If Amazon's video store is going to compete with the other online sources like Hulu and Netflix, getting on as many platforms as possible is key and it made a major expansion today by launching on the Xbox 360. The app launched on the PS3 back in April, and just like that version, this one includes access to Amazon's video on-demand and Prime all-you-can-eat subscription based streaming. Unique to the Xbox 360 app is support for the console's Kinect peripheral and its ability to recognize control by gesture or voice, plus a brand new feature for Amazon -- a queue. The Watchlist (for now only available on the Xbox 360, Kindle Fire and via the web) lets customers preselect programming they're interested in for easy access on the devices later, just like Netflix's implementation, however Amazon's VOD store means access to newer and higher profile content is just a click away. There's more details in the press release and video after the break, or you can just check out the app on your console right now (if you're in the US and have Xbox Live Gold, of course -- even if you don't have Prime, there's a one month free trial offer).

Update: Major Nelson also posted availability of other apps and a free XBL Gold preview weekend, as Antena 3 launches in Spain, MLB.tv in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Muzu.tv in Australia and New Zealand. June 1st through June 3rd, XBL Gold access will be "unlocked", letting Silver gamers in U.S., Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Chile play for free and access the Amazon, IGN, Manga Entertainment and Muzu.tv apps.

Press Release

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Sony BDP-S780 1080p Full HD 3D Blu-ray Player

M07.R.0615 to M07.R.0620

Release Date: 5/18/2012

Version: M07.R.0620

File Size: 70.77 MB

Firmware Link

This utility upgrades the Blu-ray Disc player firmware to version M07.R.0620 and provides the following benefits:

Improvements over firmware version M07.R.0615:

• Improves BD-ROM playability

Benefits provided by previous upgrades and included in version M07.R.0620:

• Improves BRAVIA Internet Video playability
• Improves BRAVIA® Internet Video connectivity
• Adds support for:
  • Playing discs recorded in AVCHD™ version 2.0 format (AVCHD 3D/Progressive)
  • Playing BDAV content recorded in 3D/Progressive format using BD-R/BD-RE media
  • Sharing your BRAVIA Internet Video content via Facebook® or Twitter® online services
  • The Media Remote™ App to control Party Streaming™ mode
  • Playing video and photos in addition to music when controlled by another DLNA® DMR (Digital Media Receiver) compatible product such as a smartphone
  • Playing 1080/60p video files from Sony® cameras connected by USB cable to the player
  • Using the Skype® calling function to call phones and mobile devices
    Notes:
    • Requires a USB webcam
    • Broadband speed of at least 2.5 Mbps recommended (10 Mbps for HD)
    • Subject to Skype's terms and conditions
    • Skype features are available only on the BDP-S780
  • 3D video using the Qriocity™ Video on Demand service
    Note: The Qriocity service is available only in the United States
  • Viewing 3D panoramic photos taken with the 3D Sweep Panorama™ function available on some Sony® cameras
    Note: Requires 3D HDTV, 3D glasses, 3D emitter, and HDMI® cable (at least 10.2 Gbps)
  • Web Search function using the Gracenote™ Entertainment database
  • SendToMyTV function

Note: This upgrade includes Cinavia™ content protection technology. Information about Cinavia technology is provided at the Cinavia Online Consumer Information Center at: http://www.cinavia.com.

Just because your home theater can handle lossless audio doesn't mean the sound is as good as it could be. Dolby is now giving Blu-ray producers using Dolby Media Producer Encoder v2 the choice of premastering TrueHD surround sound at an upsampled 96k. Along with just squeezing the most possible clarity and depth out of 48kHz audio, the encoding purportedly eliminates some of the harshness of digital sound through an apodizing (signal altering) filter. At least three projects have already been given the 96k treatment, and authoring firms like Technicolor have upgrades in place to give that noticeable boost to your next Blu-ray movie.

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It may still be some time before you can take Google's ambitious wearable computing project for a spin, but there's certainly no shortage of head-mounted displays out there for those looking to blaze a trail of their own. You can now add Silicon Micro Display's new ST1080 glasses to that list, a full 1080p display that will handle both 2D and 3D content (in a variety of formats), and also allow you to see through the glasses for augmented reality applications (albeit with just 10 percent transparency). As with most such glasses, however, you won't get head-tracking capabilities, and you'll have a couple of tethers to contend with (HDMI for video and USB for power, including via an optional battery pack). Those not put off by those constraints or the whole visor look can place their order now for $799.

[Thanks, Majik]

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Firmware Update v 1.05.004

Firmware Update Manual

Owner's Manual

Second and third generation Apple TV boxes have a new software update to keep an eye out for, and now that the changelog has been posted for 5.0.1 we can see what it brings. According to this screen grab from Apple's support page, the update adds HD previews for TV shows and movies in the iTunes store, and fixes issues affecting AirPlay, Home Sharing, Netflix and more.

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Four days before the purported launch of Samsung's cloud service, Korea's other technology giant has unveiled LG Cloud. The eponymous service offers 5GB free space as standard, while owners of LG's Smart TVs or smartphones will get 50GB free for six months. It'll push content between your devices, appropriately compressed for the medium, so high definition images on your TV will be slimmed down to save your phone's data cap. The free beta begins in South Korea and the US from May 1st, with a global rollout pencilled in for next year -- but don't worry, the company made it clear you'll be able to use it on your holidays, if you can find a signal.

We thought the 8K 85-inch Super Hi-Vision LCD we saw during CES was impressive, but Japanese broadcaster NHK is already looking to surpass that by going even bigger. To that end it worked with Panasonic (above: that's Panasonic's Keishi Kubota on the left, Yoshio Ito of NHK on the right) to create this 145-inch prototype plasma, unveiled today as an example of the kind of displays we can expect to see once broadcasts jump to the higher resolution some day. The world's first self-illuminating Super Hi-Vision TV, it features every pixel of its expected 8K resolution -- 7,680 x 4,320. After working for months on smaller (only 85- or 103-inch) 4K plasmas, the two companies had to come up with an entirely new drive method for the display that works by scanning the pixels vertically to achieve a uniform picture quality. The NHK plans to show off the new display at its open house in May, although we're a bit more interested to see if we can watch the Olympics on it this summer. Check the gallery below for a few more pictures from DigInfo.TV's Ryo Osuga, or hit the more coverage link for a breakdown of the difficulties encountered in building a high resolution display that's this massive.

If you've been itching for Sony to take your money since it announced its flagship BDP-S790 Blu-ray player, then get ready to open up that wallet. The device is now available at Sony's online store for $249.99, with an estimated ship date of April 24th. The dual-core player (yes, there's a dual-core CPU in here!) will also be available in stores on May 6th for folks who prefer schlepping their electronics the old-fashioned way. Besides 4K upscaling and 3D playback, the BDP-S790 features DLNA, Netflix, VUDU, Amazon Instant Video, Slacker, Pandora, Twitter and Facebook capabilities.

Dolby helped the 3D revolution happen in movie theaters years ago, and now it's teamed up with Philips to do the same for TVs, tablets, laptops and phones. The two companies have created a format and content delivery technology, dubbed Dolby 3D, to bring high definition 3D content to any and all devices with 3D displays, including those that don't require glasses. Its secret sauce automatically optimizes video for different screen sizes and also upgrades half-resolution 3D to full-res. The idea is to provide both broadcasters and OEMs with a way to deliver 3D HD content to customers buying Dolby 3D devices, while remaining compatible with existing 3D gadgets. All that's left is to actually build some hardware that'll let us see all those snazzy suits from Mad Men in high-def and the third dimension.

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