The nine-disc collector’s set generated $38 million from sales in North America, and more than $84 million collected worldwide. The collection is priced at £60 ($79.99). The sales figure made the set the top pre-order catalog since Blu-ray was launched in 2006.

Kayleen Walters, Lucasfilm’s Senior Director of Marketing, said that their goal was to deliver a product that fans worldwide would enjoy with their families and friends. Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm have been promoting the saga’s Blu-ray launch for the past 13 months, with Stormtroopers and Darth Vader taking over the boot of Panasonic to announce the release at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January. A first look of the film’s Blu-ray release was showcased at the San Diego Comic-Con.

“Star Wars is a franchise with universal stories that resonates as much today as it did 30 years ago,” said Executive Vice President of Marketing for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Mary Daily. “With the Blu-ray, audiences can go deeper into the mythology than ever before and reconnect with everything they love about the saga in the best possible quality.”

Star Wars Episodes I to III and IV to VI are also available as separate Blu-ray collections.

via: Geeky Gadgets

Star Wars Blu-ray collection breaks worldwide sales records is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Even though fans of the original Star Wars series are disappointed with the changes George Lucas made to the original trilogy, we can all agree that this light show is pretty cool.

In the launch party at the top of the BT Tower, actor Anthony Daniels, the voice of C-3PO in all the Star Wars films, had the chance to press the button that lit up the skyline of London for one night, as the tower turned into Luke Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi’s weapon of choice. Daniels turned on the giant lightsaber at around 8:30 in the evening, projecting a beam of blue light 600 meters in the air.

“London played such a huge part in all six Star Wars films, so it’s fitting that we’re all here today to transform the London skyline and send a message to galaxies far, far away,” said Daniels.

According to Imagination, they had to bring 2 tonnes of lighting equipment through a small hatch in order to get to the rooftop. It was controlled remotely via an iPad.

Other celebrities who attended the launch party included Star Wars actors Warwick Davis who played the Ewok ‘Wicket’ and Jerome Blake.

via: Gizmodo

London’s BT Tower turned to a giant lightsaber is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Peter Lorraine, manager of the Optical Research Unit at GE, said, “The disc is a polycarbonate material with millions of the micro-holograms stamped onto the disc. When the light source — whose beam is the same wavelength as that of a Blu-ray drive — hits the disc, it erases the necessary amount of holograms to represent the data it is recording. Theoretically, consumer drives in the future could be backwards compatible with the Blu-ray format.”

Since the use of physical mediums has been decreasing as we are moving towards a cloud-based era, discs are now being designed for archiving purposes. The 500 GB disc is said to be able to keep data intact for one hundred years, which is pretty long.

It will take at least a whole day to fill up a whole 500 GB disc at 4 to 5 MBps writing speed, but Lorraine said that there could be specialized drives that features multiple write heads that will enable it to write date at a faster rate.

GE has not made any announcements when these discs will be available commercially, and we’re sure that we won’t be seeing it anytime soon as Blu-ray drives haven’t reached its peak yet.

via: Tech Radar

GE develops 500 GB micro-holographic DVD-sized discs is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The official September 12th release date will hail a nine disk box set which will comprise of the three films that made up the Star Wars Saga and a whole heap of bonus material.

The extra behind the scenes footage equates to an impressive 40 hours taken directly from the Lucas Arts digital archive. This will include a variety of deleted and alternative scenes that we are sure will cause a few shocks and provide much excitement amongst life long starwars fans.

Another surprise feature is the inclusion of all the spoofs and spin offs that have cropped up over the years which should be good for a laugh. Both the films and the bonus footage will be presented in full HD with 6.1 digital surround sound providing the best possible viewing experience.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars on Blu Ray? Oh and may the 4th be with you.

Star Wars Trilogy Blu Ray Release Date Confirmed is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

A clear date in September is now available with Pre-orders already expected to draw huge sales. Amazon is offering a complete set of all six films complete with 30 hours of bonus material for £89.99, both the original trilogy and the new trilogy are available as separate bundles, each set is currently listed at £33.99 each and both have a shipment date of 27^th September 2011.

The new Blu-Ray additions join the Attack of Clones, the CGI film that focused on the adventures of a young Anakin Skywalker – pre Darth Vader days. The film proved to be very popular with the younger generation but die hard fans failed to warm to the format; thankfully they should enjoy the ‘original’ films when they are released on Blu-Ray later this year.

Do you think you will pre-order? If so which box set will you stump up the cash for?

Via: CNET

Star Wars Saga Blu-Ray Release Date 27th September 2011 is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

OK, so it doesn’t have the snappiest title in the world but the BD-HP90S is a 3D capable Blu Ray player which almost instantly plunges into the world of greatness and coolness. In order to give it even more cool credibility it’s an ultra sleek design that can be led down, stood up, or hung upside down on the living room ceiling if that’s how you really want it (this may not actually be true so please don’t try it).

The player is set for release in the UK next month but it does carry a fairly hefty £380 price tag, although considering it’s 3D capable that really isn’t too bad.

Sharp describe the image quality as offering brilliant 2D and 3D but then we suppose they would say that; they’re hardly likely to say it’s merely acceptable but until the release there’s no real way of knowing for sure.

It has built in wireless though which does make it easy to connect to your home network or to your computer so that you can stream content directly from sites like YouTube or even from Internet TV sites and Sharp say that it is an extremely user friendly device that provides users with the capability to connect any existing TV remote and not just those provided by Sharp as there will be support for other manufacturers.

Connect the Blu Ray Player to a Sharp AQUOS LCD TV using the HDMI connection and the blu-ray player will automatically optimise the picture settings to give the best look for whatever you’re watching.

Sharp Announces Release Of BD-HP90S 3D Blu Ray Player is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The LG BX580 does exactly that because it is a 3D blu ray player. obviously, you still need the 3D TV, a pair of fetching 3D glasses (at least they look more like Blues Brothers glasses and less like the 1980s glasses they used to), and of course a 3D version of your favourite movie.

You’re given the choice of watching the film in 3D or in bog standard 2D and while there is a difference in colour and contrast (with 3D being slightly worse than 2D as you might expect) the overall look of 3D makes it well worthwhile.

As promised earlier by LG, you even get a number of web apps included in the BX580. You can look at news headlines, watch video clips, and store and share photos. These are decent offerings although if you’re after more from the web apps stable then you should look at other models of blu-ray player and if you want more web action and 3D then you’ll just have to wait.

The glasses provided are light and comfortable, as well as being rechargable, which is another good point, but overall the LG BX580 seems to promise a lot and then not quite deliver. There’s too few web apps, there are better quality 3D images from other brands, and you’re left hoping that they will improve what’s on offer with the next model.

Can’t wait to watch your favourite films in 3D?

Is the BX580 worth the money?

LG BX580 3D Blu Ray Player – Better Than The Rest? is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Such is the pace of change in the world of Blu-ray Players that yesterday’s top of the range models and now being bettered by new, mid price options. People who have held off until now may consider this a good time to see what all the fuss is about. Those who have been enjoying the stunning Blu-ray performance for some time are now in the strange position of deciding whether to upgrade to a cheaper machine. It’s a strange world we live in.

Design

Slimmer than a cheese and pickle sandwich and sleeker than a dolphin that has just been rubbed down with baby oil, the Sony BDPS370 Blu-ray Player scores very highly on design and will fit snugly into any home where modern design and high tech gadgets nestle together in perfect harmony.

Notable Specifications

One of the features which set this little machine apart is its range of connectivity options, which let you access online content and connect to just about every appliance in your house apart from the toaster.

You can control the Sony BPDS370 Blu-ray Player remotely with you iPhone or iPod, although you need to buy the optional dongle to be able to do this. It also offers a rapid 3 second start up time and 7.1 channel high definition sound.

Summary

It seems that we are now starting to see Blu-ray Players which exploit more of the capability inherent in the system, as well as being more affordable. Those looking to try out the format would be well advised to look at this model.

Buy from Amazon 

Sony BDPS370 Blu-ray Player Review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Road
A bleak, pseudo-disaster movie with excellent central performances from Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron. Based on the novel by Cormack McCarthy, the chap who also wrote No Country for Old Men, it is not the most optimistic of films, but it does have powerful messages, beautiful landscapes and a tiny glint of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Minority Report
This sci-fi action movie stars Tom Cruise and arrives on Blu Ray for the first time this month. Tom Cruise plays the lead as a Precrime cop who arrests potential murderers before they commit their crimes, with three psychics backing him up. The swooshy touchscreen computers used by Cruise and his co-workers have since inspired the way that modern gadgets work and so its influence has endured long after its 2002 release.

Sherlock Holmes
This jaunty, funny take on the classic detective franchise stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson respectively. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the action snaps along at a decent pace and the dialogue and plot work in a way that should please fans of the novels without excluding newcomers to the series.

Ninja Assassin
This is a violent, often nonsensical film about modern day ninjas fighting it out over an ancient feud. If you can deal with the silly plot and the budget acting talent then the action is solid and the buckets of blood should satisfy even the thirstiest of gore fans.

Atonement
This epic wartime adventure based on the Ian McEwan novel was a hit around the world and it made a star of James McAvoy. The romantic plot and expansive visuals both work well together in HD on Blu Ray and there are the usual smattering of extras for enthusiasts to enjoy.

Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
Andy Serkis takes to his role as legendary poet rocker Ian Dury with suitable aplomb and this biopic charts the highs and lows of his life as a musical powerhouse. There is plenty of support from various British stars including Mackenzie Crook and Ray Winstone and for fans of The Blockheads it is a must buy.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
This comedy sequel does not quite match up to the original, but it still has plenty of gentle laughs and satirical looks at typically British quirks. Renee Zellwegger proves that she can do one of the best English accents of the current Yank crop and both Collin Firth and Hugh Grant return for some gentlemanly fisticuffs over poor old Bridget.

Nowhere Boy
Another biopic about an iconic rock star, this time John Lennon. Nowhere Boy looks at his early life and although music is a founding part of the film, it is really the human relationships that are of greater interest to director Sam Taylor-Wood. Solid performances and some nice divergences from the clichéd world of the biopic make Nowhere Boy worth a look for those even vaguely interested in where the Fab Four originated.

The Railway Children
Most people will have watched this on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but now it is available in high definition on Blu Ray in order to celebrate the fortieth year since it hit the big screen. The warming children’s story is still good fun for all ages and it is nice to see how well the original print has been restored.

The Book of Eli
Following the trend of post-apocalyptic releases such as The Road, but putting a religious spin on things, The Book of Eli stars Denzel Washington as the enigmatic nomad who roams a barren world on a mission from God. The mixed messages are certainly able to stimulate debate and Gary Oldman has fun in his role as the villain of the piece, although Mila Kunis is less convincing as the young heathen who Eli takes on as a reluctant disciple.

Alice in Wonderland
Disney’s remix of the classic novel has master of the dark cinematic arts Tim Burton at the helm and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter to mix things up. It may have appeared in 3D at the cinemas, but this effect was added retrospectively after shooting, so you will not be missing much if you pick it up in plain old 2D on Blu Ray. The sets are imaginative, the characters are larger than life thanks to some well used CGI and the story has not been drastically altered.

Daybreakers
Shot in Australia, this vampire film stars Ethan Hawke in a world where humans have been hunted to the point of extinction and now the vamps are looking for a way to save their own skins as their food source expires. Melodramatic and action-packed, this film should ride on the wave of popularity that the likes of Twilight and Tru Blood have created.

Blu Rays You Should Not Have Missed From May is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Some had hoped that Avatar would be one of the first movies to arrive on Blu-Ray when the 3D revolution kicks off in the summer of this year, but the film’s landmark technical achievements will not be completely available to consumers until the winter.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Cameron said that standard definition DVD and high definition Blu-Ray versions of Avatar would be released in April for US customers. However, by the time the 3D version arrives later in 2010, titles such as Cloudy, With A Chance of Meatballs will already have made their debut in 3D.

Some observers have expressed their annoyance at the decision, as it means that many consumers will pick up Avatar in 2D when it first makes an appearance and will then have to buy it again a few months later when the 3D version is released. Creating special collectors’ editions of movies is not particularly unusual, especially since the dawn of the DVD and the arrival of multiple endings, special features and director’s cuts.

However, Avatar will still be one of the first 3D Blu-Ray releases. It should be able to really show off the capabilities of the technology and hopefully generate enough interest to finally give Blu-Ray its killer app.

Avatar 3D planned for November 2010 Blu-Ray launch is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos