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Samsung Finalizes Acquisition of HARMAN in $8 Billion Deal[teaser]The auto-tech and audio company has officially been acquired by Samsung.[/teaser] Following initial reports of the deal back in November, Samsung Electronics has announced the completion of their acquisition of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. As part of the agreement, HARMAN stockholders will receive $112.00 per share in cash for a total equity value of approximately $8 billion. The deal includes HARMAN's various audio brands and now greatly expand Samsung's presence in the connected technologies and automotive electronics markets. "Today is a historic moment for us. The close of this transaction opens the door to create substantial growth opportunities and deliver greater benefits for customers worldwide," said Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Samsung Electronics, and Chairman of the Board, HARMAN. "We see transformative opportunities in the car – and a future which seamlessly connects lifestyle across automotive, home, mobile and work. Samsung's and HARMAN’s leadership in these spaces perfectly positions Samsung to be the preferred partner to our OEM customers. In addition, bringing together HARMAN's iconic audio brands and capabilities paired with Samsung’s leading display technologies will deliver enhanced audio and video experiences to consumers and professional end markets. And most importantly, we are enthusiastic about our common vision, the similarities in our culture of innovation, and the added value we can create for customers. We look forward to working with all of HARMAN’s employees to execute on our vision." As a result of the agreement, HARMAN's common stock has ceased trading and has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. HARMAN will now operate as a standalone subsidiary of Samsung, and will continue to be led by the current management team. Likewise, Samsung is keeping HARMAN’s work force, headquarters, and facilities. Though the main emphasis of the purchase is on HARMAN's leading presence in connected car solutions and in-vehicle tech, the Samsung acquisition also includes HARMAN's various consumer and professional audio brands like JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, AKG, Lexicon, Infinity, and Revel -- allowing Samsung to offer enhanced customer benefits and user experiences across the company's entire collection of consumer and professional products. "We are excited to have completed the transaction, which provides compelling cash value to our stockholders, benefits our customers and provides new opportunities for our employees," said Dinesh Paliwal, HARMAN President and CEO. "Samsung shares our commitment to our customers and our culture of speed, innovation and execution. Samsung provides HARMAN with the scale, platform and complementary technologies to accelerate growth and extend our global market leadership in automotive, smart audio and connected technologies. Recognizing the importance of partnerships in an increasingly connected world, particularly in automotive, we are poised to leverage our combined teams and resources to produce even greater value for our customers. Working closely with automakers and other technology companies, Samsung and HARMAN will define – and drive – the future of automotive." The closing of the acquisition comes with approval of the transaction by HARMAN stockholders and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions. Source: SamsungPosted Mon Mar 13, 2017 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
Universal Details 'Dracula' and 'The Mummy' Complete Legacy Collection Blu-rays[teaser]The legendary monsters will terrorize Blu-ray in May.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is preparing 'Dracula: Complete Legacy Collection' and 'The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection' for Blu-ray on May 16. 'Dracula: Complete Legacy Collection' - The original Dracula is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. Dracula: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 6 films from the original legacy including the frightening classic starring Bela Lugosi and the timeless films that followed. These landmark motion pictures defined the iconic look of the famed vampire and continue to inspire countless remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of Dracula to this day. Includes: Dracula / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Frankenstein / House of Dracula / Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. The 4-Disc Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, DTS-HD MA mono audio, and supplements will include: - The Road to Dracula- Lugosi: The Dark Prince- Dracula: The Restoration- Monster Tracks- Dracula Archives- Alternate Score by Philip Glass - Performed by the Kronos Quartet- Feature Commentary with Film Historian David J. Skal- Feature Commentary with Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It- Trailer Gallery- My Scenes- Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters- Feature Commentary with Film Historian Gregory W. Mank- Theatrical Trailer- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot- 100 Years at Universal: Unforgettable Characters Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.98. Order the Blu-ray 'The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection' - The original Mummy is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 6 films from the original legacy including the terrifying classic starring Boris Karloff and the timeless films that followed. These landmark motion pictures defined the iconic look of the ancient Egyptian monster and continue to inspire countless remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Mummy to this day. Contains: The Mummy / The Mummy's Hand / The Mummy's Tomb / The Mummy's Ghost / The Mummy's Curse / Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy. The 4-Disc Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, DTS-HD MA mono audio, and supplements will include: - Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed- He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce- Unraveling The Legacy of The Mummy- The Mummy Archives- Feature Commentary with Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns and Brent Armstrong- Feature Commentary with Film Historian Paul M. Jensen- Trailer Gallery- 100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era- My Scenes Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.98. Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for 'Dracula: Complete Legacy Collection' and 'The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under May 16.Posted Mon Mar 13, 2017 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Anounnces 'Brimstone' for Blu-ray[teaser]The western starring Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, and Kit Harington is riding toward Blu-ray in April.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony is preparing 'Brimstone' for Blu-ray on April 11. A triumphant epic of survival and a tale of powerful womanhood and resistance against the unforgiving cruelty of a hell on earth. Our heroine is Liz (Dakota Fanning), carved from the beautiful wilderness, full of heart and grit, hunted by a vengeful Preacher (Guy Pearce) - a diabolical zealot and her twisted nemesis. But Liz is a genuine survivor; she's no victim - a woman of fearsome strength who responds with astonishing bravery to claim the better life she and her daughter deserve. Fear not. Retribution is coming. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $22.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Brimstone' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 11. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Mar 13, 2017 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Tony E. Valenzuela's 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The 2016 horror film will arrive on home video in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory is working on 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' for Blu-ray on June 6. Over a century ago, the unspeakable happened. Will history repeat itself? On a June night in 1912, the peaceful town of Villisca suffered an unfathomable crime. Eight people—a mother, father, their four children, and two guests—were brutally murdered by an axe-wielding killer in a case that remains unsolved to this day. 104 years later, Caleb (Robert Adamson) and Denny (Jarrett Sleeper), two friends who share an interest in ghost hunting, and new girl in school Jess (Alex Frnka) sneak into the house where the infamous bloodbath occurred in hopes of recording paranormal activity. But nothing has prepared them for the supernatural force waiting to write the next chapter in the home's bloody history. Witness a new horror inspired by the true events that shocked a nation. No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 6.Posted Mon Mar 13, 2017 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Pioneer Details BDR-211UBK PC Drive with Ultra HD Blu-ray Support, Price Set for $130[teaser]The new drive includes Ultra HD Blu-ray capabilities.[/teaser] Pioneer has detailed its latest BD/DVD/CD writer. The upcoming BDR-211UBK will include Ultra HD Blu-ray playback support through bundled CyberLink PowerDVD 14 software. The internal PC drive offers reading and writing capabilities for a variety of BD (SL 25GB/DL 50GB) and BDXL (BD-R XL: TL 100GB/ QL 128GB, BD-RE XL: TL 100GB) discs, with up to 16x maximum BD-R writing speed (BD-R: SL 25GB). In addition, the device comes bundled with several programs, including CyberLink PowerDVD 14 software. With PowerDVD 14 and the required PC specs, the BDR-211UBK is capable of Ultra HD Blu-ray disc playback. Additional requirements for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback through a PC include: an Intel 7th Generation Core i5/i7 processor (selected models: KabyLake-S & KabyLake-H), Intel HD Graphics 630 chipsets, minimum of 6GB memory, Windows 10, and an HDR, HDCP 2.2, and HDMI2.0a compatible motherboard and display. Here's a full rundown of key specs per the press release: - Ultra HD Blu-ray playback: the BDR-211UBK supports Ultra HD Blu-ray playback using the bundled CyberLink software. Ultra HD Blu-ray includes content up to 4K resolution (3840 pixels horizontal×2160pixels vertical) and a wider range of colors compared to full HD. - Faster burning: Up to 16x² maximum write speed on BD-R single-layer discs, 14x on BD-R DL discs and 8x on BD-R triple-layer discs.Compatible with Windows® 10 – The BDR-211UBK and bundled software are compatible with the latest Windows® OS, Windows 10. - Region Code Change: BDR-211UBK has DVD regional playback control. It allows users to set the region of the drive up to five times. - Store more data: Support for BDXL media, which stores up to 156% more data than 50GB Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc™, including 100GB Triple Layer (TL)3 and 128GB Quadruple Layer (QL)3 discs. - QuickPlay: BD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs are ready quickly after insertion. - PowerRead: Through its PowerRead feature, the BDR-211UBK provides smoother movie playback when a disc is marked with fingerprints or has minor surface scratches. When the drive is not able to read through these obstructed areas of a disc, it will quickly move forward to the next available data point, resulting in smoother Blu-ray and DVD movie playback.4 - Auto Quiet Mode: The drive monitors how it is being used and will adjust its disc rotation speed automatically, using quieter mode (slower speed) when watching Blu-ray and DVD titles or listening to conventional audio CDs. - PureRead3: Clicking or popping sounds that might normally occur due to minor scratches and fingerprints on CDs can be prevented on some discs with the drive’s PureRead3 technology, which allows the drive to adjust its optical playback settings dynamically through the use of a unique algorithm.5 - Peak power Reducer: This power saving mode enables the drive to suppress power consumption at peak operation. It keeps stable operation in case of a drop in power supply. The Pioneer BDR-211UBK will be available later this month for a suggested retail price of $130. Source: PioneerPosted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 02:45 PM PST by: -
Netflix Reveals Trailer for 'The Get Down - Part II,' Streaming Premiere Set for April 7[teaser]The 'Moulin Rouge!' director's streaming show is returning to Netflix with new episodes. [/teaser] Following an initial Date Announcement Teaser, Netflix has released a full trailer for 'The Get Down - Part II.' The show comes from Baz Luhrmann -- the director behind 'Romeo + Juliet,' 'Moulin Rouge!,' and 'The Great Gatsby.' Part I of the series, consisting of the show's first six episodes, previously debuted on August 12, 2016. Part II will premiere on April 7. 'The Get Down' focuses on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped -- dying. Consigned to rubble, a rag-tag crew of South Bronx teenagers are nothings and nobodies with no one to shelter them – except each other, armed only with verbal games, improvised dance steps, some magic markers and spray cans. From Bronx tenements, to the SoHo art scene; from CBGBs to Studio 54 and even the glass towers of the just-built World Trade Center, 'The Get Down' is a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco -- told through the lives and music of the South Bronx kids who changed the city, and the world...forever. Check out the official trailer below! Other upcoming Netflix premieres include 'Love' season two on March 10, 'Iron Fist' on March 17, 'Grace and Frankie' season three on March 24, 'The Discovery' on March 31, '13 Reasons Why' on March 31, 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' on April 14, 'Sandy Wexler' on April 14, 'Girlboss' on April 21, 'Bill Nye Saves the World' on April 21, 'Dear White People' on April 28, 'Casting JonBenet' on April 28, 'Anne' on May 12, 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' season three on May 19, 'War Machine' on May 26, 'House of Cards' season five on May 30, 'Orange is the New Black' season five on June 9, 'Naked' on August 11, and 'Stranger Things' season two on October 31. A current Netflix subscription starts at $10 for HD streaming and $12 for Ultra HD streaming. Source: NetflixPosted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 02:15 PM PST by: -
Clint Eastwood's 'Unforgiven' Headed for Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]The Best Picture Oscar-winner is coming to the 4K format in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers says 'Unforgiven - Ultra HD Blu-ray' will be available on May 23. The passage of time continues to confirm the landmark achievement of Unforgiven, quite possibly a great director's finest film. Winner of 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) and Editing (Joel Cox), Unforgiven stars Eastwood and Morgan Freeman as retired outlaws who pick up their gun one last time to collect a bounty. Richard Harris is an ill-fated killer-for-hire, Hackman is a sly lawman of chilling brutality, and "Unforgiven is a classic Western for the ages" (Todd McCarthy, Variety). The release will feature 2160p video, and supplements include: Audio Commentary by Clint Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel; Four Documentaries; Classic Maverick Episode - Duel at Sundown; and Original Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Unforgiven - Ultra HD Blu-ray' linked from our UHD Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 23. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
A+E Networks Joins Hulu Live Streaming TV Service Channel Lineup[teaser]The latest broadcast partner has been confirmed for the upcoming live streaming platform.[/teaser] Hulu has announced a new deal with A+E Networks. As part of the agreement, Hulu will be able to offer live and on-demand content from A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime, LMN, FYI, and VICELAND on its upcoming live TV streaming service set to launch in the spring. "As we begin to finalize our new live TV service, we're pulling together the most valuable, well-rounded package of channels available for under $40," said Mike Hopkins, CEO of Hulu. "We know the A+E Networks brand of award-winning storytelling is important to our viewers, and we’re very excited to add their networks to the core service we launch this Spring." Hulu's new live TV streaming service will feature an easy-to-use personalized interface with access to live and on-demand news, entertainment, and sports networks through various media and mobile devices with a core package set to include more than 40 channels. The new A+E Networks deal will include live and on-demand access to several popular shows like 'SIX,' 'The Curse of Oak Island,' 'Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath,' 'Live PD,' 'Born This Way,' 'Project Runway,' and 'UnReal.' "We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Hulu to offer our A+E Networks' portfolio of brands on their live TV streaming service at launch," said Nancy Dubuc, President and Chief Executive Officer, A+E Networks. "Having our top six networks available on their core package speaks to the power of our entertainment portfolio in reaching men, women, adults and millennials." Beyond A+E Networks, Hulu has also announced deals with CBS, Disney, Fox, and Time Warner to offer live and on-demand content from networks like TNT, TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, truTV, Boomerang, Turner Classic Movies, FOX, ABC, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN-SEC, ESPN 3, Fox Regional Sports Networks across dozens of key national markets, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Fox News, Fox Business, Freeform, FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic, and Nat Geo Wild. An exact launch date and price for Hulu's new live TV service have not been announced yet, but the platform is expected to arrive in the spring with a core package set for under $40 per month. The new live service will co-exist with Hulu's current ad-supported and ad-free video on-demand subscription plans. Source: HuluPosted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Billy Wilder's 'One, Two, Three' Headed for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1961 comedy starring James Cagney is planned for Blu-ray at the end of May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Kino says 'One, Two, Three' will hit Blu-ray on May 30. James Cagney "gives one of the richest, funniest, most breathlessly paced performances of his career" (The New York Times) in this Billy Wilder comedy that defrosts the Cold War with gales of laughter! C.R. MacNamara (Cagney), a top-ranking executive stationed in West Berlin, is charged with the care of his boss' visiting daughter. But when he learns that she's gone and married a fierce young communist - and that his boss will be arriving in town in 24 hours - Mac must transform the unwilling beatnik into a suitable son-in-law or risk losing his chance for advancement! Before you can say "one, two, three," his plans have spun out of control and into an international incident that could infuriate the Russians, the Germans and, worst of all, his own suspicious wife (Arlene Francis)! Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include Audio Commentary by Film Historian Michael Schlesinger and the Original Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'One, Two, Three' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 30.Posted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'The Great Wall' Blu-ray & Ultra HD Blu-ray Pre-Orders Live[teaser]Director Yimou Zhang's action adventure film starring Matt Damon is heading to Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is preparing 'The Great Wall' for Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray. Starring global superstar Matt Damon and directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Legendary's The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world's most iconic structure. The first English-language production for Yimou is the largest film ever shot entirely in China. The Great Wall also stars Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. Suggested list price for the Ultra HD Blu-ray is $44.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Great Wall' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and our Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING. Order the Ultra HD Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Mar 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM PST by:
