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Panasonic hits the road again for the Unwrap 3D mall tour
It's that time of year again, as regular as the circus coming to town, when Panasonic pulls out the 18-wheeler and hits the road. After its Touch the Future tour earlier this year, Panasonic's heading back to the mall Robin Sherbatsky-style with the Unwrap 3D tour over the next two weeks. Starting tomorrow it hits 14 cities across the country with 3D TVs, Blu-ray players, glasses cameras and whatever else it can fit in that truck. Thanks to that exclusivity deal, expect plenty of Avatar demos wherever the tour makes a stop, along with sweepstakes to win Panasonic gear. If 3D is going to be adopted, people will need a good experience before they buy and it seems like this is the best form of exposure Panasonic can think of, check the press release after the break for dates and locations.
Panasonic 'Ultimate Pack' with Avatar 3D Blu-ray spotted at Best Buy
If you've been waiting for Panasonic's exclusive pack in of the 3D version of Avatar to bite on a new TV, your time is just about here as Mr. Blurrycam spotted these bundle packs of Avatar on Blu-ray 3D and two pairs of glasses arriving at a local Best Buy yesterday. No word if they're on hold for December 1, but we figure even if you're trying to haggle a salesman down on the price of a new VT25 plasma, it could be a worthwhile bargaining chip anyway. Update: We've got a couple more pictures for you, while our tipster mentions the street date is still marked as December 1, the glasses in the pack are of the new USB-rechargeable variety. Check after the break for a couple more pictures. [Thanks, Pastadude]
Blu-ray titles announced the week of November 19th, 2010
Plenty of upcoming Blu-rays were announced over the last week -- unfortunately most aren't terribly exciting. TV fans should keep an eye out however for the first season of FX's well-received Justified, in addition to season two of Nurse Jackie and season six of Weeds. On the movie side, both Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and the romcom Going the Distance are scheduled to be available on Blu-ray a mere three months after their theater debuts and conveniently just in time for Holiday stocking stuffing. Along those lines, if you were thinking Pamela Anderson's Barb Wire in HD would make a good thank you gift for your boss, sadly it's not releasing until February -- so go with plan B, bub. For a complete look at our roundup of announcements this week by release date, take a gander at the list after the break.
Avatar Extended Collectors Edition Blu-ray includes 3D Easter Egg
If you've snagged this week's Avatar Extended Collector's Edition on blu-ray even though you're really waiting for it to come out in 3D, you're in luck. AVSForum poster josephcoatar discovered that by fiddling with the menus, you can unlock an Easter Egg that pops up two 3D special features, the three and a half minute extended theatrical trailer and a four minute "Pandora Discovered" featurette. Even if you do plan on getting your hands on the Panasonic-exclusive 3D release this year, you can cut the waiting down by going to "Live Extras" in the main menu of disc three, pressing down, and slipping on some 3D glasses.
The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D Blu-ray review
It's hard to believe that the 2010 World Cup was just a few months ago, but even though many 3D events have come since, it was certainly the biggest broadcast at the time and this week viewers at home can archive it with Sony's The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D disc. This 3D Blu-ray disc (don't even try it in 2D players, we have no idea what will happen but the warnings are very somber -- we suspect a universe eating wormhole) captures 64 minutes of action from all the key games and matchups from South Africa in the highest quality you'll find. While we're currently experiencing an unprecedented flood of movie releases on Blu-ray 3D, this is our first opportunity to dive into some real sports action, check after the break to see if we found it worth the effort.
Universal brings Coraline Blu-ray 3D to retail January 4, 2011
So far, promotional exclusives have tied up many Blu-ray 3D titles, but that tide may start to turn, now that Universal has announced it's releasing the previously Panasonic-exclusive Coraline to retail on January 4, 2011. The only extras noted on the 3D disc itself are a commentary track with the director and composer and English DTS-HD MA soundtrack. We're sure fans of the animated flick will be happy to put away those red/blue glasses and get a better quality version, we'll be keeping an eye out to see which title is released from the bonds of exclusivity next.
Oppo officially announces BDP-93 Blu-ray player, shows off full specs
It hasn't been long since Oppo's well-received BDP-83 made its debut, but now it's gone, and the company has fleshed out details on the successor to the throne, the BDP-93. say hello to another universal player, now updated with Blu-ray 3D and streaming access to Netflix and Blockbuster over WiFi N. There's two HDMI 1.4a outputs in case your receiver isn't 3D passthrough ready, an eSATA port for playback from hard drives and two USB ports. Retail price? $499. If this is the player you've been waiting for you're probably already on the list, but if not click the source link for a full list of specs on Oppo's site and to register for notification when it goes on sale "soon." [Thanks, Mike]
Sony Optiarc debuts 12x Blu-ray writers, makes 'em friendly with BD 3D
Not that we haven't seen a 12x Blu-ray burner before, but it'll be a cold day in the underworld before you hear us griping about a little friendly competition. Sony Optiarc has taken the cellophane off of its newest crop of half-height writers, the BD-5300S, BWU-500S and BWU-500S. These guys will soon be shipping in a variety of retail and OEM configurations, offering up Blu-ray 3D playback, 12x toasting of BD-R media (dual-layer steps down to 8x) and a copy of CyberLink's Media Suite 8 with the latter unit. The outfit's not talking dollars and cents, but you can judge the value for yourself when they start filtering out in the next few weeks.
Sony Pictures schedules Resident Evil, Piranha flicks for Blu-ray 3D release
Sony Pictures queued up a couple of new Blu-ray 3D releases, revealing that Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D will arrive on shelves December 28, while Piranha 3D is getting ready for a January 11, 2011 release across 3D, Blu-ray 2D and DVD formats. The December release schedule is quickly filling up with 3D, with Despicable Me, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Step Up 3D already slated for retail release next month. Check after the break for a full list of special features on both, plus another box shot and trailer for Resident Evil.
Panasonic to start Avatar 3D Blu-ray promotion December 1
Panasonic 3DTV owners and potential owners can expect a treat this December , when the company will exclusively distribute Avatar on 3D Blu-ray to its customers. While that doesn't help anyone who's purchased any other brand of 3DTV this year, these promotional flyers that spotted by a tipster at Best Buy reveal those who shell out for a VIERA brand 3D plasma this December will get a free pair of 3D glasses included, while all owners new and old are eligible to receive the disc through the "VIERA 3D TV Loyalty Program." Check out the full image after the break for all the details, and if you don't have a Panasonic set, set up your eBay watchlists now if you plan on getting Avatar in 3D before 2011. [Thanks, Mike]
Cameron says the Avatar extended edition Blu-ray is the last 2D release left... for reals
Wondering when the Avatar Blu-ray release madness might end? Well James Cameron thankfully clarified at a recent press event that the Avatar extended edition Blu-ray on November 16th will be the last 2D, 1080p, iteration of his Blue Man Group epic before the 3D version arrives. He also slightly adjusted his previous November 3D Blu-ray release predictions made during a Wall Street Journal interview -- stating vaguely that the highly-anticipated format would instead arrive "maybe one, [or] two years out." That's much more in line with statements made by his Fox handlers (coincidence?) and now leaves Panasonic as the only party still claiming their anointed 3DTV owners will bring the Avatar 3D Blu-ray "experience" home sometime this year. Still, while we certainly don't know who at this point would fail the polygraph, we're not Na'vi enough to ignore how Panny's time line helps attract consumers to buy 3DTVs over the holiday season. As with most rumors though, only time will tell who in this debacle had the date right, so for now we'll content ourselves watching the Alien Anthology.
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.
Sony queues up The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D on Blu-ray for November
Just in case you missed out on the 3D broadcast of this year's World Cup or if you simply want to relive the experience, Sony has followed through on its promise of a Blu-ray 3D release, scheduled for November 16. If there's any disappointment (other than remembering the United States team's exit against Ghana) it's that despite a $39.95 MSRP ($27.99 on Amazon currently) it has a running time of a mere 64 minutes and no extras are listed yet. Of course, if you're looking for something to hold you over until 2014, we guess this will have to do, but even if you don't purchase we're sure this is a demo disc that will be playing in Sony Style stores for quite a while.
VIZIO shoots a 3D Blu-ray player through the FCC on its way to retail
Those sweet XVT Pro 3D screens from CES are still MIA, but VIZIO's apparently planning to jump into the 3D game shortly, as evidenced by this Blu-ray player that wireless goodness spotted in the FCC database recently. Other than the 3D capabilities and WiFi N capabilities little is known about the unit, but with VIZIO's favorite holiday (Black Friday) right around the corner, we're guessing we'll hear more about this one shortly
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.
Despicable Me Blu-ray, 3D combo packs dated for December 14
Add yet another disc to the slew of retail Blu-ray 3D discs announced for the fourth quarter, as Universal is shipping Despicable Me in Blu-ray/DVD combo and Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo forms December 14. Beyond the ubiquitous digital copy, extended adventures of the minions and a few games, the Blu-ray versions add a picture-in-picture (GR)U-Control feature with behind the scenes info, Miss Hattie's top secret cookie recipes and a few iPod/iPad exclusive apps for Universal's pocket BLU integration. Check out all the details in the press release and trailer after the break after updating your Blu-ray 3D release tracking spreadsheets.
Warner has six Blu-ray 3D discs headed to retail November 16, Sony brings along Open Season
We're not sure if they were just waiting for the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray 3D update to be officially announced, but Warner Bros. has finally responded to our pleas and mentioned a few Blu-ray 3D discs that are headed for retail without any exclusive bundling holding them back. Home Media Magazine reports that among them, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore will be a day-and-date release along with the standard DVD and Blu-ray editions, while the other five are Clash of the Titans, The Polar Express, IMAX Deep Sea 3D, IMAX Under the Sea 3D and IMAX Space Station 3D, all sporting $44.95 MSRPs. According to SVP Dorinda Marticorena, this push "is just the beginning" and timed to capitalize on an increase in sales of Blu-ray 3D hardware during the holidays. No doubt, as Sony Pictures has also apparently dated the release of Open Season in 3D for November 16 as well, the same day A Christmas Carol arrives -- 3D early adopters mark your calendars appropriately.
PS3 update 3.50 adds 3D Blu-ray movie support starting September 21
We're live from Tokyo Game Show where Sony just announced a version 3.50 software update coming to the PS3 on September 21st. On that date, we'll finally get 3D Blu-ray movie playback, in Japan at least, but likely worldwide. Read more at our liveblog.
NEC expands Valuestar 3D lineup with two new desktop PCs; laptops say LaVie
We'll have to assume NEC managed to free Willy and that its first 3D venture was a success, as the company's just revealed a brand new set of stereoscopic screens, one of which is actually not part and parcel of an all-in-one PC. NVIDIA's 3D Vision kit (with active shutter glasses) and a 23-inch, 1920 x 1080 120Hz monitor accompany this Valuestar L, with a 2.93GHz Core i7-870 processor, GeForce GT 330 GPU, 8GB of memory, 1TB of storage and Blu-ray 3D drive in an attractive white case. There's also a similarly-sized Valuestar W 3D all-in-one with a 2.53GHz Core i5-460M and GeForce GT 330M graphics, a digital TV tuner, half the memory, a 1.5TB drive and a passive, polarized display. If you're not interested in wearing glasses while chained to a desk, of course, you could always consider the new LaVie Light netbook, newly refreshed with a dual-core Intel Atom N550. And yes, we know we made a horrible pun. Sometimes we just can't help ourselves.
Toy Story 3 Blu-ray listed on Amazon for December 10, could it be 3D?
If you're hoping to see more domestically released Blu-ray 3D titles this year you may want to raise your alert level as Blu-ray.com reports, among other retailer information, on a mysterious listing for Toy Story 3 on December 10. The regular release has already been listed for November 2, in both two disc Blu-ray set, three disc BD/DVD/digital copy combo pack and 10-disc trilogy form, but since it's not among the exclusives announced earlier this week from Disney, seeing the top grossing flick of 2010 at home in 3D this year seems like a real possibility.
