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Friday, November 30, 2007

Toshiba and 3HD-DVD Home Player sales reaches 750,000!



The HD-DVD Group has announced that Home Player sales (which also includes the 360 player) have reached 750,000. With roughly 200,000+ of those being 360 HD-DVD Players, it means that Toshiba has sold over 500,000 Home Players. Keep in mind that Toshiba has done this all by themselves which is quite an accomplishment. Sure with the PS3 there are like 5 million+ Blu-Ray Players (worldwide) but PS3 sales are not included as part of Home Player sales figures (which is where growth is measured). By the time the holiday is over, we will have more than 1,000,000 HD-DVD Players on the market and HD-DVD will probably lead Blu-Ray in software sales considering that HD-DVD was only down 2 to 1 (software sales) with only a fraction of the install base of Blu-Ray. The "pre" Black-Friday sales by Walmart, Circuit City and Best Buy fueled a massive surge in sales as did Black-Friday. With prices low, this will continue.

from HiDef.com : The High Definition World... Simplified!

Backwards Compatibility Update

A new round of backwards compatible titles has just come out, and the list is pretty impressive. After adding the current group of 84 titles, the total list is now at well over 400 total Xbox games that will now work on your Xbox 360. Time to dig through those old boxes in your garage or start hitting the used bins.

Here's a partial list of the games that are now playable on your 360, and the regions they work in:

Title Supported Region(s)
Armed and Dangerous North America, Europe
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance North America
Blinx: The Timesweeper North America, Europe
Blitz The League North America
Breakdown North America, Europe
Burnout 2: Point of Impact North America, Europe
Colin Mcrae Rally 2005 North America, Europe
Dungeons & Dragons Heroes North America, Europe
Fight Night: Round 3 North America, Europe
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone North America, Europe
Freedom Fighters North America
Godzilla Destroy All Monsters Melee North America, Europe
Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball Max'd North America, Europe
Indiana Jones And The Emperors Tomb North America, Europe
MLB Slugfest Loaded North America
Nascar Thunder 2003 North America
NBA Street V3 North America, Europe
NFL 2k2 North America
NHL 2K3 North America
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter North America, Europe
The Bard's Tale North America, Europe
Thrillville North America, Europe
Worms 3D North America, Europe

For a complete list of backwards compatible games including the latest additions, visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm or to learn more about backwards compatibility go to http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardscompatibility.htm.

from Gamerscore Blog

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Xbox LIVE Turns Five, Gives Away Carcassonne [Freebies]

10854.jpgWe've long been waiting to hear what Xbox LIVE would be pulling out for their fifth anniversary. Now we know. Carcassonne, an already released XBLA board game, will be available for free download between 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 15 and 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. In addition, members of LIVE who've been faithful since 2002 will be gifted 500 points.

Also, our new press release has mentioned that Psychonauts is coming to XBLA as a classic Xbox download with the fall update. Score. Here's the full press release:

As Xbox LIVE Turns Five, Microsoft Announces Next Wave of Social Fun

Xbox LIVE membership soars past 8 million mark, Microsoft unveils new download service for Xbox games direct to your living room beginning Dec. 4.

REDMOND, Wash. -- Nov. 13, 2007 -- On Nov. 15, Microsoft Corp. will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Xbox LIVE. In addition, the company notes that the latest membership figures show more than 8 million members are now actively engaged in the largest social entertainment network on TV. Xbox LIVE has grown from a small community of gamers in two countries, playing a handful of games online with their friends, to a worldwide social entertainment network offering online access to gaming, music, movies and TV shows. As friends across 26 countries and nine languages have connected on Xbox LIVE, it is their feedback and active participation that has guided the service to become what Wired magazine recently called "the king of the online arena." As a gesture of thanks to the gaming community, all 8 million members will have the opportunity to download a free Xbox LIVE Arcade game,* available for downloading between 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 15 and 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 16.** In addition to this, every active member who joined the service in 2002 will receive 500 free Microsoft Points.

Starting on Dec. 4, all Xbox LIVE members will receive a free system update with a host of new features and enhancements. Included in this update will be the launch of Xbox Originals, which, for the first time, will enable consumers to download and own full Xbox games, such as "Halo," "Psychonauts," "Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge" and "Fable," among others, directly to their Xbox 360. This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games.

With no disc necessary, and at just 1,200 Microsoft Points per game, Xbox LIVE members can easily rediscover these hit titles, or check out a game they missed the first time around. This launch lineup is only the beginning, as Xbox 360 owners can expect to see a growing catalog of Xbox games to download and own over the coming year.

"In just five short years, Xbox LIVE has revolutionized the way friends and family have fun in the living room," said John Schappert, corporate vice president of LIVE, software and services at Microsoft. "On its fifth birthday, Xbox LIVE truly is the place for hanging out with friends and enjoying downloadable TV shows, movies, videos, game add-ons and now downloadable Xbox games on demand."

More information can be found online about the downloadable games available on Xbox LIVE, the evolution of Xbox LIVE or the Xbox LIVE is 5IVE member rewards at http://www.xbox.com.



from Kotaku

7 Ways Zune Beats iPod?

The Zune 2 system, simply, is gorgeous. It’s better for the consumer in a number of way that, at this point, the iPod simply can’t touch.

Of course the best part about competition is that Apple will respond to all of these issues in future releases. The entire portable media player space just got a lot more serious now that Microsoft is so serious about the portable media player space.

But here they are – Zune got ‘em and iPod don’t. There are more, it's just that seven seems to work in pieces like these.

Podcast as top-level entry. It always bugged me that Podcasts were a “category” in music (or video) in the iPod. That was just so wrong on so many levels that it is great to see that cleaned up. Don’t get me wrong, I have music and Podcasts on my Zune - there is just a time and place for everything (and now they both have their place).

Bonus – I can now shuffle music content and not worry that an episode of the Bitterest Pill will show up in the mix.

Wireless sync. I love people with $300+ media center docking stations for their iPod who still have to disconnect and move their iPod every time they want new content on their player. Us Zune types don’t now. It is 2007 and it’s time to let wireless do what it was meant to do.

Bonus – Park your car in the garage and hit a quick sync on your Zune. You’ll have the latest stuff when you pull out for your next errand. Podcast sync just grew up.

Wireless sharing. There is a point to this that is obviously moot unless there is another Zune owner in the room but Microsoft’s focus will keep that from becoming a problem soon. Now I can really check out why Jacket Brown is so into CSS.

Bonus – Next trend in viral marketing for new media content? You read it here first.

Subscription music. This has always been a killer app for portable media players but implementation has always been sub-par. That changes with the new Zune.

Bonus – mix wireless sharing with subscription music and their online social network and we might just see that “future of music” we kept hearing/reading about.

Xbox integration. Xbox’s market share is impressive. Being able to both plug your Zune into an Xbox and being able to stream subscription music and Podcasts to your Xbox not only makes the Apple TV concept a little silly but give you a great excuse to own a Gears of War machine.

Bonus – Once you start consuming media through your Xbox (minus Halo of course), you’ll start investigating other cool elements that Apple ain’t got either (like Vongo and Amazon Unbox).

Free upgrade. When has Apple ever added something new to the iPod and helped a previous owner upgrade at no charge? I pray this is the future of the portable media player.

Bonus – Closeout 30 gig Zunes and a generous 3-device allowance on the Zune software means you’re going to quickly see multi-Zune families.

Radio. I seldom listen to radio but found myself in the gym watching a news clip on the monitor that caught me eye. They do that broadcast the audio on FM thing so I switched over quickly, got my fix and went from there. 3 minutes of usage total – but it was nice to have.

Bonus – We live in crazy world where a radio nearby is never a bad thing. Usage will continue to plummet but having that option in the case of an emergency is a comfort (and a reason to hawk your “other” radios on eBay.

It’s been awhile (long time?) since I’ve been thrilled with a Microsoft product.

I’ve always love my iPods and thank Jobs for letting us strap a jukebox to our belt. But, there is a new game in town that has just kicked things up a very serious notch.

from Zune Luv

New Zunes get unboxed, reviewed, and Microsoft firms up plans


Well Zuneinites, the new models are primed and ready for store shelves tomorrow, but we've got first looks and reviews today. As Microsoft's new media players make their way into the hands of eager beavers across the internets, we're here for you, picking up the pieces and putting it all together. As it stands right now, we've got videos and reviews from a number of sources, including (but not limited) to: CNET, Zune Thoughts, and Zunerama. All of the sites currently have unboxing videos and / or reviews of the new units, and Zune Thoughts even has an informative video on some firmware update problems they discovered with the Zune 80. Some interesting Zune Marketplace info has also come out, including details that the DRM-free track cost will be $.99, or 79 Microsoft Points (the same as pricing on protected tracks). Additionally, we've received the official word from Microsoft on the Zune Originals, as well as all the confirmation you'll ever need that the Zune-bomb really does drop tomorrow. Hold on to your hats folks, it's going to be an exciting week.

Read -- CNET First Look: Zune (second generation, 80GB, black)
Read -- Zune Thoughts
Read -- Zunerama: Full Zune 2 coverage
Read -- Microsoft Unveils Device Customization via New Zune Originals Store, New Zune Players

from Engadget

Halo to come with Xbox 360 Dashboard update on December 4

Original Halo to come with Xbox 360 Dashboard update on December 4 - Image 1It just came to our attention that Microsoft will be implementing the Xbox 360 Dashboard Fall update on December 4 and we are pretty sure that you will be pleasantly surprised with the software additions.

The news originally came from video games site CVG which in turn got it from the Official Xbox Magazine staffers. Reportedly, the update will finally introduce the Video on Demand feature with the initial offerings coming from film studio Warner Bros.

The reports mentioned that movies will cost less than US 5 and can be viewed in 720p resolution. Quite interestingly, there are certain terms attached to this video download service:
  • You have 14 days to start watching a film once it has downloaded
  • Once you started watching a film, you have 24 hours to finish it
  • After that, the film deletes itself from your hard drive
Furthermore, the Fall update will also see the addition of original Xbox games that will be available for download. It was said that these games will cost 1,200 Microsoft Points each and expected titles to come out on day one include:
  • Halo
  • Fable
  • Fahrenheit
  • Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge
  • Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex
  • Burnout 3
from X360 QJ.NET

HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on November 13th, 2007

Ocean's ThirteenContinuing the trend, Blu-ray extends its newly gained lead on HD DVD thanks to the help of some titles that we'd rather not count. Regardless, there are a few nice exclusives this week for both camps, as Sony brings Steven Spielberg's classic Close encounters of the Third Kind and Fox releases the first season of the hit TV show, Prison Break. HD DVD has a couple of exclusives this week too in the way of Universal's Pride and Prejudice, and the red camp's biggest exclusive this week, Shrek the Third. Warner has arguably the biggest release for both formats this week with the third installment of the Ocean's franchise.

HD DVD 335 vs Blu-ray 354*

Blu-ray
HD DVD

* Blu-ray total does not reflect 32 Paramount titles that were previously available.

from Engadget HD

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix: the old and the new

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - Image 1


We don't know about you guys but we're really looking forward to Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, especially after the developers have detailed the changes to the new game. There are enough changes to the gameplay - as the developer himself states - to credit it as a separate installment to the franchise instead of just "improving" on an old one.

Initially the developers only planned for the changes to be graphical, but they (thankfully) extended the changes to gameplay. According to the developer, the game will - technically - include two games in one. The "first" game will be the original one with improved graphics and music, while the "second" game improves on gameplay, balancing out the characters to make an "arcade perfect" game.

The "second" game is, formally, an optional mode to the game, and was designed to balance out the abilities of the fighters for better tournament play. It also improves on the controls, making the extreme difficult moves more accessible to those hands whose dexterity does not equal god's.

The star characters (like Ryu) won't be getting much changes. There will be a couple of nerfs to them (just to remove abusable moves) but overall they remain the same. Ryu may be the exception, as he will get a new move: the fake fireball (to psyche people out). The weaker characters will be getting a boost though.

Here are some of the changes to the controls in the re-balanced version:
  • Dragon Punch timing more forgiving - All Dragon Punches are easier because the timing window to perform them is no longer random you now always get a 15 frame window rather than a random number between 8 and 15 (and you only had a small chance of getting 15 in the original game)
  • 360s alternate motions - 360 motions are easier because they no longer require you to hold up and accidentally jump.
    Tiger knee motions removed - Most commands ending with diagonally up/forward have been changed to much easier motions.
  • Mash moves easier - The mash moves require less mashing. That means it takes fewer button presses to activate Chun Li s Lighting Legs, Honda s Hundred Hand Slap, and Blanka s Electricity.
  • All 3 button moves changed to 2 buttons - All moves that required three simultaneous button presses now only require two.
from X360 QJ.NET

Finish the fight then listen to the music: Halo 3 OST site up

Halo 3 Soundtrack - Image 1


A great game deserves a great soundtrack, and a great soundtrack deserves to have its own chance to shine: enter Halo 3. A website dedicated to the game's soundtrack has been launched, where you can listen to streaming audio from the soundtrack if you don't want to buy the compilation just yet.

Aside from containing the soundtrack to Halo 3, the compilation also has remastered works from the first two Halo games. The whole thing is compiled in two CDs, available in Amazon for US 12.99. Though it won't be released until November 20, you can still enjoy the streaming music from the site.

Follow the link for the Halo 3 soundtrack website.

Sony regrets Blu-Ray and the whole HD Format War?


So it appears that CEO Mr Stringer is having second thoughts and doubts about his so called leading edge format. In a recent interview he says that he wished that they (Sony and the delusional Blu-Ray) had collaborated with HD-DVD. To be honest, Stinger has a good point. If BR and HD-DVD did work together on a "single" format, things could have worked out. They could have taken BR's only advantage in the 50GB capacity and combine that with all of the advanced features of the HD-DVD format to produce "the next gen format". But instead, Sony and company tried to "Stuff" Blu-Ray down the throats of consumers via studio support. Stringer even acknowledged that since Paramount changed sides, things are now locked in a Stalemate. So if we are in a stalemate now, what happens if WB makes the change? Could HD-DVD slowly push BR towards Betamax status? BR could simply end up as the format that the PS3 uses for games.. :eek: One thing that really bothers me about Stringers interview is his comments about how Blu-Ray should be winning on Merits. What Merits? As I just stated, 50GB capacity is the only advantage and that advantage is slipping away as the HD-DVD group is working to push the 51GB disk out. Everything else has been all HD-DVD with their requirements set at launch of the format in 2006 instead of waiting a year and a half like BR to finally decide what to support and what not to support. Last, the insane Toshiba player prices from Walmart, Best Buy and Circuit City probably have something to do with Stringers recent state of mind. ;)


European HD DVD Group talks attach rate numbers

European HD DVD Group attach ratesWe focus on the U.S. market, but the European HD DVD Group just issued some numbers that caught our attention. Yes indeed -- more fuel for the format war, just in time to stoke the fires again. The European faction of team red didn't talk unit sales, but is proudly touting attach rate numbers, and with good reason. After doing the math across six countries and accounting for both standalone and console-based players, HD DVD enjoyed an attach rate of 3.8 vs. Blu-ray's figure of 0.6. Ouch. Spain posted the highest HD DVD attach rate (5.7 compared to 0.4 for Blu-ray). Now, one number doesn't tell the whole story any more than one region will dictate the entire format war; but it's an interesting number still. When you consider that HD DVD releases are less restricted by distribution rights in Europe than here in the U.S., the European playing field is closer to the "let the consumer decide" model we'd really like to see. Expect a Blu-ray response in 5... 4...

from Engadget HD

Zune Originals



Zune's next move takes their support of emerging artists and literally puts it on their sleeve. Zune Originals is a collection of 27 original works by 18 international artists designed to be engraved onto the back of the device. On the Zune Originals site, visitors will be able to customize their Zune by size, color, illustration and with up to four optional lines of text—all free of charge, at least for the time being.

Zune.net
Zuneoriginals.net

Zune Firmware 2.1, and Zune Marketplace Update is Online

Have Fun Playing with all the new stuff...

Zune Firmware 2.1, and Zune Marketplace Update is Online

Have Fun Playing with all the new stuff...

CNET Review Zune 80 Gets An 8.3 -- Excellent



Last November, Microsoft released the first-generation Zune to a predominantly iPod-toting nation. While the first-generation Zune is not without its devotees, the device came to epitomize Microsoft's awkwardness at marketing itself as hip. Having survived its freshman hazing, the Zune is back for its sophomore revenge, and the iPod has every reason to be frightened. With a new design, higher capacity, wireless sync capability, larger screen, and integrated support for audio and video podcasts, the new 80GB Zune ($249) is finally giving everyone a true alternative to the iPod.

http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/...tag=prod.txt.3

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Spiderman III Blu-Ray fails to BEAT TRANSFORMERS HD-DVD in one week sales!





According to Video Business, Spiderman III Blu-Ray has failed to beat Transformers HD-DVD in "one week" sales. Transformers HD-DVD stormed out of the gate to 190,000 in one week sales according to Paramount. Spiderman III Blu-Ray has apparently sold 130,000 copies in the first 6 days of sales. 130k is a damn good number for an early format to generate but the fact that the VERY popular title that set Box Office Records this past summer with over 150 million in the first three days could not beat out Transformers HD-DVD which has a MUCH smaller hardware install base. This has to be VERY disturbing to Sony and the Blu-Ray Group. With tons of HD-DVD Players sold last week, HD-DVD software sales will continue to increase. Now, many have disputed Paramounts claims of 190k in the first week. So, I say that we take off 50k of sales which means that Transformers is still the winner at 140k to 130k and again HD-DVD has the MUCH smaller hardware install base. What happen to all of those titles that the delusional PS3 Blu-Ray loving fan was suppose to buy? I tell you what happened, it is called "GAMES". With COD4 available on PS3 this week in addition to Guitar Hero III last week, many gamers are too wrapped up in gaming to watch movies or share their PS3 with others

Friday, November 2, 2007

Warner Bros let their Blu-Ray license "expire"?



Word is getting around that WB let their Blu-Ray license expire last night. The cost is a mere 40k so I doubt money was the issue. As many of you know by know, WB will make a decision this quarter as to which to jump, HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. To be frank, the comments from Dan Silverberg at WB can be taken either way but were also taken out of context by a Blu-Ray loving reporter. So beyond the interpretation of recent WB comments, let's look at the real reasons WB would choose HD-DVD over Blu-Ray.

1. WB has consistently put more support behind HD-DVD than Blu-Ray. Batman Begins and V for Vendetta are perfect examples of titles released on HD-DVD months before Blu-Ray. The Matrix is still ONLY available on HD-DVD because the Blu-Ray player profiles did not have mandatory support the advanced features of PiP and True HD. These features are mandatory on ALL HD-DVD stand-alone players.

2. Cost of Manufacturing - Blu-Ray yields are bad. Apparently 2 or 3 of 10 are good. The cost per disk is also high. Blu-Ray is over 5.00 per disk vs 1.00 to 1.50 for HD-DVD.

3. Cost of implementing interactive features such as PiP (overlay for commentary or tech specs/GPS like Miami Vice or Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift) and Web Interactivity is much cheaper. To program these features for Blu-Ray one must use a programmer who MUST write near a hundred lines or more of code. To implement HDi which is similar to HTML, one does not need to be a programmer which means less cost per disk.

4. Incompatibilities - Many early adopters of Blu-Ray will have issues with playback in the future due to Blu-Ray hardware being very different from manufacture to manufacture because the specs were not mandatory till TODAY. New players that are released after today will probably be ok but old players could see unexpected problems. Beware..

5. HD-DVD Player Price - We all know that player prices are dropping like crazy. Tomorrow the A2 can be had for 98.00 and you can buy the A2 from Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City and Walmart (starting Saturday) for under 200.00. LOW PRICES is ALWAYS the beginning of mass adoption and with most consumers not taking full advantage of their HDTV's, these cheap players are the perfect opportunity to acquire the latest and greatest for cheap. ;)

6. WB has already said that Home Players sales are the sales that REALLY matter and that PS3 title sales cannot be predicted because you do not know how many PS3 owners will buy movies. When someone purchases an Toshiba HD-DVD or 360 HD-DVD Player you know those consumers WILL buy movies or they would NOT have made the purchase at all. The PS3 is a game machine first then Blu-Ray Player second. For Blu-Ray to make a huge dent with PS3 consumers would need to purchase more than one (PS3) or you will have people fighting over watching movies or playing games (in many households, not all). Nielson and other stat trackers do not count the PS3 as part of the Home Player sales.

Now, everyone is locked on the 2 to 1 software lead Blu-Ray has over HD-DVD. This means nothing when the format is FAR more expensive to produce content for and with the PS3 the Blu-Ray camps has like a 10+ to 1 hardware lead when it comes to players. With such a large hardware lead their lead should be much more but it is NOT as the PS3 is not really producing the numbers these studios expected. In fact, if it were not for the PS3, Blu-Ray would be dead ALREADY!

Considering all of these factors and reasons for WB to side with HD-DVD I would be VERY shocked if WB choose Blu-Ray over HD-DVD. I could be totally wrong but then again, logic generally prevails.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

HD-A2 $99 right now @ BEST BUY too!!

Check those stores and grab em' if you can:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1158323325814

ZDnet reveals HD-DVD & Walmart's Plan all along (from April)

Does anyone remember this article from April? Someone knew about this deal months ago.:eek:
This thing was planned months ago.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/carroll/?p=1683

Quote:

April 25th, 2007
Wal-Mart favors HD-DVD
Posted by John Carroll @ 8:48 am

Wal-Mart may not have an official stance on the respective merits of HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray, but actions speak louder than words. According to a recent report, Wal-Mart will be buying 2 million HD-DVD players at a price of around $50.00 per unit. Of course, consumers won't see a price that low, and there is some debate as to what the exact price will end up being, but it seems very likely that consumers could see sub-$200 HD-DVD players very soon.

Why did Wal-Mart favor HD-DVD? This article by Rob Enderle offers an explanation. DVDs have served as as great way to drive store traffic, to the extent that they are willing to make almost no money from DVDs, and they would like to do the same thing with HD formats. Unfortunately, a format war has hindered growth in the space. To see just how limited that growth has been, consider these sobering statistics from Eric Bangeman on Ars Technica:

Compared to sales of movies on DVD — by far the most popular format — the numbers for the next-generation discs are a mere drop in the bucket. The top selling DVD for the week ending March 30 was Happy Feet, which moved over 4 million units that week alone. For the week ending March 11, Borat was the big winner, and the number two title, Peter Pan, sold 2.2 million discs.

If you do the math on Happy Feet and the Blu-ray version of Casino Royale, the latter title took three months to sell just under 1.5 percent of what Happy Feet was able to sell in its first week. Another dose of perspective: in the seven days after its release on DVD, Borat sold more discs than all HD DVD and Blu-ray titles combined since the launch of two formats last year.

Wal-Mart saw an opportunity to use its market power to break the logjam, and they chose HD-DVD because of its cost advantages, as Enderle explained:

For Wal-Mart the only real metric is cost. Wal-mart doesn’t really make money off of the movies and do not sell high-end home theater equipment. They are known for aggressive prices and, as mentioned above, they subsidize their DVD sales. They needed something that could sell for under $200 soon and they needed the lowest cost of the new formats. This is where HD DVD shines, not only had Toshiba agreed to license to low cost manufacturers early on, but HD DVDs are pressed on the same lines that regular DVDs are, they require no major equipment change out and the blanks, when compared to Blu-Ray are less expensive as well.

This made the decision simple, Blu-Ray was just too expensive to make this work and any technical advantages were insignificant against Wal-Mart’s need for the lowest cost offering. For them it is about price and that is where HD DVD clearly has the sustainable advantage.

Blu-Ray is clearly the sales leader right now, a status driven almost entirely by sales of PS3 devices, which includes an integrated Blu-Ray drive. As noted before, this isn't a sign of the PS3's raging success so much as the extremely low numbers of players sold which support either format, giving Sony's third-place console the chance to tip the balance in the HD disc war.

However, the PS3 costs $600.00. Granted, you get gaming capability as part of the package, but what happens once standalone HD-DVD players push below $200.00, or if the $50.00 cost to Wal-Mart prove true, even lower?

**CONFIRMED**! Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD Player for $98.87 at Wal-Mart Friday!

It's true!!!

Rumored by a Wal-Mart Manager earlier today, it has been confirmed by looking at Wal-mart.com. Part of an early Black Friday sale.

www.walmart.com