Yearly Archives: 2011

In a surprising move Netflix has broken off its DVD-by-mail service into a separate subsidiary called Qwikster. Wait a minute? Wasn't Netflix built on DVDs-by-mail? Not any more. Netflix has done away with discs. In a blog post last night CEO Reed Hastings apologized for the confusion but explained the move was made because Netflix's shares have been dropping due to price increases and the splitting of services. He reasoned Netflix could do a better job at providing streaming services if it were the only focus of the company.

Finally, all six epic Star Wars films are available in high definition. The Blu-ray editions come in three variations: “Star Wars: The Complete Saga" (containing all six films plus over 40 hours of bonus footage), "Star Wars: The Original Trilogy" (A New Hope/The Empire Strikes Back/Return Of The Jedi), and "Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy" (The Phantom Menace/Attack Of The Clones/Revenge Of The Sith). Recently, most retailers dropped the price of all three of the Star Wars Blu-ray Disc editions by $10.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars season four premieres tonight

Steven Spielberg's SUPER 8 is headed for Blu-ray Disc and DVD on November 22, 2011. Two editions have been announced including a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy and a Single-Disc DVD. Paramount is including over two hours of extra material on the Blu-ray edition such as behind-the-scenes footage, production features, interviews, deleted scenes, and commentary from director J.J. Abrams.

Sony announced the PlayStation 3 will be available in Japan on November 17 in two new colors: Splash Blue and Scarlet Red. Can anyone say, "Yuck?" The included Dualshock 3 controller will also match the color of the console. No word yet on whether or not the new PS3 colors will be offered worldwide. The 320GB "slim" model is no different than the black model and the list price in Japan should stay the same at 29,980 yen.

When "GoldenEye 007: Reloaded" hits stores on November 1, 2011, PlayStation 3 owners will be able to purchase the exclusive bundle titled "GoldenEye 007: Reloaded Double 'O' Edition.

If you're a Cablevision subscriber you'll now have remote access to Turner Network Television networks such as Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, TNT and truTV. According to Deadline New York, Cablevision and Turner's parent company Time Warner agreed to allow streaming of Turner-owned channels including live streaming of from CNN and HLN. When everything is in place, Cablevision subscribers will be able to use their ID and password to access the programming on Turner websites as well as through apps for Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iTouch.

Here's a couple hot deals available tonight only during Best Buy's Midnight Sale. #1, Best Buy has got a Sharp AQUOS Quattron 40" HDTV for $579.99. The 1080p LED display with 120Hz refresh rate usually sells for $1,099, indicating a savings of $520 during the sale.

"Destroy the Sith, we must!" Some retailers recently dropped the price of all three of the Star Wars Blu-ray Disc editions by $10. “Star Wars: The Complete Saga" was formerly selling for $89.99 (List: $139.99) but is now $79.99. "Star Wars: The Original Trilogy" and "Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy" both dropped to $39.99 each (List: $69.99), previously $49.99 each. The price cuts reflect a 43% reduction of the original MSRPs. All three

In October, Sony will ship what they are calling the "World's Lightest 6-inch eReader." The WiFi-enabled PRS-T1 eReader weighs just 168 grams and boasts a thin 8.9mm profile. As far as battery life, Sony says the eReader will last over a month, unless you leave the wireless on in which case a charge should last about 3 weeks. Resolution on the 16-level grey scale display is 600 x 800 pixels, and the eReader will be available in three different colors (see photo). For a limited time, Sony will include a free download of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for those who purchase the black model.