Ever since Universal announced during CES 2012 that it would deliver many of its classic films on Blu-ray this year as part of a centennial celebration, we've been keeping a careful eye out for news regarding Steven Spielberg's classic E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. While we still don't know the release date, price or if it will contain the changes made in the 2002 edition of the flick, Universal posted a trailer for the Blu-ray (embedded after the break, note that at 0:25 seconds the FBI agents are holding guns, so it appears to be the original) that confirmed a digital remastering from the 35MM film, 7.1 surround sound and "hours of bonus features". Additionally, forum posters on Blu-ray.com have noticed this (probably not final) box art appearing on Amazon UK recently. After waiting for word since a new distribution deal brought the flick back to Universal in 2008, a few months of silence hasn't broken us, but hopefully more details appear soon. The best guess still sees the 30th Anniversary release hitting store shelves in time for the holidays (likely after Jaws, which is scheduled for release August 14th), when we can relive our childhoods in proper 1080p HD at last.

Continue reading E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray trailer and box art pop up online (video)

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray trailer and box art pop up online (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MGM and 20th Century Fox revealed during CES that all 22 of the James Bond movies would be released together for the first time in the Bond 50 Blu-ray disc collection this fall, and now ahead of the Cannes International Film Festival there's additional details to share. The Bond 50 set will include 23 discs -- one for each movie and its bonus content, plus an extra containing two Bond featurettes digging into the world of James Bond and the six actors who have played him, plus videoblogs from the upcoming flick Skyfall (there's an open slot in the specially designed case for it as well). The set ships September 24th in the UK and September 25th in the US with other countries getting it the same week. While no price is mentioned in the press release, Amazon currently is taking preorders for $199. That's a hefty price but if you absolutely must have all of Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan and Craig in one box this is it. The release with all the details follows after the break, plus the same trailer for the boxed set, a video reveal of the box itself, and the just revealed trailer for Skyfall, which is due to hit theaters October 26th in the UK and November 9th in the US.

Continue reading 'Bond 50' 22 movie Blu-ray collection details revealed, ships in September (video)

'Bond 50' 22 movie Blu-ray collection details revealed, ships in September (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just because your home theater can handle lossless audio doesn't mean the sound is as good as it could be. Dolby is now giving Blu-ray producers using Dolby Media Producer Encoder v2 the choice of premastering TrueHD surround sound at an upsampled 96k. Along with just squeezing the most possible clarity and depth out of 48kHz audio, the encoding purportedly eliminates some of the harshness of digital sound through an apodizing (signal altering) filter. At least three projects have already been given the 96k treatment, and authoring firms like Technicolor have upgrades in place to give that noticeable boost to your next Blu-ray movie.

Continue reading Dolby ups TrueHD lossless audio on Blu-ray to 96k, says every upsampled bit is amazing (video)

Dolby ups TrueHD lossless audio on Blu-ray to 96k, says every upsampled bit is amazing (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Details continue to emerge as we approach the IKEA Uppleva's June launch. GigaOM has discovered that the set will be available in sizes ranging from 24 to 46 inches and will be priced "around $960" -- with a scale relative to the display size, we presume. The TV will feature a built-in Blu-ray player and a wireless subwoofer, and is being assembled by TCL Multimedia a manufacturer in China. Uppleva is expected to roll out to France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden beginning next month, then to other European countries later in the year, followed by the US in 2013. There will also be a handful of applications that will vary based on region, including Dailymotion, Vimeo and YouTube, along with games, music playback and video-on-demand apps, and the Opera for TV web browser. There's a familiar sneak-peek vid awaiting you just past the break.

Update: Due to an error at the source article, we originally identified the manufacturer as TLC, rather than TCL Multimedia. The text above has been updated to reflect the correction.

Continue reading IKEA Uppleva HDTV to retail for $960 in Europe beginning next month, US launch in 2013

IKEA Uppleva HDTV to retail for $960 in Europe beginning next month, US launch in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 00:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's this? ASUS is teasing a mystery product shrouded in shadows on its Facebook page. From the looks of it, the piano-black hardware is mounted vertically onto a brushed metal cantilevered stand that just oozes style. Our vague, uninformed reckonings make us wonder if it's not an art-deco styled EeeBox, a desktop PC you'd be ashamed to hide under your desk, or the prettiest router we've ever seen. Either way, we'll keep our eyes peeled and in the meantime, you can cast your own idle speculation into the comments below.

Update: Ah, and here it is: the SBW-06C2X-U 3D Blu-ray writer that supports 6X Blu-ray writing speed! Thanks, Kiran.

ASUS teases mystery product on its Facebook page (update: it's a 3D Blu-ray writer!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's movie time, folks. The bad news is that you have to bring your own popcorn. The good news, on the other hand, is that the feature film and the TV are on us! Thanks to the folks at Universal Studios Home Entertainment, there's a 40-inch 1080p HDTV up for grabs. The occasion is the studio's release of The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, on Blu-ray this coming Tuesday May 15th. If you're the lucky winner, however, you won't even have to venture out to stores to pick up a copy of your own -- one will come included with the TV! Unfortunately, there's one additional restriction this time around: only US residents are able to enter. But if you qualify, head below and leave a comment, and good luck!

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD

Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a disappointing initial go-round on Blu-ray back in '06 due to poor picture quality (which was improved upon slightly in a later Studiocanal release overseas), the 1990 version of Total Recall is coming back to the US with a "Mind-Bending" Blu-ray Edition this summer. Timed to hit shelves along with the remake that's arriving in theaters, Blu-ray.com mentions this one promises a video transfer process supervised by original director Paul Verhoeven. There will even apparently be brand new extras including an interview with Verhoeven and featurette comparing the restoration process from the original film negative, although the Governator himself Arnold Schwarzenegger appears to be absent. The new version should run $14.99 when it arrives July 31st, assuming you're not already camped out for the Colin Farrell / Kate Beckinsale / Jessica Biel flick which opens up August 3rd. Theatrical trailers for both versions follow after the break.

Continue reading Total Recall 'Mind-Bending' Blu-ray remembers a better looking video transfer July 31st

Total Recall 'Mind-Bending' Blu-ray remembers a better looking video transfer July 31st originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 06:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Starting this week, you'll find any newly-minted DVDs and Blu-ray discs will now include a similarly fresh anti-piracy message. Homeland Security's special agent badge now partners up with the FBI's own emblem on the new warning played before DVDs -- and it looks like it'll still be unskippable. If this dynamic duo isn't enough to scare into legitimate media consumption, how about another warning screen to really bring it on home? This one features the National Intellectual Property Center, which follows the same "piracy is bad" message, offering a helpful link as to why -- one we're sure you're going to investigate in the middle of movie night. Interestingly, these new screens themselves are still not in the public domain and only the major US movie studios are authorized to use them. No news yet on whether the authorities plan to include another screen explaining this, but you can check that second warning that you'll soon be yelling at right after the break.

Continue reading New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag

New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We saw a lot of things back at CES, and from the PC makers, it was mainly new Ultrabooks. Samsung, however, did present a pair of "regular" notebooks, and it looks like they're just about to stretch their legs in the UK. The Series 5 550P is available in 15- and 17-inch varieties, sporting 1366 x 768 and 1600 x 900 displays respectively. Calling the shots will be quad-core Ivy Bridge Core i7 chips supported by 8GB of RAM. Graphics are dished up by a 2GB GeForce GT 650M, and there's a Blu-ray optical drive plus capacity for up to 2TB of storage. Like the Series 7, sound is handled by integrated JBL speakers complete with "Max Bass Boost" subwoofer -- crikey! Lower specification models will also be available (swapping the Blu-ray for DVD, and using shared graphics) when they hit UK stores this month.

Continue reading Samsung outs new Series 5 550P notebook in the UK, Ivy Bridge and numeric keypad onboard

Samsung outs new Series 5 550P notebook in the UK, Ivy Bridge and numeric keypad onboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you have to issue an explanation to follow up an explanation, then it's pretty safe to say the first one wasn't clear enough, and it's under those circumstances that Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky and the Windows 8 team are returning to the subject of Media Center and DVD movie support. After addressing both a few days ago, the internet backlash was (predictably) quick to finding out that Media Center would be available only as an upgrade to the Pro version of the OS, and that without it Windows wouldn't natively play DVDs. What many may not know however, and the new FAQ points out, is that this is not an entirely new thing -- Windows XP did not have support outside of specialized editions or add-ons, several versions of Vista did not play DVDs and on Windows 7 the Basic and Starter editions lacked the add-on. Of course, for most users this doesn't matter in the least since brand new PCs tend to ship with third party software to play DVDs (or Blu-ray movies where applicable, which no version of Windows has or will natively support). Answering the question we had of what this means for users upgrading their own computers, they'll either need to see if they have existing third party software to play DVDs that is compatible with Windows 8, or acquire Media Center post-upgrade.

Continue reading Microsoft talks DVD, Media Center support in Windows 8 and why most won't miss it

Microsoft talks DVD, Media Center support in Windows 8 and why most won't miss it originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a teaser release of three episodes earlier this year, CBS Home Entertainment has set a date for the complete first season Star Trek: The Next Generation to arrive on Blu-ray, just in time for its 25th anniversary. July 24th the six-disc set hits shelves featuring all of the first season episodes remastered in high definition complete with recomposited special effects and 7.1 DTS-HD surround soundtracks, as well as a slew of special features including new behind the scenes interviews and featurettes on the HD upgrade process. Check after the break for the press release with a list of episodes and features, plus a video preview of what the new effects look like from The Next Level teaser in January. Check Entertainment Weekly for another preview of the upgraded footage, while TheHDRoom has a few still captures from the Blu-ray versions.

Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One Blu-ray beams down July 24th

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One Blu-ray beams down July 24th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Want a 2.1GHz Ivy Bridge Core i7 in your next media laptop? Mmm, yes please. And a 1080p LED backlit display to devour movies on? Well, of course. Then keep looking, because the Acer Aspire V3 maxes out at just 1366 x 768 -- despite being equipped with a Blu-ray spinner and Dolby Theater v4, and also despite the eye-popping competition. Then again, at 15.6-inches that resolution might not be a total deal-breaker, plus our hands-on taster at CeBIT (before we even knew about the Ivy Bridge internals) wasn't totally unpleasant. The HD 4000 graphics should give you the odd gaming snack, even if not a full meal, while a 750GB HDD, up to 8GB RAM and a ton of I/O options take care of the back room. The V3 will hit Japanese shelves on April 29th for around $1,100 -- but watch out for a 17-incher too (which will do 1080p) plus cheaper Core i5 variants coming later.

Acer Aspire V3 coming to Japan for $1,100 with right processor, wrong ppi originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Britons and citizens of the ROI! Sony's bringing Netflix to all Sony Entertainment Network-connected devices. It looks like Kaz Hirai's plan to "unify" the company and its media offerings is beginning to gain a little momentum. If you have a SEN-connected 2012 Bravia TV or Blu-ray player, then the app should be available soon -- although no-one seems to know precisely when. If you're on PS3, or in the States, then Netflix is old news, so don't bother with the press release after the break

Continue reading Netflix brought into the Sony Entertainment Network fold for British Bravia buffs

Netflix brought into the Sony Entertainment Network fold for British Bravia buffs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you've been itching for Sony to take your money since it announced its flagship BDP-S790 Blu-ray player, then get ready to open up that wallet. The device is now available at Sony's online store for $249.99, with an estimated ship date of April 24th. The dual-core player (yes, there's a dual-core CPU in here!) will also be available in stores on May 6th for folks who prefer schlepping their electronics the old-fashioned way. Besides 4K upscaling and 3D playback, the BDP-S790 features DLNA, Netflix, VUDU, Amazon Instant Video, Slacker, Pandora, Twitter and Facebook capabilities. For more details, feel free to peruse the PR after the break.

Continue reading Sony's 4K-upscaling BDP-S790 Blu-ray player available online, hits stores May 6th

Sony's 4K-upscaling BDP-S790 Blu-ray player available online, hits stores May 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you not get enough Swedish furniture pr0n yesterday with the announcement of Ikea's Uppleva? Well, we've got a slew of new images and some new details for you. As far as specs, it seems that the sets will be available in 24, 36, 40 and 46 inches and all are LED backlit. They'll also all sport WiFi and "smart TV" features including the Opera browser -- except for the 24-incher, which must accept its role as the runt of the litter. The TVs will also come attached to three different TV bench designs in six different finishes. While we weren't able to score our own units yet, M3 did and you can check out their hands-on out at the source link.

Gallery: Ikea Uppleva

More images and details emerge about Ikea's Uppleva originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Do you ever wish you could have a news ticker on your TV, regardless of what channel you're watching? Neither do we really, but we're sure there's someone out there who does. If that person also happens to own a Samsung Smart TV or Blu-ray player, well then, have we got some Breaking News for you. (See what we did there?) The premiere, primarily Twitter-based news aggregation service Breaking News now has an app in the Samsung TV Apps Store. Just install it, launch it and enjoy while breaking headlines are fed to your screen, regardless of what you're watching. You've even got the option to have a constant stream of headlines or only alerts for seriously breaking news. Fire up the Apps Store to download it now.

Breaking News gets a TV app, channel-agnostic news ticker originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If your abode has ever been touched by the space-saving hand of IKEA, you'll be familiar with its clever, wallet-friendly wares. Now, the Swedish furniture giant is bringing its quirky ideas into the technology market. Frustrated with cable spaghetti ruining the otherwise sharp lines of its TV storage units, the Scandinavian firm has taken it one step further, and built the TV right in to the furniture. Yup, "Uppleva" is an all-in-one TV and stand with storage built in co-operation with China's TCL Multimedia. Not only that, it also incorporates a Blu-ray / DVD player and surround sound (with wireless sub woofer.) Details on the TV itself are sparse, but there's a brace of USB inputs and four HDMI ports (so you can re-add in some wires), plus FM radio and internet connectivity, but beyond that we're left guessing. More importantly -- for the casual IKEA customer we assume -- will be the array of colors and designs it will ship in. The delivery man will be kicking up Autumn leaves by the time you can get your hands on one, with prices starting at 6,500 Swedish crowns (around $960). In the meantime you can unpack a video after the break, which just like those shelves you bought, doesn't seem to contain everything.

Continue reading IKEA puts away your TV cables, tech credentials

IKEA puts away your TV cables, tech credentials originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Universal Pictures promised it would celebrate its centennial by bringing classics out of the vaults and onto Blu-ray discs and now one of our most anticipated flicks, Jaws, finally has a release date. Steven Spielberg's 1975 hit will come home in "digitally remastered and fully restored" form with an upmixed 7.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack August 14th. The soundtrack and picture have both been carefully restored in a process undertaken in conjunction with Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment, as they went back to the original 35mm film and repaired it frame by frame. Also packed in will be four hours of bonus features, including an all new documentary The Shark Is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of Jaws. If you're wondering about the restoration process, there are a couple of samples included after the break, plus a video about it and teaser trailer for the Blu-ray disc -- we're gonna need a bigger boat.

Continue reading Jaws debuts on Blu-ray August 14th remastered and upmixed (video)

Jaws debuts on Blu-ray August 14th remastered and upmixed (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Big Bang Theory S1 and S2 will finally hit Blu-ray July 10th

The Big Bang Theory S1 and S2 will finally hit Blu-ray July 10th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 03:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Harry Potter Wizard's Collection brings home all eight movies on a ridiculous 31 discs (video)

Harry Potter Wizard's Collection brings home all eight movies on a ridiculous 31 discs (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iTunes movies in 1080p: less than or equal to Blu-ray image quality? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Panasonic prices 2012 Blu-ray lineup, high-end units due in May

Panasonic prices 2012 Blu-ray lineup, high-end units due in May originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Redbox notches its second billion rentals, offers freebies Thursday to celebrate

Redbox notches its second billion rentals, offers freebies Thursday to celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Toshiba Satellite P855 with glasses-free 3D hands-on

Continue reading Toshiba Satellite P855 glasses-free 3D laptop hands-on (video)

Toshiba Satellite P855 glasses-free 3D laptop hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Acer Aspire V3 hands-on

Continue reading Acer Aspire V3 notebook hands-on (video)

Acer Aspire V3 notebook hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Redbox deal with Universal keeps DVDs, Blu-rays on 28-day delay through 2014

Redbox deal with Universal keeps DVDs, Blu-rays on 28-day delay through 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection finally brings the entire set home in HD this fall

The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection finally brings the entire set home in HD this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panasonic names Kazuhiro Tsuga as new president after old one loses $9 billion originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 'Hugo' director Martin Scorsese, cast explain the advantages of shooting movies in 3D (video)

'Hugo' director Martin Scorsese, cast explain the advantages of shooting movies in 3D (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just finished your deliciously digital Blu-ray collection of the Star Wars saga? Thought that was the end of it? C'mon. Following the three-dimensional release of Episode 1 in theaters, Pocket-lint's heard from sources at a recent Panasonic event that the "start" of the saga will be arriving on 3D Blu-ray faster than you might think -- this spring, likely as a replacement for its Avatar pack-in exclusive. Panasonic's got a history of Star Wars tie-ins, so we're putting whatever money we have left for additional Jedi media on it making an appearance over the next few months.

Star Wars 3D getting the Blu-ray treatment for spring? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panasonic prices, dates some of its 2012 HDTVs (VT, GT, ET) and accessories in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' Blu-ray 3D set for release February 28th -- 3D haters beware

Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' Blu-ray 3D set for release February 28th -- 3D haters beware originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony Google TV gets update this week, brings speedier Chrome and 3D Blu-ray support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading PowerDVD 12 brings syncing and transcoding for mobile devices

PowerDVD 12 brings syncing and transcoding for mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Redbox refuses to push Warner movie delay to 56 days, will rent flicks as they go on sale

Redbox refuses to push Warner movie delay to 56 days, will rent flicks as they go on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes to Blu-ray March 6th, brings an iPad app

Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes to Blu-ray March 6th, brings an iPad app originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Amazon, Rovi, Flixster and Samsung highlight UltraViolet's CES press event

Continue reading Amazon, Rovi, Flixster and Samsung highlight UltraViolet's CES press event

Amazon, Rovi, Flixster and Samsung highlight UltraViolet's CES press event originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bond 50 Blu-ray box set collects all 22 films in one tidy package

Bond 50 Blu-ray box set collects all 22 films in one tidy package originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung outs compact BD-ES6000 Blu-ray player, less compact ES6500, get down with UltraViolet

Samsung outs compact BD-ES6000 Blu-ray player, less compact ES6500, get down with UltraViolet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Ceton announces multi-room DVR and Echo extender hands-on

Continue reading Ceton previews multi-room DVR and Echo extender (hands-on)

Ceton previews multi-room DVR and Echo extender (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.