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sony pictures posts

Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

by Richard Lawler, posted Jun 18th 2009 at 7:22PM

Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.

Update: Official press release is included after the break

Gallery: BD-Live MovieIQ

Continue reading Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Columbia Pictures flicks -- mostly -- back on for Xbox 360 Netflix streaming

by Richard Lawler, posted Nov 25th 2008 at 10:29PM

We never got a satisfactory answer for why they disappeared in the first place, but it seems the majority of the Columbia Pictures' movies on Netflix Instant Watch lists suddenly switched to "not available on Xbox 360" are once again open for streaming to all devices. The Karate Kid series, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day and others now stream to Microsoft's box, however Columbia Pictures movies tagged with the "available through Starz Play" logo -- including Bad Boys and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story -- are still out. Hopefully the remaining relevant parties are contacted soon, as Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett have work to do, but this is a great start.

[Thanks, Hunter!]

Xbox 360's lack of Sony Pictures films streaming on Netflix "unrelated" to competition

by Laura June, posted Nov 20th 2008 at 9:41PM

You probably recall that two days ago, when the new Xbox Experience launched, sadly, about 300 Sony Pictures films were unavailable for Netflix Watch Instantly on NXE, thus quashing your hopes of streaming The Karate Kid series. At the time, it seemed possible that missing titles were due to the fact that Xbox 360 manufacturer Microsoft and Sony are direct competitors. Well, according to a Sony spokesperson, the problem isn't specific to the Xbox, nor is their beef competition-related in any way. Sony also says it is in talks with the several "relevant parties" to work out these vague licensing issues, though there was no word on when the issue would be resolved. We really do hope it's soon because we're dying to see how everything turns out with the Cobra Kai.

[Via Joystiq]

Sony's PIX brings full-length films to AT&T Mobile TV

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 31st 2008 at 7:05AM

Sony just revealed a bit more about AT&T's Mobile TV service launching in May. We now know that one of the two exclusive AT&T channels will be called PIX, Sony's new feature film channel for cellphones. The service is a first of its kind in the US... for good reason. Oh, it's not that we have anything against the roster of films including "Ghostbusters," "Philadelphia" and "Karate Kid." It's more the prospect of sitting in front of that tiny mobile screen to watch a full-length film without the ability to pause, fast forward or rewind. This is live broadcast folks. Nevertheless, Sony Pictures claims to understand the risk. According to Eric Berger, VP Mobile Entertainment at Sony Pictures Television, "We recognize that people are on the go with their mobile phone and coming and going. This isn't for people looking to view a movie for the first time. It's OK to miss the beginning." Films will run on PIX for a month with new additions added ~~weakly~~ weekly.

In case you missed it: Sony Pictures is going DivX

by Paul Miller, posted Jan 11th 2008 at 1:42PM

It's been hard enough to keep up with the CES onslaught of news over here on Engadget, so it's understandable if you missed the news over on Engadget HD that Sony Pictures Television is going to start releasing download-to-own but entirely DRM'd DivX content to DivX-certified products like the PS3 and DSM-330. Sadly, 360 owners will be left out in the cold thanks to that unit's lack of proper DivX certification. Otherwise Sony is short on details of actual distribution, so hopefully we'll be learning more soon.

[Via Engadget HD]

Sony Pictures releases first Blu-ray Discs

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 21st 2006 at 8:32AM

Get 'em while they're hot! After delaying their release for hardware, Sony Pictures just dropped their first batch of hot-n-juicy Blu-ray flicks just in time for Samsung's BD-P1000 launch on June 25th. Titles rightly include action and SciFi faves such as The Fifth Element, House of Flying Daggers, XXX, and The Terminator among others, as well as 50 First Dates for your softer, Sandler side. A quick check on Amazon shows these titles shipping now for about $20 bills. So if you were lucky enough to grab one of those Sammy's early then make us proud -- put your order in, kick back, and let that slow suit of sallow take hold.

Sony moves back Blu-ray content for Samsung

by Ryan Block, posted May 4th 2006 at 10:07AM

Oh, Blu-ray and HD DVD -- you always got to be one-upping each another? Toshiba delayed launching their first volley of HD DVD players until there was some content to play on the things, but today Sony Pictures Home Entertainment confirmed the opposite. They're postponing launching their content until Samsung's belated BD-P1000 first hits stores in late June, so as to "better coincide with the first commercially available Blu-ray-compatible hardware." Gee, this sounds so much like Toshiba's delay to "synchronize the launch of our players with HD DVD title releases" that we're starting to think the thing these two camps are best at synchronizing is their pattern of delays to be tit for tat. So to those hoping to snag some Blu-ray titles for staring at listlessly while their players are being manufactured and shipped from Korea will have to find other, less capacious data mediums into which they'll cast their gaze.