Aug 15

M-Disc holds your data ‘forever,’ we go hands-on for a few minutes (video)

Posted in: blu-ray, hands-on, LG, storage, Today's Chili, video
It was two years ago when we last wrote about Millenniata and its Millenial Disc for ultra long-term data storage of somewhere between “1,000 years” and “forever.” If you’ll recall, it works using a “synthetic, rock-like” layer that your data is “etched” into, rather than burned onto like other writeable discs so files don’t corrupt over time. Since then, the disc’s been given DoD certification for data retention in extreme conditions and redubbed M-Disc, while Hitachi-LG has signed on to produce drives. We recently got the chance to check out a few of these discs and see whether this tech will fly like a Frisbee or sink like a stone.

Gallery: M-Disc Hands-on

Continue reading M-Disc holds your data ‘forever,’ we go hands-on for a few minutes (video)

M-Disc holds your data ‘forever,’ we go hands-on for a few minutes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 02

UK set to legalize CD and DVD copying for personal use

Posted in: Music, Today's Chili, uk

The fact that it hasn’t technically been legal may not have stopped many folks in the UK from ripping their CDs all these years, but it looks like there may soon be a tad less anarchy involved in that process. Reuters is reporting that the British government will announce tomorrow that it plans to legalize the copying of CDs and DVDs onto computers or portable media players for personal use — a move that will bring it up to speed with most other European countries (and the US and Canada). Of course, the key words there are “personal use.” You still won’t be legally allowed to share that music over the internet after you copy it without permission, and it’s not yet clear how the new rules will apply to DVDs (or Blu-rays) with copy protection measures — although the British Video Association unsurprisingly doesn’t seem too pleased with the changes regardless, calling them “extremely damaging.”

UK set to legalize CD and DVD copying for personal use originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 27

Editorial: Apple’s officially over the optical drive, for better or worse

Posted in: Apple, blu-ray, macbook, macbook air, macbook pro, MacbookAir, MacbookPro, Today's Chili

I don’t like it. Not one iota. But frankly, it doesn’t much matter — Apple’s officially done with the optical drive, and there’s no evidence more strikingly clear than the mid 2011 refresh of its Mac mini. Last year, that bantam box arrived with a $699 price tag, pep in its step and a personality that could charm even the most hardened desktop owner. This year, a $599 model showed up on my doorstep promising the same, but instead it delivered a noticeable drop in actual functionality. Pundits have argued that you could tether a USB SuperDrive to the new mini and save $20 in the process compared to last year’s rig, but does relying on a cabled accessory go hand-in-hand with beauty and simplicity? No, and I’ve every reason to believe that Apple would agree.

Despite the obvious — that consumers would buy a mini to reduce the sheer burden of operating a convoluted desktop setup — Apple’s gone and yanked what has become a staple in both Macs and PCs alike. For years, ODDs have been standard fare, spinning CDs, DVDs, HD-DVDs (however briefly) and Blu-ray Discs, not to mention a few other formats that didn’t do much to deserve a mention. Compared to most everything else in the technology universe, the tried-and-true optical drive has managed to hang around well beyond what it’s creator likely had in mind, but it’s pretty obvious that 2011 is to the ODD what 1998 was to the floppy drive. At least in the mind of one Steven P. Jobs.

Continue reading Editorial: Apple’s officially over the optical drive, for better or worse

Editorial: Apple’s officially over the optical drive, for better or worse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 15

Netflix coming to Spain and the UK next year?

Posted in: content, europe, netflix, stream, streaming, Today's Chili, uk, united kingdom, UnitedKingdom

File this one in the unconfirmed-but-hopeful file, as Variety has it on good authority that Netflix could be making its first foray into European waters as early as Q1 2012. After taking Latin America by storm (and subsequently storming the wallets of plain ‘ole Americans), the company is purportedly lining up Spain and the United Kingdom for its next trick. Unnamed sources at “leading European film distributors” have confirmed that representatives from the company were looking to “put roots down” in both of those nations as soon as next year, and while Netflix itself is refusing to comment, it’s certainly a tale that’s easy to believe. ‘Course, breaking into the UK market won’t be as easy as it has been in other nations — Lovefilm already has a firm grip on the local rental market, but as your favorite capitalist always says, there’s never not room for increased competition. We’ll keep you posted.

[Thanks, Eric]

Netflix coming to Spain and the UK next year? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 15

Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says

Posted in: blu-ray, nintendo, NintendoWii, Today's Chili, wii


Planning to replace that aging Blu-ray player with a Wii U? Not so fast. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the gaming console won’t play DVD or Blu-ray discs, due to patent licensing fees.

Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities. The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn’t warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies.

So there you have it. Iwata doesn’t want to hand over a bag of cash for baby Blu’s “bag of hurt.” By the time the Wii U hits store shelves in 2012, we may be buying Blu-ray players just for their Netflix capabilities, so here’s to hoping the console at least carries over that functionality from its predecessor.

Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Kotaku  |  sourceNintendo  | Email this | Comments

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Jun 12

Windows 7 Recovery Disc

Posted in: Software, Today's Chili, Windows, windows 7

This article was written on October 19, 2009 by CyberNet.

arrow Windows Windows only arrow
I received a tip from Mark over the weekend that NeoSmart had posted their Windows 7 recovery disc ISO images just like they did when Vista was released. These discs are extremely handy to have especially if you didn’t receive any installation media with your new computer, which is a common occurrence when purchasing from a majority of manufacturers including Dell and HP.

Why are these recovery discs useful? They include the most important part of what you can find on the Windows 7 installation disc if you purchase a retail copy of the OS. These recovery discs strip away everything except for the recovery portion, which brings the size down to about 5% of what the normal disc weighs in at. With it you’ll able to do things like restore your computer from a backup, repair the startup, roll back to a System Restore point, run diagnostics, open the command prompt, and more.

I’ve used the Vista Recovery Disc numerous times to fix my own machine when the startup has become corrupt (namely because of installing and uninstalling several different Linux distributions). All I have to do is throw in the CD/DVD, run the Startup Repair, and Windows always manages to diagnose and fix the problem within minutes (example). This is something Microsoft got right in Vista… it’s a recovery tool that shockingly works, and the same functionality has been carried over into Windows 7.

windows 7 recovery disc-1.png

So what do you have to do? Well, you simply download the ISO image below, burn it to a disc, boot your computer with it, and begin the recovery process. Here’s the 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions of the recovery tool that I’ve uploaded to MultiUpload so that you don’t have to download them through a torrent:

If you want to download it through a torrent jump on over to NeoSmart where you’ll find the links you need. Thanks again to Mark for the tip!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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May 24

Free WinX DVD Ripper Platinum

Posted in: Freeware, Software, Today's Chili, videos, Windows

This article was written on October 08, 2009 by CyberNet.

winx dvd ripper-1.jpg

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Coming across some free software is nice, but what’s even nicer is finding an app that you typically have to pay for that’s available at no cost for a limited time. Do you like the sound of that? If so you may want to check out the currently free (until the end of October) WinX DVD Ripper Platinum that is being given away compliments of Techweenies.

This software is perfect for anyone who’s looking to convert those DVD formats into a format that can pretty much be played on any device. It includes a lot of pre-configured profiles for things like the iPhone, Zune, and more to minimize the amount of tweaking you have to do.

  • Rip DVD to popular video formats as AVI, FLV, WMV, MPEG, MP4, etc
  • Rip DVD to popular portable devices including iPhone, iPod, PSP, PDA, Zune, Mobile phone, etc
  • Support automatically detecting, connecting and transferring converted videos to portable devices
  • Rip DVD audio into MP3 music file
  • Support grabbing screenshot from DVD video
  • Enable to remove or choose subtitles for output videos
  • All video/audio parameters adjustable for users optimizing video quality
  • Supper fast ripping speed, up to 300%-500% real time
  • Best video/audio quality
  • Easy to use and 100% stable

And here’s a more complete list of supported input/output formats:

  • Input formats: Normal DVD, CSS protected DVD, region 1-6, Sony ArccOS, Commercial DVD
  • Output formats: AVI, WMV, FLV, MP4, MPEG, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, PSP, PDA, 3GP, Zune, Music, XviD, DivX, JPG, BMP

The software normally runs $25 (which appears to be an “on sale” price marked down from $50). What I love is that the version you download through the giveaway page doesn’t require a serial number or anything like that. Just install it and you’ll have the full version. And you can reinstall it on your computer whenever you want.

I’d say you should grab it before October 31st regardless of whether you plan on using it right away. That way the next time you have to rip a DVD you’re not stuck scrounging around for an app that can do it.

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum Giveaway (Windows only; Free until October 31st)

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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May 22

Hyperkin’s PS3 Remotext weds Blu-ray remote with keypad controller, DualShock 3 frets

Posted in: blu-ray, console, controller, e3, game, playstation, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, qwerty, remote, remote control, RemoteControl, sony, Today's Chili, usb, video, Wireless

With the PSN finally back up, it’s time for important things — you know, messaging your buds for a Black Ops pwning spree or hitting up Netflix. Hyperkin’s Remotext for PS3 wants to help you get back into action with its hybrid remote / controller / chatpad. It features a slide-out Blu-ray remote panel, QWERTY keypad — better positioned than SONY’s offering — and two analog nubs with a near-complete set of gaming controls. There’s no sign of rear triggers, and Bluetooth connectivity is absent too, but it does come with a wireless USB receiver and rechargeable battery so you’re not left scrounging between the couch cushions for AAs. Although we’re doubtful it’ll prove functional for gaming, it could be appropriate for PS3s that spend more time sitting at the movies than getting their Move on. The DualShock 3 shouldn’t have much to worry about, but we’ll find out at E3, when the Remotext will be officially showcased. There’s no word on pricing or availability yet, but if you’re dying for more in the meantime, a press release is beyond the break.

Continue reading Hyperkin’s PS3 Remotext weds Blu-ray remote with keypad controller, DualShock 3 frets

Hyperkin’s PS3 Remotext weds Blu-ray remote with keypad controller, DualShock 3 frets originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 10:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 18

Some Xbox 360s won’t read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update)

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360

There may have been a good reason for that wide beta test Microsoft ran to test out its new disc format for the Xbox 360. While it will allow for an extra 1GB of storage space for new games and (it hopes) stop piracy, apparently some consoles contain drives that cannot read the new XGD3 discs. The details can be seen in the email pictured above posted by Reddit user Avery Penn and were verified as real by the Xbox Support Twitter account, but now it’s responding to inquiries by saying the replacements are in response to a previous update and not the upcoming one that has been in beta. Adding to the confusion, Microsoft Europe confirmed the initial report and points affected users towards the support page to get sorted out. One way or another, affected owners can expect to be mollified by getting their Xbox 360s replaced with new 250GB Xbox 360S models plus a free year of XBL for the trouble. We haven’t gotten an official response about the plan yet but are still checking, so your plan to hoard old consoles and get free replacements en masse is probably equal parts premature and Seinfeldian genius.

Update: Microsoft has responded, confirming that the earlier statement was incorrect and this is not related to the update being beta tested. If you’re wondering how many people are in for a swap, all we could find out is that something less than 10,000 of the 50 million or so Xbox 360s sold worldwide are affected. Check after the break for the official word, but if you have one of the boxes and are connected to XBL you should expect to receive a notice in your email.

Continue reading Some Xbox 360s won’t read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update)

Some Xbox 360s won’t read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 11:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq, Eurogamer, Kotaku  |  sourceReddit  | Email this | Comments

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May 05

Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays

Posted in: blu-ray, intel, media streamer, MediaStreamer, software update, SoftwareUpdate, stream, streaming, Today's Chili, update

We were bowled over from the start by Intel’s Wireless Display technology, which lets you stream HD content from select laptops to an HDTV (with the help of a small adapter, of course). But while WiDi’s been good for watching The Colbert Report on Hulu and streaming flicks stored on your hard drive, it hasn’t played so nice with DVDs and Blu-rays. At last, though, Intel is supporting HDCP-protected discs (along with some online content) through a free driver update. One catch: it only applies to Sandy Bridge laptops, which just started shipping this spring. If your notebook’s a few months too old, well, using an HDMI cable isn’t the worst consolation prize.

Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceIntel  | Email this | Comments

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