TTL - The Tech Link Blog

Netflix

Netflix, the company that started out as an online over-the-mail DVD renting service, is expanding rapidly towards online streaming and promising high definition (HD) content delivered directly on the Xbox 360.

Netflix has chosen to make the HD service available only on the Xbox 360 at first and then turn to the PC market. The service will be available through a dashboard update scheduled in mid-November.

Subscribers of the Netflix service will also have to be subscribed to Xbox Live! to be able to enjoy over 10,000 standard definition titles along with the new HD content. If you’re a big movie watcher, this offer might be very interesting…

The Boy Genius Report

P!nk: Funhouse

P!nk, along with LaFace/Zomba Label Group and Sony BMG, has entered yet another new kind of marketing with a free application available on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The application is available on the Apple App Store. Once installed, users will be able to listen to 30-second samples of all tracks available on P!nk’s newest album, Funhouse, which is available today. The application also allows access to restricted fan material such as pictures, videos, biography, etc.

It will only be a matter of time before we see all kinds of applications like this for other artists and let’s bet that the future only holds even more original marketing ideas for the public.

PR-CANADA.net

Videocassette Recorder

It’s been more than 50 years since the first appearance of a videocassette recorder (VCR) in this world and the technology is slowly disappearing in American households.

With the arrival of the recordable DVDs and PVRs, who needs VCRs anymore?

JVC was one of the last companies that was still making standalone VCR recorders/players and now decided to put an end to this line of products. The only products we will now see that still have VCR capabilities will be in combo (DVD + VCR) units.

TechRadar UK

RadioShack

$89.25 for my Acer Aspire 3623WXMi laptop and $229.71 for my HTC P3300 PocketPC phone… Here’s what you are looking at with the new RadioShack trade-in program.

The program allows you to trade in your old stuff (GPS, cell phones, video games, computers, laptops, mp3 players, etc.) and receive a RadioShack gift certificate in return. If you have stuff lying around in your closet and haven’t got the time to list it on Craigslist or eBay, this might be a good alternative for you.

RadioShack Trade-In Program
I4U News

E3 Expo

The Entertainment Software Association has announced the official date for the E3 Expo. The 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) will be held in the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 2nd to June 4th, 2009.

This event gathers professionals and companies focused primarily on the video games industry, and helps them showcase their new and upcoming products and services to the general public. Much like a car show, but for video games.

The event suffered in the last few years from less and less traffic (because of smaller locations), so this year, the event organizers decided to make things more appealing by thinking BIG.

From the ESA press release: …these changes include increased booth sizes, increased qualified audiences, and an intensified focus on reinforcing the high-octane growth, innovation, and captivating entertainment that are driving the computer and video game industry.

E3 Expo
The Entertainment Software Association

Circuit City

Electronics retail store Circuit City might have to close up to 150 locations and even declare bankruptcy if the current market doesn’t see some kind of revival during the Christmas season.

From BetaNews: “The management team, board of directors, and its strategic financial advisers are conducting a comprehensive review of all aspects of our business to determine the best methods of accelerating our turnaround,” a Circuit City spokesperson responded in a statement today.

BetaNews

Sansa slotMusic Player

Sandisk announced today the release of the first slotMusic player: the Sansa slotMusic Player.

The device will accept pre-loaded slotMusic albums on microSD cards as well as user-filled microSD cards up to 16GB (DRM-free mp3 or WMA). Consumers will have a choice of Sansa-branded or artist-branded players (ABBA, Robin Thicke, etc.)

The Sansa slotMusic Player will be available today at Wal-Mart and BestBuy (and others) at $19.99 for the Sansa-branded player and $34.99 for the artist-branded player which includes the specific artist’s album on a microSD card.

It weights in at 1.7 oz and measures 2.84″ x 1.45″ x 0.60″ and will come packaged with earphones (earbuds) and battery. One standard AAA battery should last for as long as 15hrs of playback.

Sandisk Press Release
Sansa

Xbox 360 HDD

Microsoft will be unveiling the new “Xbox Experience” next month. With it comes a 128MB update that users will have to download and install on their Xbox’s hard drive.

So what happens if you have an Xbox 360 without a hard drive?

Microsoft has thought of you and is now offering low priced memory upgrades for Xbox 360 owners that bought the console with no hard drive. Users will be able to get their hands on a refurbished 20GB HDD for only $19.99. We even have seen reports of a free 512MB memory card option!

Xbox 360 Special Offer
techAU

Playstation 3

As Microsoft and Nintendo are aggressively pricing their gaming consoles for Christmas, one would expect the same for Sony’s Playstation 3… No this year folks.

From I4U News: “Sony’s CEO, Kazuo Hirai, told the Financial Times that the current PS3 pricing is the one that Sony will go into the Holiday shopping season. Sony is arguing that the Sony PS3 is a better value than rivals half its price.”

I4U News

Xbox 360

Microsoft officially responded to rumors around a Blu-Ray disc player for the Xbox 360.

They “do not plan on having Blu-Ray support anytime soon” confirmed Major Nelson on his official Xbox 360 blog. This probably has to do with very slow adoption of the “new” Blu-Ray media, and also because of the failure of the original HD-DVD external drive that Microsoft tried to push when HD-DVD was still alive.

I guess they just don’t want to repeat the same mistake again…

TG Daily

Playstation 3

Sony has announced more details on the upcoming firmware updates for the PSP and the PS3. These updates should be available in the very near future.

With the new 5.00 update on the PSP, users will be able to access the Playstation Store right from the device using WiFi. It will also add a sleep timer for when you are playing music, and a full screen keyboard for easy typing.

The PS3 update will be version 2.5 and will feature support for a new Bluetooth headset, better voice transport system (when using a headset), movie scene search will allow users to set cue points at different intervals within a movie (like chapters) for fast access to certain scenes, power saving features will allow users to turn off the console and controllers when not in use, in-game screenshots, and background downloading with automatic console shut-down.

TechRadar UK

Xbox 360

What’s going to happen on November 19th? The new Xbox experience that is! Well, what is it?

Judging from Microsoft’s Press Release, we can tell that it is going to include new Xbox 360 bundles, and that we should expect “a transformation in home entertainment”.

Here are the new Xbox 360 holiday bundles:

• Xbox 360 Arcade - $199.99 - Includes Sega Superstar Tennis and 5 Xbox 360 Arcade games
• Xbox 360 - $299.99 - Includes LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda
• Xbox 360 Elite - $399.99 - Includes LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda

The new Xbox experience will be centered around everything that is social of the Xbox 360 meaning that it will probably be an enhanced version of the existing Xbox Live service. Don’t expect anything really spectacular, think more like an update or upgrade to an already existing product.

CDRinfo

Toshiba

Toshiba once again confirmed that it plans to introduce their new lines of fuel cell batteries as early as March of 2009.

The batteries should be more powerful and longer-lasting than current batteries found in electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, mp3 players, etc.

TechSpot

Tomb Raider: Underworld

Xbox 360 owners will be treated with two exclusive Tomb Raider releases just in time for the Christmas season.

The releases will be available on Xbox Live and will come as “chapters” (or extensions) to the Tomb Raider: Underworld game. The first will be available for Christmas and the second one should follow shortly after. There will even be a new playable character included!

The Register Hardware UK

Wii Speak

Nintendo announced that their new product, the Wii Speak, will be available in mid-November in Japan and will make its way to America later on.

Wii Speak is a kit that should sell for around $50. It will include a device that is similar to voice-conferencing phones where it will pick up the voices of all individuals in a room within a 12 feet radius.

From Nintendo: When you enter a code that will be included in the Wii Speak package into the Shopping Channel, the Wii Speak Channel can be incorporated into the Wii console. In other words, the Wii console can connect one living room with others. If your friends do not own Wii Speak, you can send a message with voices to their Wii consoles through the Wii Message Board.

TechRadar UK
GigaOM