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'A Turtle's Tale 2: Sammy's Escape from Paradise - 3D' Announced for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D[teaser]The adventurous animated sequel will be swimming to Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D this summer. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Vivendi will be releasing 'A Turtle's Tale 2: Sammy's Escape from Paradise - 3D' on home video on July 9. When Sammy and Ray find themselves trapped in The Tank, an underwater restaurant/aquarium, they must hatch a plan to escape and reunite with their grandkids Ricky and Ella. But they'll have to get past Big D and his dopey thugs first. With the help of some unlikely friends, Sammy and Ray find that when you work together anything is possible! There's no word on tech specs yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is $19.97. You can find the latest specs for 'A Turtle's Tale 2: Sammy's Escape from Paradise - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 9.Posted Tue Apr 16, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Logitech Introduces The Harmony Ultimate and Harmony Smart Control[teaser]Both models come with the Harmony hub and may be the last Logitech Harmony Models. [/teaser] Even as Logitech continues in its intention to sell the Harmony division, the company is introducing two top-of-the-line models. At the core of the two new models is really the Harmony Hub. This separate unit resides with the user's home theater, granting controls from across the home, compatibility with rogue Bluetooth options such as game consoles, and smartphone control. The Logitech smartphone app is available for iOS and Android. The Harmony Smart Control is really a wireless or Wi-Fi extension of the Harmony Hub and is priced at $129.99. The remote is simple and leaves the complex controls in the hands of connected smartphones. In concept, the power user relies on smartphone control while leaving the simple remote for the more casual users. The Harmony Ultimate adds a 2.4" color touchscreen and is billed as "the most fully featured" Harmony product to date. The Harmony Ultimate can even control Philips Hue LED light bulbs through Wi-Fi. The touchscreen interface uses swipes and haptic feedback to train the user to control up to 15 devices without having to even look at the screen. The remote can detect when it is moved and illuminate its screen for the user. The remote has specifically been designed for two different hand positions with the casual channel-flipping spot at the bottom and the more in-depth operations suitable for the upper grip. The Harmony Ultimate is priced at $349.99. Both models should be available later this month. Source: The VergePosted Tue Apr 16, 2013 at 07:30 AM PDT by: -
Contest: Win 'Django Unchained' on Blu-ray!It's time for another great Blu-ray giveaway. This week, we have a Blu-ray copy of Quentin Tarantino's blockbuster hit 'Django Unchained' just waiting to make its way into one of our reader's hands. Enter our contest today for your chance to win.Posted Tue Apr 16, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Kiss of the Damned' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The sensual horror flick will unleash its bloodlust on Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia is preparing 'Kiss of the Damned' for Blu-ray on July 23. Beautiful vampire Djuna (Josephine de La Baume) tries to resist the advances of the handsome, human screenwriter Paolo (Milo Ventimiglia), but eventually gives in to their passion. When her troublemaker sister Mimi (Roxane Mesquida) unexpectedly comes to visit, Djuna’s love story is threatened, and the whole vampire community becomes endangered… Written and directed by Xan Cassavetes, daughter of acclaimed filmmaker John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. Specs and supplements have not been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Kiss of the Damned' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 23.Posted Tue Apr 16, 2013 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Welcome to the Punch' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The cat-and-mouse thriller from Producer Ridley Scott is hitting Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MPI Home Video is preparing 'Welcome to the Punch' for Blu-ray on July 23. The second feature from acclaimed British music video director and filmmaker Eran Creevy, 'Welcome to the Punch' is the story of two arch-nemeses: detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) and master criminal Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong). When Sternwood escaped three years ago after a daring robbery, Max was left emotionally and physically scarred. But after Sternwood’s son turns up in a hospital due to a failed heist, he’s forced to return to London – giving Max his second chance to get the one criminal who got away. Yet as Max delves deeper into the case he uncovers a vast conspiracy. Featuring rising star Andrea Riseborough ('Shadow Dancer') and Peter Mullan ('War Horse'), the film was shot in the gleaming streets of London’s rejuvenated East End and the banking center of Canary Wharf. Executive produced by Ridley Scott, 'Welcome to the Punch' is a sleek modern thriller. Specs, supplements, and a suggested list price have not been revealed yet. You can find the latest specs for 'Welcome to the Punch' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 23.Posted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Power of Few' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]An unlikely assortment of characters will find their lives intertwined in this thriller coming to Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Vivendi Entertainment is preparing 'The Power of Few' for Blu-ray on July 9. Spies, cops, holy fools and well-armed children cross paths on a day of danger, mystery and possible transformation. 'The Power of Few' unfolds over twenty minutes on one New Orleans afternoon, experienced through the lives of five unusual characters who unknowingly are connected to an extraordinary smuggling operation as religious conspiracy collides with urban crime. The time bending thriller stars Christopher Walken, Christian Slater, Q'orianka Kilcher and Anthony Anderson. Told from multiple perspectives, the film encourages audiences to look at things from different viewpoints to see how the choices of a single person can affect the outcome of things in a world where everything is interconnected. Specs and supplements have not been revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Power of Few' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 9.Posted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
4K Resolution at What Cost? The $1500 50" 4K Seiki[teaser]Seiki Digital and TigerDirect are offering the no frills model. [/teaser] How can a 4K TV be on sale for $1500? The answer is plainly Seiki Digital. The company which is known for producing some of the cheapest HDTV LCDs around is now offering a 50" LED TV with a supported and theoretical native resolution of 3840 x 2160. That combination of price and resolution heads the shortlist of details currently known about the set. The specs from TigerDirect indicate that the set has three HDMI ports and a 5000:1 contrast ratio, and a 6.5ms response at 120Hz refresh rate. Nothing in Seiki's press release or the TigerDirect listing references an ability to scale content, however, Seiki does point out that the set includes a "HDMI 1.4 standard cable to enable video resolutions beyond 1080p." Seiki also mentions purchasers "future-proofing" and being "ready to experience 4K content as it becomes available in the near future." These specific details suggest that getting 4K content onto the set may not be happen for some time. Sony's FMP-X1 may be the first available option when considering how video cards handle resolution output above 1080p. The 50" SE50UY04 will be joined 65" variant later this year. Source: EngadgetPosted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 09:30 AM PDT by: -
Sharp Raising Funds By Selling off Pioneer[teaser]Pioneer's largest shareholder at 9.2 percent, Sharp continues to try to stay above water.[/teaser] Sharp is planning to sell its 30 million shares of Pioneer in a move that echoes options that Sharp explored this past fall. In 2012, Sharp finally had to restructure its entire operation in order to begin addressing the billions of dollars of debt the company has accrued. While the company has accepted bailout funds, new investment, and sold off several other interests, the company has held onto to Pioneer until now. With 9.2 percent of Pioneer, Sharp currently holds the largest single share of Pioneer. Pioneer in turn owns 0.8 percent of Sharp. The two companies will continue their collaborative efforts even after the sell-off. Sharp is looking to pay off $2.14 billion in convertible debt, which represents less than a quarter of the company's overall debt. Sharp plans to raise $1.07 through a public stock offering and has managed to wrangle $313 million in direct bank investment. Sharp's shares in Pioneer pale in comparison to both the company's immediate debt and overall debt, but the company has made serious strides since the fall of 2012, when investors were abandoning the company in droves. Source: ZDnetPosted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Early OUYA Performance Staked by 3DMark[teaser]Does the $100 price point justify the system's performance?[/teaser] With the OUYA in the hands of developers and backers, the system has come much further than most other attempts at merging a home console with an either an open-source or Android Market underpinning. The system has, however, hit some growing pains as several early impression features have produced on overall negative image with regards to both stability and software availability. Likewise, at this still early stage, the OUYA system has been run through Futuremake's 3DMark benchmarking, and the results are open to interpretation. The OUYA is stacked up against a plethora of more powerful Android tablets and smartphones. Systems whose costs can dwarf the OUYA's $100 price. The OUYA is currently ranked 73rd for mobile devices tested in the last thirty days. That ranking is currently exclusive to hardware running the Android OS and does not include either iOS or Windows Phone hardware. It is reasonable to expect the OUYA's performance to improve significantly with various optimizations over the next two months, but even during that short window more powerful handsets will continue to be released. Of course, the likelihood of yearly OUYA hardware releases remain, but it seems clear that that the system will need unique software and an attractive unique experience/feature set rather than raw horsepower in order to be more than a niche product. Source: GamasutraPosted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 08:30 AM PDT by: -
'The Rambler' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]A man will embark on a bizarre journey of redemption in this road movie wandering to Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is preparing 'The Rambler' for Blu-ray on June 25. A stranger known only as "the Rambler" (Dermot Mulroney) is just released from prison and is anxious to build a new life for himself. Coming home to a faithless girlfriend (Natasha Lyonne), he quickly realizes his old life is truly behind him. With the promise of a job and some stability from his brother, the Rambler embarks on a cross-country journey to what hopefully is a new start. Like Odysseus and other travelers on the road-to-wisdom before him, the Rambler – armed only with his cowboy hat, shades, a guitar and traveling sack -- will encounter all manner of obstacles and dangers on his road to redemption, including a scientist with a dream-recording (onto VHS!) machine, a cab driver with an unnatural love of the original Frankenstein film, "mummies" in the back of trucks and, oh -- did I mention exploding heads? Supplements have not been revealed yet, but the Blu-ray will feature 1080p video and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Rambler' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 25.Posted Mon Apr 15, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
