Hasta La Gadget!

The “works with iPhone” stamp has taken a whole new meaning for Pioneer as it’s just added two new Blu-ray players due in May featuring iControlAVR app support baked in. You won’t be taking advantage of the VSX-1020’s (VSA-1020 in Japan) 3D compatibility with the BDP-330 or higher end BDP-LX53, but owners will enjoy return of last year’s well-received Precision Quartz Lock System with the addition of YouTube streaming and RSS feeds. Taking advantage of the Apple tie-ins will require hooking up to the network and a WiFi dongle is extra, check out the screens from the remote app after the break and decide on your own if physical buttons (or only being able to bring a touch interface to certain discs) was just too much of a hassle.

Continue reading Pioneer shows off iPhone remote controllable Blu-ray players

Pioneer shows off iPhone remote controllable Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Everyone’s streaming media darling, Netflix, has just reached terms with both Universal and Twentieth Century Fox. Both agreements beef up Netflix’s streaming content while limiting Netflix to renting DVD and Blu-ray discs 28 days after the retail street date — yup, just like with Warner Brothers. To put that into perspective, while Twentieth Century Fox’s “Avatar” DVD/Blu-ray will hit shelves on April 22nd it won’t be available for Netflix rental until the end of May. On the plus side we’ve got a first time, Netflix TV streaming agreement with TCF — albeit, released in a window it decides. Content includes the complete prior seasons of shows like “24,” “Bones,” and “Lie to Me” in addition to older library titles like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Can’t say we didn’t see this one coming.

Netflix inks with Universal and Twentieth Century Fox: first TV streams, more films, and 28 day rental delay originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Core i3 processor, Blu-ray drive, and 320GB hard drive for $629.99 — does the Gateway NV5933u really need more of an introduction than that? We didn’t think so, since that’s all it took for us to track down the budget multimedia 15.6-inch laptop and get it into our eager hands. For a budget system it sure has the specs to carry it on home, but after the dog has barked at the mailman and you’ve gotten it out of the box, how is it in actual everyday use? You know where to find out. We’ll see you after the break in our full review.

Continue reading Gateway NV5933u review

Gateway NV5933u review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fox continues to pull back the layers of its release schedule for Avatar after yesterday’s press event with director James Cameron, producer James Landau and Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers (above) as Reuters indicates the Blu-ray 3D version will arrive next year. What does 2010 hold for the most dedicated fans of Pandora? While the DVD and Blu-ray editions due April 22 will arrive stripped clean of any extras whatsoever, a registration code slipped in the case will give owners access to “The AVATAR Program” to view bonus content online, adopt a “virtual hometree” among the million being planted and other enticements to string them along connect this release with an ultimate edition due in November. Check the press release after the break for all the details and see if you can resist the urge to triple dip.

Continue reading Avatar disc opens up online-only extras until ultimate edition arrives in November, 3D next year

Avatar disc opens up online-only extras until ultimate edition arrives in November, 3D next year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic has never needed to wait for a new studio album before putting together another major tour, the latest of which it’s dubbed Touch the Future. Trading in the traveling truck exhibition for a more intimate indoor setting, the real production Full HD 3D televisions are available and on display, along with glasses, Blu-ray players plus a few other products for good measure. We took a look as soon as the doors opened in NYC (the display runs through today at the Penn Plaza Pavilion and other locations in Chicago and Los Angeles, check the schedule for 12 more cities on deck) and got an eye full of the same 50-inch plasma 3DTVs on sale at Best Buy stores around the country. One major new look for this demo was an NVIDIA PC running the 3DTV Play solution, as you can see from the pics even New York’s finest enjoyed turning a lap or two of Need for Speed: Shift in 3D. The action was smooth and easy compatibility with 3D gaming on the PC should provide plenty of content while we wait for more true 3D games to hit consoles (which should ramp up after the PS3 update this summer) while checking out Blu-ray demos on a 50-inch television proved every bit as engaging this time as it did on the 152-inch CES display.

Continue reading Panasonic Touch the Future Tour lets production Full HD 3DTVs hit the public stage

Panasonic Touch the Future Tour lets production Full HD 3DTVs hit the public stage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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