Sony in Talks With Microsoft, Apple Over Blu-Ray
03-07-08 | 08:34 AM
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Sony in Talks With Microsoft, Apple Over Blu-Ray
From Financial Times:
Sony Electronics US President Stan Glasgow has revealed that the company is currently in talks with software giant Microsoft with regards to the Blu-ray format. No specific products were mentioned, but it is expected that Microsoft will offer a Blu-ray X-box 360 Add-on, similar to what they offered for the now dead HD DVD format. As it stands, Microsoft's gaming console is at a distinct disadvantage to Sony's PlayStation 3 which includes a Blu-ray player in every console.
Sony is also in talks with Apple, who has been extremely quite about offering Blu-ray drives despite being a part of the Blu-ray Disc Association. It was rumored that Apple was prepared to offer a Blu-ray drive with the latest upgrade of their MacBook Pro laptops, but that there were size and power consumption issues. It is expected that Apple will incorporate Sony's new drives, which are much smaller and use less power, this summer when they are released.
Additionally, Sony predicts that the price of Blu-ray players will fall to $299 by the end of the year. This is not much of a stretch, with the upcoming Sony BDP-S350 carrying a retail price of $399 and coming out way before the 2008 holiday season.
Sony Electronics US President Stan Glasgow has revealed that the company is currently in talks with software giant Microsoft with regards to the Blu-ray format. No specific products were mentioned, but it is expected that Microsoft will offer a Blu-ray X-box 360 Add-on, similar to what they offered for the now dead HD DVD format. As it stands, Microsoft's gaming console is at a distinct disadvantage to Sony's PlayStation 3 which includes a Blu-ray player in every console.
Sony is also in talks with Apple, who has been extremely quite about offering Blu-ray drives despite being a part of the Blu-ray Disc Association. It was rumored that Apple was prepared to offer a Blu-ray drive with the latest upgrade of their MacBook Pro laptops, but that there were size and power consumption issues. It is expected that Apple will incorporate Sony's new drives, which are much smaller and use less power, this summer when they are released.
Additionally, Sony predicts that the price of Blu-ray players will fall to $299 by the end of the year. This is not much of a stretch, with the upcoming Sony BDP-S350 carrying a retail price of $399 and coming out way before the 2008 holiday season.
03-07-08 | 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by raven56706
not much a disadvantage if you picked a 360 for gaming
03-07-08 | 02:01 PM
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Sony, Microsoft discuss Blu-ray for Xbox 360
From the Financial Times:
Sony is in talks with console rival Microsoft about offering a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360, according to a senior executive.
The Japanese electronics maker has until now touted Blu-ray as an advantage its PlayStation 3 holds over Microsoft’s console. Microsoft has backed Toshiba’s HD-DVD format and offered an HD-DVD drive that can be plugged into the 360.
But after Sony’s victory last month in the high-definition DVD format war, Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics US president, said the two sides were now talking about Microsoft adopting Blu-ray.
A Blu-ray drive in a 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with the PS3, but it would also mean extra revenues for Sony’s electronics division. It would also add further cost to the 360, meaning a premium edition of the console could be necessary.
The Japanese electronics maker has until now touted Blu-ray as an advantage its PlayStation 3 holds over Microsoft’s console. Microsoft has backed Toshiba’s HD-DVD format and offered an HD-DVD drive that can be plugged into the 360.
But after Sony’s victory last month in the high-definition DVD format war, Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics US president, said the two sides were now talking about Microsoft adopting Blu-ray.
A Blu-ray drive in a 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with the PS3, but it would also mean extra revenues for Sony’s electronics division. It would also add further cost to the 360, meaning a premium edition of the console could be necessary.
03-07-08 | 02:03 PM
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Would it really mean a premium edition of a console....hmmmm, do they forget the HD-DVD was an ADD-ON. That is all the BD drive would be. They still cannot have games on BD. Internal would be nice, but I don't see that happening until the next gen 
03-07-08 | 02:23 PM
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it funny now that sony won the format war the 360 needs a Blu-Ray drive or else it will get left behind in the coming years. I'm not saying this to incite riots but the future is going hi-def and sony holds all the cards in that market.
03-07-08 | 03:07 PM
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Microsoft to support Blu-Ray
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh..._Blu-ray”/1550
Microsoft: “We’ll support Blu-ray”
Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 03:00 PM ET
Tags: Microsoft (all tags)
Amid rumors that Microsoft is in talks to add Blu-ray support to its Xbox 360 game console, CEO Steve Ballmer has indicated the company’s intention to support the remaining high-def format.
As reported by The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took part in an onstage conversation at the company’s Mix08 Internet conference in Las Vegas Thursday, where the topics discussed included Microsoft’s high-def plans following the discontinuation of Toshiba’s HD DVD format.
Without offering specifics, Ballmer said the company will work to support Blu-ray.
“We've already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support for Blu-ray drives and the like,” Ballmer stated. “I think the world moves on. Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense.”
Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 03:00 PM ET
Tags: Microsoft (all tags)
Amid rumors that Microsoft is in talks to add Blu-ray support to its Xbox 360 game console, CEO Steve Ballmer has indicated the company’s intention to support the remaining high-def format.
As reported by The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took part in an onstage conversation at the company’s Mix08 Internet conference in Las Vegas Thursday, where the topics discussed included Microsoft’s high-def plans following the discontinuation of Toshiba’s HD DVD format.
Without offering specifics, Ballmer said the company will work to support Blu-ray.
“We've already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support for Blu-ray drives and the like,” Ballmer stated. “I think the world moves on. Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense.”
03-07-08 | 03:10 PM
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From: Jersey
03-07-08 | 03:10 PM
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From: The Phantom Zone
"We'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense"
I guess that means they won't be supporting Blu-ray PS3 games
... (kidding, of course). Can't say I'm surprised at this news, but I still find it a little interesting that we'll be seeing Microsoft supporting the proprietary disc format for one of their direct gaming competitors, even though the media they will be supporting on that format won't be games.
I guess that means they won't be supporting Blu-ray PS3 games
... (kidding, of course). Can't say I'm surprised at this news, but I still find it a little interesting that we'll be seeing Microsoft supporting the proprietary disc format for one of their direct gaming competitors, even though the media they will be supporting on that format won't be games.
03-07-08 | 03:50 PM
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From: Blu-ray.com
Originally Posted by Yavin
"We'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense"
Hopefully SONY stays as far away as possible from them and when in need of a reason why consults Toshiba.
Ciao,
Pro-B
03-07-08 | 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
As someone else said, the Blu-ray drive would most likely be an add-on, not an internal drive for playing games.
03-07-08 | 04:44 PM
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From: Minnesota
Looking forward to next-gen: I'm guessing Sony's next product will incorporate a Blu-Ray drive has the media can hold a substantial amount.
Microsoft will have to adapt and include a BR drive as well (pending something else doesn't come out by then) or face space limitations of regular DVD media.
So, Sony may have a corner on the videogame market next round.
Ah sorry, Sauce. You said the same thing.
Microsoft will have to adapt and include a BR drive as well (pending something else doesn't come out by then) or face space limitations of regular DVD media.
So, Sony may have a corner on the videogame market next round.
Originally Posted by sauce07
it funny now that sony won the format war the 360 needs a Blu-Ray drive or else it will get left behind in the coming years. I'm not saying this to incite riots but the future is going hi-def and sony holds all the cards in that market.
03-07-08 | 04:46 PM
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Awesome news - I'd much rather pay less than $200 for an add-on to my 360 than drop $400 for a game machine I don't even want to get the same functionality.
03-07-08 | 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Draven
Awesome news - I'd much rather pay less than $200 for an add-on to my 360 than drop $400 for a game machine I don't even want to get the same functionality.
03-07-08 | 05:27 PM
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Originally Posted by QuePaso
It wont be the same, the Xbox 360 can not do Lossless audio, the PS3 can do 7.1 PCM Lossless. Huge difference.
I'll look forward to the possibility of an add-on, but I imagine it'd be pretty expensive if released any time soon.
03-07-08 | 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by QuePaso
It wont be the same, the Xbox 360 can not do Lossless audio, the PS3 can do 7.1 PCM Lossless. Huge difference.
03-07-08 | 06:38 PM
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From: Fort Fun, Colorado
Originally Posted by clappj
I'll look forward to the possibility of an add-on, but I imagine it'd be pretty expensive if released any time soon.
03-07-08 | 07:06 PM
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If Microsoft really wants to threaten the PS3, they would include a Blu-ray internal drive to the Elite asap. If they plan to do a Blu-ray add-on, please keep the freaking price reasonable. One of the biggest problems with the hd-dvd add on was the price was ridiculous compared to the Toshiba SAs.
03-07-08 | 08:19 PM
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If MS makes a Blu-ray add-on, having both HD format add-ons would be nice.