I mean ‘cheaper’ rather than ‘cheap’ because at £400 and £600 respectively, the new BDP S300 and BDP S500 are still significantly more expensive than Toshiba’s HD DVD players. Still, the prices are heading in the right direction, if at a snail’s pace.
Both can output 1080p and support 7.1 channel Linear PCM and Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound audio. They also promise to upscale your standard DVDs and both will play movies at 24fps – just like you get at the cinema. The higher end BDP-S500 also supports Dolby TrueHD surround.
The BDP S300 and BDP S500 are due out in September and October, respectively. The real bonus for interested UK consumers though is that Sony will bundle the Spiderman Trilogy of movies on Blu-ray – after you’ve done an online survey and registered the product, that is. -Martin Lynch
blu-ray sony HD DVD
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There will be Star Wars fans gagging at this and I’m sorry, but Darth Vader has had his asthmatic ass dragged into this century to become, or all things, a Transformer. I could see the usefulness of the Darth Vader costume and even the kitsch fun of a Vader phone, but this?
It looks OK as plastic toy figurines go but it’s still pretty lame. The only upside, if it can be called that, is that he transforms into the Death Star and not some crappy American muscle car with all the handling of a concrete block.
Here are the features, few as they are, of the Hasbro Star Wars Transformer Deluxe Death Star:
* Darth Vader battles the Rebel Alliance fleet with weapons, warriors, and the power of the Force!
* Darth Vader mech figure changes into Death Star vehicle mode and features two awesome battle modes with electronic lights-and-sounds excitement!
* Figure comes with Darth Vader pilot mini figure, 2 TIE Fighter mini vehicles and 3 Stormtrooper mini figures
* This is one awesome figure for your collection!
* A "must-have" for any Star Wars collection!
Wow, how awesome [not] is that? It’s bound to sell lots though. Expect to pay £25.
[Amazon]
star wars movies darth vader transformers
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The Wii console continues to break records this week by becoming the UK’s fastest ever selling console, with sales tipping over the 1 million mark just 38 weeks after it launched.
The new data from Chart Track points out that the PS2 took 50 weeks while the Xbox 360 took 60 weeks to top the magical figure. The diminutive Wii now controls a whopping 68% of the UK console market [I take it this does not count older consoles like the millions of PS2s], while Nintendo’s other little earner, the DS dominates the handheld market with an 86% share. A chuffed David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK said:
“The non-stop demand for Wii, even in the traditionally slow sales period for video games in the UK, is clearly behind this record-breaking achievement. With the increasing number of unique software titles for the system from Nintendo and third parties, [the Wii] is being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages.”
Well, it may not have the power, HD or graphics capabilities of its fatter rivals but as top sod, Simon Cowell, would say, it obviously has the X-factor.-Martin Lynch
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Editor and Contributor | Martin Lynch
Contributor | Tamlin Magee
