 4310s has a 13.3-inch HD display and starts from $779.
Fast & Furious and finger-friendly? Universal Studios have revealed that the Blu-ray special edition version of the film Fast & Furious will be accompanied by an iPhone and iPod touch app that allows viewers to navigate a virtual garage on their big-screen TV. The software, which will be distributed free through the App Store, takes advantage of Blu-ray Profile 2.0.
How long is an appropriate period of mourning before you move on? If you’re Toshiba, and you’ve been mourning the failure of HD-DVD, the answer is apparently seventeen months: according to Japanese paper Yomiuri Shimbun the company is planning its first Blu-ray player for release by the end of 2009.
Dell have announced a new 17-inch laptop, the Inspiron 17, and while it’s unlikely to win any prizes for either appearance or power, it’s a serious budget contender if you want a big screen for a small price. Starting at $499, the Inspiron 17 has a choice of Intel Pentium Dual Core or Core 2 Duo processors, with RAM starting at 2GB and storage from 160GB.
iBUYPOWER have announced a new range of gaming PCs, the Paladin XLC series, which use Intel’s Core i7 processors, Coolermaster’s HAF 932 cases and Asetek’s 240mm radiator liquid-cooling. Despite the high performance – up to a Core i7-975 can be specified – the systems are apparently “virtually noiseless” by virtue of two huge 230mm fans running at just 800rpm.
How can you make your external USB Blu-ray drive better than everyone elses? Well, you could make it a Blu-ray burner, give it a range of connections and make it super-cheap, or you could go the ASUS way and put a great big light-up blue X on the side.
As well as the somewhat VAIO-esque Mini 5101 netbook they announced this morning, HP have also got a new ProBook full-sized notebook for you to consider. The HP ProBook 4310s has a 13.3-inch display and the same styling as the rest of the S-series the company announced back in April; there’s also optional Gobi WWAN mobile broadband, DDR3 memory and a full-sized keyboard.
SlashGear Japan
