Warner Bros. & Blu-ray DVD Pair Up

Warner Bros. Picks Blu-ray DVD Format

Time Warner's Warner Bros. Entertainment unit announced Friday it would start releasing high-definition DVDs exclusively using Sony's (SNE - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating) Blu-ray DVD format.

The news is a major victory for Sony as it attempts to make Blu-ray the high-definition standard over rival Toshiba's HD-DVD format. Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox and Disney (DIS - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating) already have decided to use Blu-ray exclusively. That leaves Viacom's (VIA - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating) Paramount and GE's Universal as the only HD-DVD boosters among the major Hollywood studios.

Warner Bros., which until now has produced titles in both formats, said it would continue to release HD-DVDs until the end of May, after which it will stop producing them.

High-definition DVD adoption has suffered because consumers have been confused about which standard to choose. Players using one standard are unable to play DVDs made using the other standard.

"The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger," said Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. "We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass-market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers."

Shares of Sony closed down $1.93 at $52.42 Friday following a broad market selloff. Shares of Time Warner ended the session down 42 cents at $15.91.

This should be a major step in deciding which high def format will survive. Hey, I have already bought a few blu-ray disks. Go get yours and enjoy!

Blu-ray Rules,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Microsoft X-Box 360 Rant(Ticked Off)

Recently, all YOU have heard about is how bad things made in China are. Well, excuse me, but, "how about the crap that originates in the good ole US of A"? Namely, Microsoft crap.

My son got an X-Box 360 when they first came out. He has had to return it to Microsoft "FIVE" times already. The latest return was the week before Christmas 2007. Each time, we have to call and explain that the system(piece of crap) failed again. They take all your info and send YOU a packing box. The shipping is prepaid by them(how generous). YOU then have to take the box to Fed Ex or UPS to be shipped off. Eventually, it is returned. Usually it is the same console "repaired", a refurbished console, or, maybe a new one. Either way, it will crap out again within a couple of months and YOU have to repeat the process all over again.

On our most recent send back, we got the console back the day after Christmas. The same unit, "repaired". However, the power supply cord was broken so that we cant use the system. We had to call and try to explain the problem to some "alien/foreign" call center that couldn't even understand what we were talking about. Eventually, they said we would be shipped a new cord. This is "total unacceptable bullsh-t"! Bill Gates should be ashamed to have his companies name attached to a piece of poorly made garbage like this!

My advice, buy a PS3 or a Wii. It is not worth the hassle after YOU spend a few hundred dollars for this junk. Hey, Mr. Gates, stop trying to save the world etc and fix your companies gaming platform or, "get out of the business"!

Sony & Wii Rule,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Dragon, Book of Shang

PS3 Video Game Reviews Plus "Dragon Wars" Movie

Review: 'Lair' and 'Warhawk' Exclusive
Sep 15, 7:11 AM (ET)By MATT SLAGLE

It's been a long year for PlayStation 3 owners with very little in the way of new, exclusive content. As good as they are, "MotorStorm" and "Resistance: Fall of Man" are wearing thin for me.

Finally, two new PS3 exclusives are available: "Warhawk" and "Lair."

Being an exclusive game doesn't guarantee greatness. Five minutes with "Lair" makes that painfully clear.

"Lair" (Rated T, $59.99) kicks off well enough, with a gorgeous animated sequence involving warriors on fire-breathing dragons.

The aerial spectacle is tremendous, the cinematic effect stirring.

So how can the actual game - a title with battle-tested, fire-breathing dragons, mind you - be so utterly terrible?

It's a classic case of a game that looks phenomenal but plays horribly. The controls quickly kill any sense of fun.

Flying dragons around the war-torn landscape is maddeningly tough in "Lair." Too tough.

That's because you have no choice but to move the controller in the direction you're trying to go. The PS3's controller has always had a motion-sensing capability, but it's very imprecise when you're trying to guide a dragon through a narrow canyon.

To do a quick 180, you can flick the controller up - but, often, my flicks didn't do anything or sent me in the wrong direction.

If only "Lair" would let me use the controller's traditional joysticks and buttons for movement.

"Lair" just isn't worth the effort.

One star out of four.

At least "Warhawk" delivers what it advertises: a quick, responsive multiplayer combat game. Nothing more, nothing less.

The game feels a bit generic compared to more established online shooting franchises like "Unreal Tournament," but there's plenty to like about "Warhawk." Namely, big, sprawling online matches against up to 31 other real players.

There are the usual online modes like Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, which span a diverse array of maps. There are plenty of weapons like machine guns and grenades, plus you can drive around tanks and jeeps, or control turrets to defend your base.

Some weapons seem overpowered, namely the flame thrower, which can somehow mow down armored tanks with relative ease.

But the game's biggest rush comes from piloting the warhawk fighters. They're able to transform from hovercraft to fighter jets and back again.

They pack an arsenal of weapons that includes missiles and mines. They're extremely maneuverable, too, able to perform all sorts of aerial tricks such as loops and spinning turns.

There are two ways to buy "Warhawk," which is rated T. You can download it directly from Sony and pay $39.99, or buy a boxed copy that includes a wireless headset for $20 more.

That way, you can talk trash right back to the online strangers who will taunt you after they've blasted you from the sky.

"Warhawk" is the sort of game the PS3 desperately needed. It's an approachable title that delivers all the online mayhem you can handle.

Three-and-a-half stars.

If YOU would like some more review on either of these games, go to Lair for PlayStation 3 Review - PlayStation 3 Lair Review Warhawk for PlayStation 3 Review - PlayStation 3 Warhawk Review .

"Dragon Wars" Movie

Just got home from seeing the movie. Not sorry I went to see it. It was pretty decent. A little to much on the goofy side though. I almost felt like I was watching one of those Saturday night "Sci Fi Channel" made for movies.

The special efx were pretty decent. it seemed to me that if the makers of this movie would have taken a little more time and concern, this could have been even a step higher.

As I said though, "it was good entertainment for what it is supposed to be ". I would give it 2 out of 4 stars. The best dragon story ever written is three quarters of the way done. It will be finished by this Halloween! I promise and guarantee that!

Dragons Rule, They did, and they will,

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"

"Rage", "Doom" Creators Follow Up

"Doom" creator unveils its new video game, "Rage"

The creator of classic computer game "Doom," id Software, unveiled on Friday its eagerly anticipated next game, "Rage," in which players fight an oppressive government in a post-apocalyptic world.

The new game will be released for computers running either Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Windows or Apple Inc's (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Macintosh operating system, as well as Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) PlayStation 3 video game consoles.

"It's a bit of a classic story and you are the outsider who comes in and tries to turn the tide in favor of good," id Chief Executive Todd Hollenshead said in an interview.

"Rage" is being built with all-new graphics technology designed by id co-founder John Carmack, who showed off the game at id's annual "QuakeCon" event in Dallas, Texas.

Privately held id did not give a release date for "Rage" or the name of the publisher. Activision Inc (ATVI.O: Quote, Profile, Research), the second-biggest U.S. video game publisher, handles other id games such as "Doom 3" and the upcoming "Enemy Territories: Quake Wars."

Since the breakaway success of "Doom" in 1993 established the "first-person shooter" as a major gaming genre, id's games have been characterized by fast-and-furious gunplay and claustrophobic environments.

"Rage" will represent somewhat of a stylistic break by letting players roam expansive outdoor areas.

"In addition to the shooting elements and killing bad guys with cool guns -- everyone knows we can do that well -- we wanted to show off some stuff that would surprise people," Hollenshead said.

The graphics technology, or engine, underpinning "Rage" is also important since id makes one of a handful of such software packages that are licensed by other game makers.

Hollenshead said the new "tech5" engine would make it easier for developers to design games that are better looking and can be easily modified to run on different gaming systems, a process that normally takes months and pushes up costs.

"It allows a single studio team to make four versions of our game without outside help," Hollenshead said. "You can have massive outdoor environments and make them look glorious down to pixel level without any performance issues."

Well. this ought to give YOU gamers something to get excited about. Even though there is no "release date" yet. Sounds like the next step in first person shooters with advanced technology. I'm ready!

Peace and Soulz,

Bobby SharpeBobby Sharpe's "Animalz" www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Sony PS 3 Price Drop/Spielberg And Ea Video Games

New PlayStation to Go on Sale in August

Sony Corp. (SNE) (SNE) slashed the price of its current PlayStation 3 by $100, or 16.7 percent, and introduced a high-capacity model in an effort to spur sales of the struggling video game console. Starting Monday, the current 60 gigabyte model will cost $499, down from $599.

The Japanese electronics maker also said it is introducing a new version of the PlayStation 3 with a bigger hard drive for storing downloaded content such as video games and high-definition movies.

The new PS3 increases the system's storage capacity to 80 gigabytes from 60 gigabytes and also includes a retail copy of the online racing title "MotorStorm," a company spokesman said. It will be priced at $599.

The larger capacity machine won't be available in the United States and Canada until August.

Sony should be releasing 100 new video games during the current fiscal year, including 15 titles that are exclusive to the PS3 such as the hack-and-slash action title "Heavenly Sword."

Video Games by Spielberg, EA Detailed
By MATT SLAGLE

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg and video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS) (ERTS) are releasing a few tidbits about their ongoing collaboration to make three video games, but most details - including the game's titles - remain a secret.

Code-named "LMNO" and "PQRS," the first two games to come from the exclusive relationship will be previewed at this week's E3 Media & Business Summit, which starts Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif.

The "LMNO" game is being created for the Sony Corp. (SNE)'s PlayStation 3, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s Xbox 360 and PCs. It will be a "contemporary action adventure" where the player partners with a female character who evolves over time depending on how she interacts with others in the game, said Neil Young, general manager of EA's Los Angeles studio.

"PQRS," which is being developed for Nintendo Co.'s Wii, will have gamers wielding the wireless remote to manipulate blocks in various ways.

Young said to expect much more than a computerized version of Jenga when it's released, sometime in the current fiscal year.

"Of course just playing with blocks does not a game make," he said Monday. "Now imagine there are up to 50 different properties that can be associated with them. They can explode or form a chemical reaction."

Young said Spielberg, known for his roster of films such as "Saving Private Ryan,""Schindler's List,""Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "E.T.," got the idea for the block game after a round of Wii tennis with Nintendo game legend Shigeru Miyamoto during last year's E3.

"He came away just kind of blown away by the visceral nature of the machine," Young said.
Spielberg wasn't available for an interview, but in a prepared statement said he was "a gamer" and has always been intrigued by game development.

"I am truly enjoying the creative collaboration and we hope that gamers will be as excited as we are about what we can bring to the medium through our shared vision," Spielberg said.

There were no details on a third title under Spielberg's long-term exclusive arrangement to develop the games for EA.

Financial terms of the deal announced in 2005 haven't been disclosed. Redwood City, Calif.-based EA, the world's largest game maker with blockbusters such as "Madden NFL" and "The Sims," said it will own the intellectual property behind the Spielberg games and publish them.

Well, here is the latest tech news for all of YOU gamers out there. I am glad Sony dropped the price on the PS 3, however, I am going to wait a bit until they get more games I am interested in. Plus, some more blu-ray dvd's.

If Spielbergs games are as good as some of his movies, they should be a hit.

Peace And Good Gaming,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Animalz"

Blu-Ray Disc and Blockbuster

Blockbuster to Favor Blu-Ray HD Disc

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Blockbuster Inc. (BBI) (BBI) will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-def offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.

The move, being announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time.

The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told The Associated Press.

Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, the Dallas-based company said.

The decision was helped in large part by the lopsided availability of titles in Blu-ray, Smith said. All major studios except one are releasing films in Blu-ray, with several, including The Walt Disney Co., releasing exclusively in Blu-ray. Only Universal Studios, which is owned by General Electric Co. (GE) (GE), exclusively supports HD DVD.

Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. (TWX) (TWX), and Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom Inc. (VIAB), release films in both formats.
"When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that," Smith said.

The rollout of Sony Corp. (SNE)'s PlayStation 3 game console, which comes standard with a Blu-ray drive, also helped give the format momentum, Smith said.

Blockbuster's decision, while significant on it's own, could boost Blu-ray even more if other retailers follow suit.
"It will help shift the balance toward Blu-ray, clearly," said Richard Doherty, president of The Envisioneering Group, a research company.

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group said Blockbuster's decision was shortsighted and skewed by the success of films released by Blu-ray studios in the first three months of the year. The group said HD DVD has since gained momentum, selling more players and popular titles such as "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "The Matrix" trilogy.

"I think trying to make a format decision using such a short time period is really not measuring what the consumer is saying," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the group.

The two formats have been battling it out since they both hit the market last year. Studios hope the high-definition discs, with their sharper picture and more room for interactive special features and games, will replace standard definition DVDs.

The formats are incompatible and neither will play on standard DVD players, although standard DVDs can be viewed with either a Blu-ray or HD DVD player.

The Blu-ray camp has been helped by the release of such huge hits as "Casino Royale,""Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Spider-Man" coming out exclusively in its format.

As the battle has unfolded, the price of the high-definition players needed to show the movies has plummeted. Toshiba Corp., the major supporter of HD DVD, is selling its player for $299 with a rebate, down from $499 when it first went on sale.

Sony, which is pushing Blu-ray, recently slashed the price of its player by more than half to $499. The player retailed for $1,000 when it first was introduced.

Blockbuster Inc.: http://www.blockbuster.com

Blu-ray Disc Association: http://www.blu-raydisc.com

Well, this sure helps in the battle for HD disc supremacy. I always had the feeling that the Blu-Ray technology would win out. However, I am still waiting for the price of the players to come down a bit. They will! Make sure YOU "do YOUR homework before YOU invest in any of the new technology"!

"The more You know, the more YOU grow,

The more YOU grow, the further YOU go",

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe reggae8@aol.com