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Universal Studios Home Entertainment today announced (via iLounge) that it will begin offering iPhone-enabled features on some of its future Blu-ray video releases. Universal's initial launch for the concept will take place with the release of a special Blu-ray edition of Fast & Furious on July 28th. Utilizing an Internet-connected Blu-ray player and a free companion iPhone application to be released to the App Store, viewers will be able to use their iPhone or iPod touch to view and interact with a "Virtual Car Garage" highlighting the cars used in the film.
Powered by BD-Live, the 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray release of Fast & Furious will utilize this interactive technology tied to its "Virtual Car Garage" bonus feature. With iPhone or iPod touch in-hand, Blu-ray viewers can use their devices' touch screens to control 360-degree views of the movie's supercharged street-racers and instantly punch up exclusive technical specs for the film's high-tech cars.
Universal also plans to extend the iPhone application concept in future releases, introducing additional iPhone-formatted content, "virtual remote" applications, and social networking features.
Later this year on select Universal releases, consumers will also be able to access bonus content found on their Blu-ray disc and download it into their iPhone or iPod touch to watch features on-the-go; use the devices as a virtual remote to control their Blu-ray disc features; and/or access additional detailed information about the film, its cast and more while watching the movie. Releases will also integrate with social network applications or sites such as Facebook and Twitter to allow users to update their friends about movie-related activities.

Article Link: Universal Studios to Launch iPhone Features for Blu-ray Discs
 
I think this sounds very cool and love that the iPhone is being tied into another facet of entertainment therefore cementing its position further.

I wish Apple would update the Apple TV soon. I have held off buying a Blu-ray player because I am on the fence between HD discs and downloadable content. I have the Apple TV and LOVE it, but I want to start buying everything in 1080p. If I buy a Blu-ray player now Apple will probably announce a new Apple TV and 1080p soon after. What to do? :eek:
 
Doesn't sound great - i'd say the F&F game was much better than this lackluster attempt.
A decent iPhone app to remote control Sony and other BR and more products? Would be good. Doesn't sound that innovative at the moment.
 
This is terrible. I don't want to have to buy an iPhone to access BD content. :mad:

It's bad enough that the most restrictive technology was forced upon us.
 
i don't get it.

why don't they put the content online and give away an iphone app to watch it. why do they do this complicated "connect your blue ray player to the internet" stuff?:confused:

look more like a marketing gimmick than something useful.

give us all movies on itunes (on time, not a year after the DVD) and all is good. then include your iphone crap with that.
 
I wish people would give up on this whole "interactive DVD" concept. They've been trying it for years, and it's always been lame. Everyone has a computer and a broadband connection now, why do we need to interact with the DVD?
 
We can only hope that they don't

Fixed.

Blu-Ray is such a waste of time and money IMHO. The days of disk storage are about as antiquated as 8-track media entertainment (again, IMHO). I'll keep my flash memory and HD / SSDs, thanks. The picture quality on HD media is nice, but not worth the premium, IMHO.
 
Fixed.

Blu-Ray is such a waste of time and money IMHO. The days of disk storage are about as antiquated as 8-track media entertainment (again, IMHO). I'll keep my flash memory and HD / SSDs, thanks. The picture quality on HD media is nice, but not worth the premium, IMHO.
I'm sure it's just as easy and cheap to produce those over a pressed disc.
 
I wish people would give up on this whole "interactive DVD" concept. They've been trying it for years, and it's always been lame. Everyone has a computer and a broadband connection now, why do we need to interact with the DVD?

Ya, I dont see the point in interacting either. If they just distributed content and games for the iPhone on the DVD as a bonus, then that would be fine.
 
Oh brother.... instead of adding lame gimmicks like this, why don't they just lower the prices of the discs? iPhone tie-ins with Blu-ray - what's next....iPhone tie-ins with mini-disc?
 
I have the Apple TV and LOVE it, but I want to start buying everything in 1080p. If I buy a Blu-ray player now Apple will probably announce a new Apple TV and 1080p soon after. What to do? :eek:
1080p Netflix is coming to the XBOX 360 in the fall.
 
Fixed.

Blu-Ray is such a waste of time and money IMHO. The days of disk storage are about as antiquated as 8-track media entertainment (again, IMHO). I'll keep my flash memory and HD / SSDs, thanks. The picture quality on HD media is nice, but not worth the premium, IMHO.

So you'll pay the premium for SSDs but not BDs?

These "I hate optical media!" posts never make sense. BD costs have consistently been dropping ever since the first player came out -- it was $1,000. You can now buy a standalone player for $200 if you're lucky, and the movies slowly keep dropping in price. If you keep your eye on Amazon.com, you will find TONS of movies for less than $20, often less than $15. I just got The Matrix 10th anniversary edition and Serenity for about $31 combined. I got Lost Season 2 for $30 when it was first announced.

BD is evolving just like DVD did, and Apple will eventually have to deal with it. When PC makers can offer a BD drive in a sub-$1,000 notebook, Apple customers would love to know why the same can't even be added to a Mac Pro.
 
A sign of progress, but what is this BD Live stuff?

I take this as a evidence of BD maturing, which is good. But I must say, I have played around a little bit in the extra features of my Blueray disks, and I just don't get the BD Live stuff. It looks awkward and I don't really have a desire to chat with someone else on my screen while my movie is playing.
 
What I'd like is a way to stream my BR movie to my iPhone via a website they provide so long as I buy the physical BR movie.
 
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