Cuba ends ban on DVD player, computer sales
By Nilay Patel 
posted Mar 13th 2008 3:03PM
posted Mar 13th 2008 3:03PM
Man, Fidel's out and already the kids are getting crazy: the Cuban government is finally allowing general consumers to buy various electronics, including DVD players and computers, for the first time. Only companies and foreigners were previously able to buy computers, while the looming threat of terrible Hollywood movies had forced Cuban authorities to seize DVD players at the airport. The change is due to "the improved availability of electricity," and Cubans can look forward to also picking up microwaves, 24-inch televisions, and rice cookers to plug into the new juice. Of course, it's not all flip flops and high-fives: air conditioners will not be available until next year, and the deadly menace known as the toaster will be restricted until 2010. Hope you like plain bread with your 
Hell. If they're gonna go all out and buy DVD's, let's move them right into HD-DVD's. I'm sure we can offer them a good deal on players and movies.
(Except for Bee Movie.)
That'll prove more difficult than you think.. there's a ban on the color red.
You mean Blu Ray.
you are dense ps3 man
Wow. Cuba was held undersuch Fascist Dictatoship for so long. Wonder why the U.S din't try to "liberate" them insted of Iraq. Guess they don't pose a real threat, being sooo far away and all. Maybe the cuban people are less important. Yes??
Haters welcome.
What 80+ comments left on this topic and no Viva La Revolution parodies?
I mean no one this entire time wrote "Viva La DVD Players"? I was really expecting that, hmmm oh well.
@ killer
Viva La DVD Players
I wonder if they're going to have major filters on the internet service censoring anti-communist mentality. Also, they're more than likely going to ban anti-communist movies as well. This is no different than what's going on in China. I often laugh when I read "People's Republic" and "Democratic Republic" in the Chinese and North Korean slogans. What a crock of bull. Nothing against their people, but plenty against their governments. Only the U.N. buys into their BS.
The article didn't mention anything about internet access. Judging by Cuba's history, I wouldn't consider it implied. Even if it just seems like a natural conclusion.
China IS a Republic. It has elected officials, Executive branch, Legislative branch, and Judicial branch.
There is no single country in the past 100+ years that's been Communist. A few may claim to be Communist, but they don't actually practice it. Cuba has been Stalinist.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1329909720080313?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&rpc=22&sp=true
The article mentions computers and as a result I jumped ahead thinking it might've include internet.
Now, regarding China having elected officials and all that means nothing, the reality is that the communist party does whatever they want. Freedom of expression and other freedoms are extremely controlled/censored. If you call that "People's Republic" then we both have a different opinion of the meaning behind those two words. The same applies to North Korea. How is North Korea a "Democratic" country? Again, maybe you and I have different opinions behind the meaning of that word too.
the article does mention the internet last paragraph
"Many Cubans expect the state to soon allow them to buy cellular telephones. While they will now be able to buy computers, access to the Internet remains controlled by the government."
perhaps you should read the whole thing next time
Never trust a country which has either of the words "people" or "democratic" in it's official name. North Korea fails on both points.
And actually, coastal China is possibly the most capitalistic place ever - all the trappings of modern capitalism without the system of checks and balances.
Cuba is socialist. No way is it anything close to Stalinist and there's no Stalinist personality cults. Ok they revere Castro but it's nothing like the Soviet Stalinist cults. And if you were living in some of the what 4 true communist countries in the world today you wouldn't say something like that. Yea communism isn't around anymore really but there's still a speck of it
lol yea, north korea, laos, east germany to name a few
China's government may be described in many different ways, but when it's written in their constitution that the Communist Party of China is by law the permanent ruling party in that country, it can make it confusing to those who have not studied Asian/Chinese history. There is a surprising large variations of ideologies among the government, but I would classify them as traditional maoist (which is just another form of communism).
Wow, looks like I haven't forgotten anything from my Asian History class in HS. I know shiz about Cuba though, but this is a step in the right direction.
I live in a Socialist country and I hate it. They give us the opportunity to vote, but we only get to choose between a select few officials that nobody wants in office anyways. When we do vote, if our vote doesn't "jive" with government officials, their votes will actually overrule ours. As a result, only a small percentage of people are under the impression that voting does anything and actually continue to vote. What country do I live in? The good ol' US of A.
Definition argument. China is a "republic" or "representative democracy", because the people get to elect leaders to represent them. The United States, United Kingdom, and many other countries also elect representatives. However, Rob also wants a "liberal democracy", where individual rights, such as the right to privacy and personal freedom, are given higher priority over the rights of the state. By "liberal", I am talking about the concept of individual liberty, and not about some derogatory word a conservative (as in maintain the status quo) party member throws at a less-than-conservative (as in change the status quo) party member to put him back into line with the rest of the party members.
"There is no single country in the past 100+ years that's been Communist. A few may claim to be Communist, but they don't actually practice it. Cuba has been Stalinist."
Communism means that the "Means of Production" are not privately owned, but owned by the State. Read Marx.
Therefore there were lots of Communist countries in the 20th century (USSR, Whole Eastern Block, Cuba, Communist China, North Korea, North Vietnam etc).
Just because you imagine the outcome of Communism to be something other than what actually happened it doesn't mean that those countries weren't Communist. Rather it proves that Communism doesn't work/sucks.
Can the Cuban power infrastructure handle all of this extra power usage?!?
Are we talking about the political power infrastructure, or the electrical power infrastructure?
Of course, the answer is the same either way: probably not. This is most likely Raul showing everyone that he is indeed the man in charge now, not just a puppet.
Neither; it was a joke.
It's hard to say, the only power plants I saw there were Diesel Generators. We should ship them some CANDU's and have some labour while we're at it. I'd volunteer.
can someone please explain the logic behind no toasters till '10?
They've recently upgraded their bakeries to the new nonflammable bread.
Im not sure this is fun at all. Cubans dont have modern commodities mostly due to the ban that the US has against them. They would be a lot better off if your country lifted the commercial ban that they have impossed since Cuba refused to be United State's brothel.
Cus they need the US so bad....?
There are plenty of other countries willing to do business with them. As this article shows, it's Cuba themselves that has been keeping technology from the masses, not the US. The US doesn't even manufacture most electronics, and China has no problem trading with Cuba.
Try again.
The only problem with that is that the US is one country. So, so what's stopping them from getting computers and toasters from everywhere else? Oh yeah, the Cuban government.
@ Balam Herrera
Oh I know -- because Cuba can only buy from the US, right? There are no other large nations that Cuba can buy from *cough*Mexico*cough*China*cough*any-of-frickin-South America.
*cough*dumbass
We get all our electronics from Japan, China, Korea etc. anyway. If they don't have computers and DVD players it's not because they're all made in the US.
The U.S., last I checked, was not the sole producer of electronic goods. The embargo isn't what threw Cuba to the stone age--though it hasn't exactly helped. Most radically socialist countries are far from sources of technological innovation.
@DorinGray
well technically its quite hard for the Cubans to get hold of things, seeing as one on the conditions of the US embargo is that no cargo ship that visits Cuba can dock at a US port for 6months, meaning its quite bad for business to visit Cuba!
(Ooh...a entry I can bash America over)
Che's my hero!!!!!!!
(dripping with sarcasm)
You sir... are "ignant"
I'm Cuban and i'll tell you very simply: COMMUNISM MAKES CUBA SUCK. not the embargo. the fact that its ILLEGAL to own stuff. how about that?? do you like going to the store and buying Princess Barbie on DVD? WELL IN CUBA, PEOPLE CANT. Even if they did have the money... My family had ranches, factories, and other businesses which were all taken away from them... forcibly. Oh, and btw, the communist government in Cuba massacred thousands upon thousands of innocent people and continue to kill today.
@ eddie
cuba has a better healthcare system than america, douchebag
@Eddy
Typical miami-cuban attitude.
You seem to be ignoring the fact that Cuba was far worse in the pre-communist era, as proven by statistics, the time where your ancestors owned "ranches and factories". Batista government was a fascist and corrupt dictatorship - but I guess your family didn't flee then due to lack of freedom or independence, I wonder why...
Also, lol@people thinking the American Embargo is just about them not being able to buy it from the US - it disables most nations from trading with them too, and raises the prices for the ones who can trade to the level that it isn't feasible for a nation that poor (yet, still, pretty well off compared to most other carribean countries, despite the embargo - even according to the statistics provided by the CIA World Factbook). Please, have some knowledge on an issue before expressing an opinion. I know it's tempting to yell "THEY DON'T HAVE QUAD CORES LOL", but seriously...
@Dan
Cuba does not have a better health-care system than the US.
What else did Michael Moore tell you?
Also, why do you feel the need to say it twice? (See below.)
@DorianGray
Even if they had the possibility of trading with other foreign countries, it doesn't guarantee a fair trade by any means, and the US certainly opens the way for commerce expansion. *cough*d*ck
@Tony
Yes it is, its far better than US health care. I mean, if 25% of ppl in the states are uninsured compared to practically free medicine in Cuba, I'd say they're better. *cough*NyQuil?*
@Johnathan
So their health care is better because it's free?
Hah. You forgot to add the sarcasm tags.
"I know it's tempting to yell "THEY DON'T HAVE QUAD CORES LOL", but seriously..."
Yes, but no toasters? Really?
Not saying everyone should live like us here in the states but it's time for our government to extend an olive branch to our Cuban neighbors.
...or most likely to stop screwing their everyday lifes with an unfair and illegal commercial ban on the hole country
Balam
Go away. Your points have no logical backing and are just unfocused hate at the US. The US embargo has had almost no effect on Cuba. In fact, Cuba is doing much better than other island nations that the US DOES trade with.
"hole country" Freudian slip perhaps?
YOU ARE A FXXKING COMMUNIST !, repeating what the Cuban media wants stupids like you to think. I was physically and mentally tortured by the Cuban government, just for thinking different, I had to leave my country and leave in exile, maybe it was due to that blockade you talk about...
The CUBAN GOVERNMENT is the only blockade Cubans have.
Death to Castro !, Viva Cuba LIBRE !
Just refusing any political idea that difers from what your sistem tells you and from what you see in the news... so american... and then naive white people wonder why most of the world hates or dispites them...
And as James said:
"well technically its quite hard for the Cubans to get hold of things, seeing as one on the conditions of the US embargo is that no cargo ship that visits Cuba can dock at a US port for 6months, meaning its quite bad for business to visit Cuba!"
My comment was for you Balan Herrera, stupid communist...
Balan is quite close to Balar which in spanish is the sound the sheep do. In cuba the guys who repeat and obey the government are called sheep...
Acidscan, where i am from (Mexico City) we call people like you "asquerosos gusanos capitalistas vendidos al imperio".
I dont ask you to think like me, but dont offend me if you expect some respect.
oh my gosh Herrera! please! read a book! when was the last time your country cured some horrible disease??? America does it all the time. why? because of capitalism. the ability to prosper. the option to succeed. In Cuba that does not exist. I love Cuba, it is the land of my blood; but that country is in shambles because of communism. I work hard to advance myself and my family which I can do because i live in America... in Cuba, you cannot do that. Even if you work hard, you gain nothing. That is not a society, that is a prison.
Eddy Alvarez, acidscan, you can't really argue with people like this. You can try, but you're wasting you're time. I mean, you read what he called you. But I understand that it's harder to ignore jackasses when they are promoting ideas that have actually harmed you personally.
@ eddie
Cuba has a better healthcare system thatn america, douchebag
@Balar-Balam-Sheep-whatever: I don't expect respect from a communist, I don't even expect that their brains are capable enough to know what respect means, because they don't respect themselves...
@Dan
I was going to argue that point with you, but I am actually convinced that you are just a troll. But if you actually believe that, then I guess propaganda works.
In Havana (been there a couple of times,) you see three slogans everywhere, 'Vamos Bien' ('It's going well,' gotta love the optimism!,) 'Hasta la victoria siempre' (Ché's last words to the Cuban parliament,) and such-and-such 'contra el bloqueo.' The latter is far and away the most prevalent - not only does the blockade not work, it strengthens the régime.
yep, all these people promoting socialism are all brainwashed by the evil cuban media whose reach is everywhere, while in no way we can consider people being indoctrinated by the american media, as their objectivity has been proven and only americans are influenced by them anyways, right? oh wait...
Also, according to some people here apparently without capitalism nothing could ever be invented. The last time I heard something was from some Randian zealots who didn't believe in the existence of the Sputnik, citing a socialistic system could never produce it.
And, saying that Cuba is doing better than other Caribbean countries despite being under an embargo, is not something I would consider negative, and (but, actually, there is one island nation there doing better than Cuba, but they have only surpassed Cuban economy after the fall of the Soviet Union, when Cuba lost its main trading partner), so I would see some truth in "vamos bien" if they are actually doing better than their capitalist counterparts, under severe sanctions.
I'm not saying Cuba is paradise or whatever, but it seems that some people here need to take their own advice, and read a book.
also, Cuba having better healthcare than US is propaganda? Well, CIA and UN both seem to have bought it...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate
dang guess they still gotta use the frying pan to toast their buttered bread dang shame
Illegal?
Pfft.
Honest question: What region code will they adopt? 1 with the U.S.? The current trade embargo would make that difficult. Region-free? Unlikely they could get enough of these players, but the market could adjust. 4 with South America? My bet is on 4 with its (I assume) existing library of Spanish language titles and existing trade with the continent.
Just puttin' that out there...
Region 4 is also Australia, though being all in English may not be too useful :P
No microwaves!? How do they eat!?
Easy, they just throw an Eggo into the.... Dude, how do they eat??!!!
Dude... you got a Dell DVD player!
You silly goose, you've benn eating microwaves
healthily!
Just got back from Cuba on Monday and there was DVD players for sale there already, very low quality theatre packages were about 300.00 CDN.
Well at least they're starting to move in the right direction.....
Once the Castro's are dead, which judging by how old they are shouldn't be all that far away, they'll probably move to a free market economy. Until that time, even a little more choice is going to be good....
And so begins the fall of Castro’s Cuba. Doodads, Doohickeys, Gadget and Games are soooo much more effective than Bombs and Bullets (after all, its how the west won WWIII). Those DVD players will need to be feed. Now let the importing of Big Boob Babes #5 and Girlz Gone Wild commence!
This may be complete speculation, but if the US were to lift this silly embargo, would it be possible to build a system where they could buy electricty from the United States' resources in Florida? Obviously we can get electricty to travel long distances, but I dont know how the Gulf factors into that. This would be beneficial to Cuba, as they could use more devices. However, I agree that its definitely toaster time, regardless of American trade bans.
What??? Seriously...you could do that, I guess. Florida has enough problems with power to power a whole other nation. I guess while we're at it, we could build a bridge and call it "Southern Key West", put a McD's and Starbucks on every corner, and simply forget the injustices to the Cuban people for over 50 years.
Florida produces plenty for itself, but energy in the US is sent to all sorts of places, and I imagine Florida companies follow suit. Companies do this all the time - it's how they make money. For instance, Canada sells alot of power to New York. And obviously we aren't powering the entire country. They have some amount of capability there. And regardless, it is a small country with very little electrical usage. And what is with your political high horse? All I suggested was a way to help power Cuba, yet you seem to think I'm suggesting we all make a trip for Spring Break 2012. Not quite what I meant.
All Cuba needs to do is import some subsurface wave generators and they're set.
You're missing the part where there's water in between Florida and Cuba. There is no water interfering with the North American power grid (okay, there are lakes in a few places, but luckily wires can be routed around them). The only reason telecommunications cables work is that back in the day they were very low-voltage and now they are no-voltage (fiber-optic). Sending tens/hundreds of thousands of volts under the ocean is not feasible.
That's actually exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you Fulton. (Warning - I'm actually being sincere. I know, rare for this site)
VIVA LA REVOLUCION!
no pop-tarts till 2010.
this really makes you appreciate the crap we take for granted...
Cuba is lightyears behind USA and most developed nations in terms of consumer electonics and appliances but they are certainly far ahead in healthcare. When it comes to choose I rather have good health than a friggin microwave or DVD player. Period.
Wait, really?
Without the Microwave how do you know how long to cook food that won't make you sick? Or does that just tie into using the healthcare to your advantage?
This is incredible news.
Yea...i would totally take this:
http://www.therealcuba.com/BEDATMARINAAZCUY1.jpg
Over my DVD player. Douchebag.
@PhilxBefore there's something called oven.
@Erick I wasn't disrespectful to you so watch your language. Learn to respect other people opinions.
@spaceb
"When it comes to choose I rather have good health than a friggin microwave or DVD player. Period."
That's an outright insult to Cuban "subjects" who benefit from such healthcare if you want to call it that. Lets not try to fool ourselves into thinking they are enjoying a paradise of healthcare, k?
Anytime I hear someone try to prop up such cruel govt like Cuba or China, you will get called a Douchebag. Plain and simple.
I see your lack of inteligence, I mean who on earth tries to make a point by only showing a picture? You're the real douchebag. I cannot have a serious discussion with someone who's point is weak. I'm not saying Cuba is the best country and I dunno back up Castro but I rather have free healthcare than have 100 inch plasma screen, Blu-ray player. And I wasn't trying to fool anyone, what you cannot see is that it was my opinion, so bug off dude.
With the explicit verbal attacks on one's self instead of one's point of view, it makes me ponder if the moderator is on an extended coffee break. Although defamation hurts personally, as lies and truth are treated the same, it serves as an indicator that the freedom of expression on this blog is alive and well. Rest assured that when somebody is resorting to name calling as his last line of defense, it means that he is losing an argument.
Yeah free healthcare balances out all the killing and lack of freedom. Why would you want freedom and your life when you can be treated for free?
Also there is no such thing as free healthcare, the govenment doesn't just pull money out of its arse.
I would love to go there with all the neat gadgets they haven't even seen or heard of, hand them out and disappear and those Cubans will always remember the "Santa Clause from the future".
Balan, Blaming the USA because Cubans can't get electronics made in China? Last I heard the Cubans were free to import goods from China. You're being a good little sheep, swallowing the rhetoric of those who (mostly on the far left) hate the USA.
China shares a border with North Korea, but I suppose you'd find a way to blame the USA for North Korea's lack of consumer goods as well. Makes about as much sense.
btw, that was written towards Herrera.. and just about anyone else who wants to do business with those murderers. Oh, and Che Guevara was a psychopath murderer who was afraid of fighting and dying.. just ask anyone who took part in the Cuban revolution.
Just curious; where did you get this information? I'm not saying you're wrong, hell.. I wasn't friends with the guy and obviously you knew him rather well to draw such conclusions. But I will say that a lot of written, factual information contradicts your entire statement. Such as him actually participating in, and developing a style of fighting called "Guerrilla Warfare," .... oh, and ACTUALLY dieing. This is just off the top of my head too.
no, thats fine. perfectly valid question. info comes from those non-biased opinion who fought in Cuba before Castro declared himself communist. My grandfather himself shared many a strategy session with Che who was ridiculed by the Guerrilla leaders in Cuba for cowardice. Truthfully, he really fell out of their graces when he would often grab a pistol and just go and shoot prisoners for the hell of it. Though the prisoners were prisoners of war, they were still fellow Cubans. Also commonly seen by those who fought in the revolution what Che disappearing whenever a fire fight started.
But one thing; no, Che did not develop guerrilla warfare.. thats been around since people owned stuff to burn and had been going on in Cuba long before he got there.
It's funny, because I was there 2 years ago, and in a cab, the driver picked up a video card off of a friend of his. Can't remember what it was now, but it was a fairly recent card. Wonder what he was doing with it now that I find out he didn't have a computer to put it in.
Is Apple going to sell the iPhone in Cuba? I think that was one of the places that Steven Jobs flew to in his corporate jet. Still I had heard that cellphones were scarce in Cuba.
Cell phones are quite popular in tourist Cuba I can tell you that.
Cuban Landfill? We can get rid our our old electronics by giving them to Cuba. They'll be happy, and we'll be green.
fyi Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela are best friends, look up "Fidel - The Untold Story" for better understanding of Castro.
Thar doesnt suprise me, Mandela was a terrorist after all.
I wonder how many of these posters have actually BEEN to Cuba--I have been twice. It's very interesting to me to see how effective the US mass media propaganda against Cuba has been on US citizens under 45 or so. It's also amusing to see how uninformed they are about what Cuba is really like--and how hip and smart and aware they think they are, when really most of them are hapless and ignorant in this regard. They don't even seem to realize that they've been brainwashed into virulent anti-socialist fervor, thanks to Fox and CNN and various Republican administrations. Yes, it's true Fidel was a repressive tyrant, but people there told me certain big things were in some ways better than before him. One thing he DID understand and almost eradicated was the evil of widespread female prostitution that under Bautista was due to poverty and desperation. He also recognized the importance to a nation of good health and education for children--that has been a first priority and it shows. The children I saw there were happier than 90% of the children I see in the US. Should I even mention that they manage to have free (and excellent) universal health care? And their many community gardens and sustainable farming practices? If Americans weren't so arrogant maybe they could learn something from the common sense of the major policies of Cuba. And despite the material problems, the people have a soul and spirit and warmth I virtually NEVER see in the US. When I returned I needed a hot shower and a steak, but I was sad, and in culture shock from having to come back to this mean, dog eat dog, materialistic country. We have our serious woes, but we are so clueless we think DVD players and cell phones will solve them.
Considering it's illegal to visit Cuba if you are an American citizen, I doubt very little younger Americans have been.
Illegal? I thought it was simply impossible through US airports.
Eh, whatever!
It may be illegal NOW, but only ten years ago it wasn't. There were (and I think still are) several well-defined criteria by which one could legally travel to Cuba--journalists, hosted cultural researchers, and certain other professionals. And that is what I did.
If you are glad to live in the USA, and consider it a democracy ( I don't think it is a very good example of one), then realize that you should take responsibility as a citizen to be as informed as you can be; otherwise your precious freedoms are easily removed, as ours are being removed every day, officially. Have you looked at an American passport recently? One cannot live in the eternal present, nor be ignorant of the past, and not expect to be hoodwinked. The danger of this is that if you know that something is "illegal" now you are in danger of not understanding that there are other possibilities and that conditions have not always been as they are now. The well-fed bird in a cage loses all sense of the freedom to fly outside the cage. A caveat to youth....
"Of course, it's not all flip flops and high-fives..."
Did anyone else read that as "flip-flops and 555's"?
...or have I just been studying electronics too long?