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Will porn affect the outcome of the format war?
It is well accepted that whatever technology the porn industry adopts becomes widely accepted, and there is little doubt that it helped VHS and the Internet. However is the next generation pre-packaged media really that new? Certainly not as much of a breakthrough as the Internet or pre-packaged media like VHS. When VHS first hit the street it was the first time someone could enjoy movies in the comfort of their own home whenever they wanted. With the Internet people could download what they wanted when they wanted and they didn't even have to go to the store and risk being spotted to buy it. When DVD came out it added special features and instant access to scenes, but other than the great picture quality, what do the next gen formats offer in regards to porn? Sure PIP might be nice, as well as better sound, but no doubt it isn't as big of an increase so will the porn industry have the same impact. This pretty much sums up why you don't see much next gen porn news on Engadget HD, we simply don't think that one studio announcing titles on one format or another is big news, although it might be if it were the biggest name in porn, but Vivid still says they will produce on both formats and the BDA has even issued a statement saying they don't have a problem with porn.Read: Blu-ray: We Like Porn, TooRead: HD DVD or Blu-ray? Even the Porn Industry Won't Touch It
The Pirate Bay eying Sealand to escape digital persecution
While Sweden (and Russia, to name a few) has long been a country of choice when it came to hosting less-than-upstanding websites, the head honchos around the globe looking out for their precious content have somehow reached The Pirate Bay, and now the popular torrent tracking site is eying the micronation of Sealand as a safe haven for its dubious hosting needs. Sealand, which is loosely claimed as a principality, features its own flag, coat of arms, currency, stamps, passports, and most importantly, a quasi-coat of armor from any nation's laws. Although the background of 5,920-square foot man-made installation off the shore of Suffolk, England is quite remarkable, TPB sees its two massive columns as a perfect place for future hosting duties. Formerly the home of HavenCo, an off-shore hosting company that housed gambling sites, money transferring liaisons, and any other operation looking for internet freedom, Sealand could be a potential sanctuary from the claws of the RIAA, MPAA, and other content "owners." Although a principality can't legally (saywha?) be "sold," the family in possession of it recently began accepting offers "upwards of eight figures" for a transfer of ownership after (quite literally) holding down the fort since 1967, and while we highly doubt a fundraiser can scrape up that kind of loot anytime soon, nor do we believe it'd stop the barrage of content guardians, we must say the location looks like an excellent place to just get away from it all (including lawyers) -- if only for awhile.[Thanks, iamsoinsane, photo courtesy Kim Gilmour]
Buena Vista's worldwide 2007 Blu-ray plans - Pirates and Cars included
Finally, there is some word about when Buena Vista's blockbuster hits Pirates of the Caribbean and Cars is coming to Blu-ray and we are please to tell you that it's not to far off. Every time the studio has announcements, we hold our breaths only to let out a sigh of disappointment when nether of the flicks are mentioned but come May of '07, Captain Jack will be on our HDTVs via both the Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest. Cars is [hopefully] coming later this year but the title isn't yet slotted into this released time table. There are more former hit titles coming from the studio such as, Chicken Little and Finding Neverland coming out on March 20; King Arthur Director's Cut and G.I. Jane on April 3; Con Air, Crimson Tide, and The Rock coming out on June 8, and The Recruit, Open range and the fore mentioned Cars slotted for sometime within the year. Hopefully, once the studio releases their first Pixar movie, Cars, on the format, we will see more coming. Click on for the rest of the studios '07 worldwide releases. These plans include a huge European push with 21 schedule titles verses North Americans paltry 13 and Asia lackluster 12.
Arrr, matey: New Pirates of the Caribbean MMO deets
Disney's upcoming MMO based on the wildly successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise released some new assets this week, and you can peep the screenshots after the jump. For the more adventurous among you, try finding the developer's video diary on the Disney go.com site here. It ran our browser into rocky shores more than once, and we had to restart, so beware.This game won't match the depth of World of Warcraft, and it's looking a bit like MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach with pirate outfits on, but we have to admit it looks fun. You get to outfit your own pirate, rig out your ship and set out to make a name for yourself. Plus, you'll be able to interact with characters from the game, including Captain Jack Sparrow. Who knew that Disney would get such mileage out of Depp basically playing "a gay Keith Richards"? Those are the Disney execs words, not ours ... but if Keith Richards was a gay pirate, that might be pretty spot-on.The game runs on PCs and not Macs, which is a bit ironic considering that Disney bought Pixar earlier this year ... which was owned by Apple head honcho Steve Jobs. We suppose it's fitting, considering that most pirates are on PCs anyhow *ducks incoming cannon fire*.Check out the screenshots after the jump, and drink up me hearties, yo ho!
Pirate up your Mac with Jobby Roger
What do you get for the Mac portable user who has everything? Why, a sticker from Jobby Roger of course. This $4 sticker (that includes shipping in the US, International orders cost $5) instantly transforms any MacBook, iBook, MacBook Pro, or PowerBook into a laptop that Blackbeard would be glad to use.Each additional sticker costs $2, and if you want 10 or more a deal can be made. Yar.These stickers make a great accompaniment to the English to Pirate translator widget.
Red Steel multiplayer details
Ubisoft has been kicking ass this year. In fact, they have been kicking so much ass that colossal EA is feeling a little threatened by their presence. One of the most impressive Ubi titles coming for Wii is Red Steel. Though we are all about those cracked-out rabbids, being a ninja is way cooler. Red Steel is looking to be one of the best Wii titles and we have the details on the multiplayer modes. Multiplayer is divided into three separate modes aptly named:
