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Toshiba reveals the Qosmio F750 glasses-free 3D laptop, we go hands on (video)
Toshiba just unveiled what it claims is the world's first glasses-free 3D laptop, the Qosmio F750. It's a heavy-set beast dedicated to gaming and movies, with a 15.6-inch Full HD lenticular screen that can display 2D and 3D simultaneously in separate windows. It also rocks an HD webcam that follows your movements and adjusts the 3D effect accordingly, so you can peek at the that lovely third dimension from almost any angle you like. Innovative stuff indeed, but we were underwhelmed when we caught a glimpse of Toshiba's concept model back in January. So, has the technology improved since then? Check out our hands-on impressions and video after the break. %Gallery-127693%
Mitsubishi Blu-ray players have BDXL, 3D support, and a two-faced remote
We don't want to slight these three new Blu-ray players from Mitsubishi -- they've got all the latest features that the kids are clamoring for, like 3D Blu-ray, BDXL, AVCREC, and VOD support. However, sometimes accessories are the most fascinating part of a product, as seems the case with this dual-faced remote -- not entirely unlike the ones we've seen from Samsung and Boxee. One side controls the TV and the other does the DVR, while a built-in sensor lets the system know which side you're using. The DVR-BZ450, DVR-BZ350, and DVR-BZ250 are pretty much identical, save for internal storage, which ranges from 500GB to 2TB. All are due out in Japan on May 31st -- no word on when the rest of the world will be able to get our hands on the latest technology for losing two remotes at the same time.
Panasonic's first rewriteable 100GB BD-RE XL discs launch later this month
For those stuck between the flexibility of HDD storage and the archiving ease of BDXLs Panasonic is finally ready to bridge the gap with its new triple layer BD-RE XL discs, set to arrive April 15th in Japan. Being the first rewriteable BDXL is the LM-BE100J's claim to fame, which works out since the 10,000 yen ($118 US) asking price means buying two is probably out of the question. The latest burners from Pioneer and Buffalo already support the new discs, owners of other hardware may want to double check their spec sheets before ordering.
Buffalo reveals slimline external BDXL burner for $275, affiliated media still makes your wallet weep
BDXL is the optical storage medium du jour, but the options for those wanting its capacious quad-layer burning capabilities in a tasty to-go form factor are fairly limited. Previous drives have lacked a certain... aesthetic appeal, but now Buffalo has unveiled its BRXL-PC6U2-BK, a slim and shiny external model that'll handle all of your BDXL disc-creation needs. The drive can run off a single USB 2.0 plug, though writing at 4x speeds requires a second USB connection to give it the juice required to do the deed. Slated for a release by the end of March, otherwise known as next week, this hot little onyx number will set you back ¥22,100 (about $275). Just don't go blowing all your cash on the drive -- BR-R XL discs ain't cheap, y'know.
Pioneer ships $200 BDR-206MBK BDXL writer, dares you to afford related media
Two months from introduction to shipping? Not bad, Pioneer... not bad at all. The world's first BDXL PC writer is now on sale at your local Fry's Electronics, bringing support for toasting 128GB quad-layer discs (if you can find / afford 'em) as well as speedy writing on typical BD-R, DVD-R and CD-R discs. Pioneer's also throwing in a CyberLink software suite, and if you buy in early, you'll get a single piece of 100GB BR-R XL media for free. Makes that $199 asking price seem entirely more attractive, doesn't it? In other news, the first Blu-ray format still isn't supported by Apple, not even on a $10,000 Mac Pro. Spectacular.
Pioneer and Buffalo announce first 128GB BDXL optical disc burners for PCs
The dream of burning 128GB of PC data onto a single optical disc just took a step closer to reality with the announcement of this BDXL burner (model BDR-206MBK) from Pioneer. Buffalo will ship it as both an external USB 2.0 model (BRXL-6U2) and internal SATA model (BRXL-6FBS-BK). The drive handles new 4-layer (128GB) and 3-layer (100GB) BD-R XL at 4x speeds in addition to 3-layer BD-RE XL and older BD-R/BD-R DL and BD-RE/BD-RE DL Blu-ray disc media. Pioneer will begin shipping the drive in November for an undisclosed price -- no word on pricing from Buffalo or when it'll have its act together to ship product.
Sharp's ultraslim BD-AV70 Blu-ray / BDXL player hitting Japan soon for over a grand
Remember that slimmer-than-slim Blu-ray 3D / BDXL player that Sharp demonstrated at CEATEC? Looks like the world now has a ship date and price, though you aren't likely to be keen on either. The unit itself -- which measures but 35mm thick and looks eerily familiar to the slimmed-down PlayStation 2 -- will tout a Blu-ray recorder while supporting BD 3D and BDXL playback, and there's even compatibility with OTA broadcasts for those looking to toast television to blank Blu-ray media. Naturally, a contraption this awesome is going to be reserved for the Japanese market, with reports suggesting that it'll ship anywhere between mid-December to early January. The real kicker, however, is the price -- at ¥85,000 ($1,047 based on today's exchange rate), we're surmising that only a handful of individuals can afford to give this thing the time of day. And that, friends, is a modern day travesty.
TDK develops 1TB optical disc, leaves other optical storage feeling emasculated
We've heard about 1TB-sized optical discs in the past, but TDK has now revealed a 1TB monster of its own at CEATEC. Unlike existing Blu-rays which use four recording layers at most, TDK's creation features 16 layers on both sides of the disc, each capable of storing up to 32GB apiece. If you're keeping track of the optical storage arms race, that's seven more gigabytes per layer than Pioneer's 400GB and 500GB disc achievements made back in 2008. TDK's prototype also has the potential to leverage existing Blu-ray technologies, since it's made from a material already found in BDs and shares the same beam aperture. On the down side, the current version's recording layers measure 260μm -- that's more than twice as thick as its Blu-ray counterpart -- and causes aberrations in today's fat-layer-hating optical lenses. Outside of its Biggest Loser qualifications, though, TDK says "its commercialization depends on disc manufacturers." Considering the company has yet to sell the 10-layer 320GB discs revealed at CEATEC 2009, however, we're doubtful this 1TB improvement will hit stores anytime soon.
Sharp shows off 35mm thin BDXL recorder at CEATEC, world doesn't stop to wonder why
Thinness in a portable device is an attribute worth coveting. Thinness of yet another layer in your home entertainment center hoagie, however, is a little bit less attractive -- at least it is when it comes with a big compromise. Such is the case with Sharp's thinnest Blu-ray recorder, just 35mm thick yet capable of writing to BD-R discs or the newer, pricier, 100GB BDXL discs. So far so good, but rather sadly to make that magic happen in a package so svelte the company has had to ditch the internal HDD that's common in these devices, the idea being you'll just write to BDXL's instead. Even with a stack of re-writeables at your disposal that's going to be a lot less convenient and a lot more expensive than having a good 'ol pile of platters spinning inside. Of course, with no price or release date given, it's possible that this reduction of internal hardware also comes with a reduction in cost, but as we all know it's pretty rare that a skinnier device costs less than its bigger boned brethren.
Sony releases 400mW-output blue-violet laser diode, could make BDXL blossom
Now that the BDXL spec is finalized, a handful of DVR announcements have trickled out to support the higher-capacity Blu-ray format. Sony's release of the SLD3237VF 400mW-output blue-violet laser diode, however, could flat-out open the floodgates. That's because, besides supporting the new larger capacity standard, it's the first diode of its kind to have an output of 400mW or higher. This gives manufacturers more flexibility in their hardware design to use a wider array of optical components. The cost for the part itself is roughly $12, but no telling what kind of premium it'll actually entail by the time it hits retail. We do know that all that additional memory should provide plenty breathing room for higher production 3D Blu-ray discs in the future, or enough HD bonus features space to make The Lord of the Rings extended edition box go on a serious South Beach diet.
Sharp trots out AQUOS Quattron 3D HDTVs, complete with Blu-ray recorders
You should know by the inclusion of a Blu-ray recorder that these guys are reserved for the Japanese market, but what's stopping you and yours from drooling over 'em? The 52-inch LC-52LB3 and 46-inch LC-46LB3 are the latest members of the AQUOS Quattron 3D family, and aside from packing 1080p panels and integrated TV tuners, you'll also get a slot-loading Blu-ray drive that plays back BD films and can toast material on BDXL media. Not too shabby, eh? They'll be on sale halfway across the world this November, but pricing remains a mystery -- we're guessing it's one of those 'if you have to ask...' type scenarios.
Sharp intros HDD-equipped AQUOS Blu-ray 3D players, complete with BDXL support
You won't find this trio hitting US shores anytime soon, but those situated in Japan have a new gaggle of Sharp BD decks to ogle. The BD-HDW65 and BD-HDW63 both include a pair of TV tuners, BDXL support and compatibility with Blu-ray 3D titles, with the only difference being the hard drive -- there's a 500 gigger in the former and a 320GB drive in the latter. The BD-HDS65 goes with a single digital tuner, a single analog tuner and a 500GB hard drive, which might prove useful for storing copious amounts of drama from Sky TV. You'll also find WiFi integrated throughout, not to mention an Ethernet jack, HDMI output, component jacks and DLNA support. We're told that the first two should ship in around a month, with the last fellow going on sale in Japan this November; as for pricing, we're hearing a range from ¥90,000 ($1,066) to ¥120,000 ($1,422), which ain't cheap no matter how you slice it.
Sony launches six new DVRs, all write to BDXL and play back in 3D
Well, Sony is a little late to the party on this one, two days behind Panasonic announcing six new BDXL-writing DVRs. But, the company is definitely still on the BDXL bleeding edge, announcing its own suite of six devices, ranging from 320GB to 2TB of internal storage and all but one offering dual tuners. When those tuners have filled that storage they can all write to 100GB BDXL discs, which we'll remind you one more time are not backwards compatible with current Blu-ray players. Finally, all six of them support 3D playback, because if you're already jumping on the BDXL bandwagon you surely have your 3D HDTV well and truly dialed in by now. Sony isn't saying just how much these six will cost, but the premium model with 2TB of storage ships in Japan on September 25. For the rest you'll have to wait until October 22.
Panasonic launches six new BDXL-compatible DVRs, the media you'll need to feed them
The BDXL format offers 100GB on a single-sided disc, and while that sounds great for archiving content, we're a little leery about Hollywood adopting it to stuff even more deleted scenes on our discs. Why? Because no current Blu-ray players can read the things, and we can't say we're keen to buy another. We're getting a little closer to that kind of support with Panasonic's new Diga-series recorders. There are six in total, all shipping on September 15 and each offering dual tuners used to stuff HDDs ranging from 500GB up to 2TB. From there, content can be dumped onto BDXL discs, so Panny is also announcing availability of its first 100GB, single-sided, write-once media. Naturally BDXLs can also be played back on the things and, in all but the smallest two models, can even be played in 3D. We're still warming up to 3D, Panasonic, don't push too much change too fast.
TDK inflates to BDXL, bringing 100GB writable Blu-ray discs in September
Why, it seems like only yesterday that 50GB was an awful lot of capacity. Now, not so much. BDXL discs are here to rescue your data, and TDK is the latest to roll out triple-decker discs with 100GB of capacity. As with the others, these discs will only work in BDXL-compatible readers and writers, meaning yet another early round of devices is in the process of being obsoleted. (Remember Profile 2.0?) These discs are set to ship in Japan in September, and sometime later will come the quadruple-decker BDXL discs with 128GB. We wonder, though: can a retail offering really be considered a "pack" if it only contains one disc?
Sharp intros first 100GB BDXL discs, Japan gets first dibs on July 30
It took a little while after the BDXL specification was finalized, but here's Sharp busting down the door to expanded storage with the first official products adhering to said spec. The new VR-100BR1 discs will use triple-layer fairy dust to squish 100GB of data inside, and Akihabara News reports that they'll be swiftly followed by quad-layer 128GB variants as well. Of course, every shiny new toy comes at a price, which in this case will be ¥5,000 per disc -- that equates to $57 and makes us wonder why we wouldn't just buy an external HDD with that cash. Perhaps because the slinky new Blu-ray media will be playable in that shiny new Sharp Blu-ray DVR you just bought? You did buy a Sharp DVR, right? Because the BD-HDW700/70 are the only models that will support these, at least for the moment.
128GB BDXL Blu-ray disc specification finalized... and fabulous!
Looks like the Blu-ray Disc Association has published the final specs for the monster BDXL disc, opening the way for manufacturers to start introducing the technology in their optical drives. Not too much here that we don't already know: aimed at institutions and folks who need to archive lots and lots of... stuff, BDXL discs are available in either triple layer 100GB (re-writable or write-once) or 128GB quad layer write-once flavors. Of course, with all these layers (or layuhs in Brooklyn) the laser in the Blu-ray drive you already own won't be able to do the trick, so start saving your change for a hardware upgrade once these things become commercially available. PR after the break.
Blu-ray Discs expand to 128GB under new BDXL spec
This probably isn't a response to the 3D onslaught or even "superbit" releases like the upcoming Avatar 2D disc, but just in case the standard 50GB Blu-ray discs were beginning to feel a bit -- how do you say... cramped? -- the Blu-ray Disc Association's rolling out a new BDXL format capable of holding up to 128GB (write-once) or 100GB (rewriteable). Before you get too excited, you should know that you'll need a new player to access these -- even a firmware update won't save the PS3 this time -- since they go up to three or four layers deep and will likely need a more powerful laser. While our home movies can be compressed just fine, corporations currently still using other mediums for archiving might appreciate the extra space, as well as the new IH-BD discs, designed with one 25GB read-only layer, and one 25GB rewritable layer on the same platter. If you're looking for a place to permanently back up that super high-res "amateur photography," take heart -- a consumer version is in the works, though it will first be aimed at markets where Blu-ray Disc recorders are popular, or available at all (read: maybe Japan, definitely not the US). No word when the new hardware will actually hit the market, but final specs are due "in the next few months." In the meantime, check out the full details after the break.