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Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 64 GB Tablet on Sale for $299 Today Only![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering a $180 discount on its flagship tablet. [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's Valentine's Day deals and promotions, Amazon is running a special one-day sale on its Fire HDX 8.9 64 GB tablet. Fire HDX 8.9 64 GB Tablet - Currently $299 ($180 off retail price). The Fire HDX 8.9 features an 8.9-inch HDX display with a resolution of 2560x1600 and 339ppi. In addition, the screen now includes a Dynamic Light Control option which is geared toward making digital book pages look more like real paper under different lighting conditions. Under the hood, the tablet is powered by a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and an Adreno 420 GPU running the company's latest Fire OS 4 "Sangria." The updated OS also includes support for several new features like Firefly for printed text and QR code identification, and ASAP for automatic buffering of your favorite media. An 8MP rear camera and a 720p front camera are included as well. Finally, the HDX 8.9 is the first tablet to integrate Dolby Atmos mobile tech, which promises multidimensional sound from above and around with any headphones, clear dialogue, volume maximizing without distortion, and a volume consistency option. Click here for our full review of the 16 GB model. The deal will only be active today while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Mon Feb 9, 2015 at 05:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to 56 Percent off 4K Ultra HD TVs from Sony, Samsung & Toshiba![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering big discounts on select 4K TVs! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronics sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba Ultra HD TVs. Toshiba 58L8400U 58-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,100 (56 percent off). Sony XBR55X850B 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,798 (40 percent off). Sony XBR65X850B 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $2,798 (30 percent off). Sony XBR49X850B 49-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,398 (30 percent off). Sony XBR55X900B 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $2,798 (30 percent off). Samsung UN50HU6950 50-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $998 (33 percent off). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Fri Feb 6, 2015 at 06:00 PM PST by: -
Staples Acquires Office Depot in $6.3 Billion Deal[teaser]The office and electronics store just bought its biggest rival. [/teaser] Staples has announced an agreement that will allow the company to purchase Office Depot. The deal places Office Depot's equity value at $6.3 billion. "This is a transformational acquisition which enables Staples to provide more value to customers, and more effectively compete in a rapidly evolving competitive environment," said Ron Sargent, Staples' chairman and chief executive officer. "We expect to recognize at least $1 billion of synergies as we aggressively reduce global expenses and optimize our retail footprint. These savings will dramatically accelerate our strategic reinvention which is focused on driving growth in our delivery businesses and in categories beyond office supplies." If the deal goes through, Staples will have pro forma annual sales of around $39 billion. The company is currently ranked third among top internet retailers and Office Depot is ranked ninth. The merger will likely help the store better compete with current internet champ Amazon. In addition to office supplies, both retailers have a growing selection of tech items, including computers, tablets, TVs, home audio products, and assorted gadgets, placing them more and more in competition with electronics giant Best Buy. Office Depot previously purchased former rival OfficeMax in 2013. The agreement is still subject to antitrust regulatory approval and Office Depot shareholder approval, but the deal is expected to close by the end of 2015. Sources: Staples, The Wall Street Journal, EngadgetPosted Fri Feb 6, 2015 at 02:00 PM PST by: -
Baz Luhrmann's Original Series 'The Get Down' Heads to Netflix in 2016[teaser]The 'Moulin Rouge!' director's new show will be a music-driven drama series. [/teaser] Netflix has announced an upcoming original series from filmmaker Baz Luhrmann -- the director behind 'Romeo + Juliet,' 'Moulin Rouge!,' and 'The Great Gatsby.' Luhrmann will serve as executive producer for 'The Get Down,' and will direct the first two episodes and season finale for the 13-episode series. Shawn Ryan, creator of 'The Shield,' will also serve as an executive producer. 'The Get Down' will focus on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped -- dying. Consigned to rubble, a rag-tag crew of South Bronx teenagers are nothings and nobodies with no one to shelter them – except each other, armed only with verbal games, improvised dance steps, some magic markers and spray cans. From Bronx tenements, to the SoHo art scene; from CBGBs to Studio 54 and even the glass towers of the just-built World Trade Center, 'The Get Down' is a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco -- told through the lives and music of the South Bronx kids who changed the city, and the world...forever. "In this golden era of TV, the Netflix culture puts no constraint on creative possibilities. So it is a natural home for The Get Down, a project I have been contemplating and working on now for over 10 years. Throughout, I've been obsessed with the idea of how a city in its lowest moment, forgotten and half destroyed could give birth to such creativity and originality in music, art and culture. I'm thrilled to be working with my partners at Sony and collaborating with a team of extraordinary writers and musicians, many of whom grew up with and lived the story we've set out to tell," said Baz Luhrmann. 'The Get Down' is set to premiere on Netflix in all territories in 2016. A monthly Netflix subscription currently starts at $7.99 for SD streaming, $8.99 for HD streaming, and $11.99 for Ultra HD streaming. The service is available on a variety of smart TVs and media players, including the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku 3, Apple TV and Chromecast. Source: Netflix via PR NewswirePosted Fri Feb 6, 2015 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
High-Def Digest's Guide to 4K Ultra HD Content & DevicesWhile most can agree that Ultra HD TVs provide a beautiful picture, all those extra pixels are meaningless unless you actually have some 4K content to play. The arrival of Ultra HD services and media players has been slow, but Ultra HD streaming and on-demand options are finally starting to take off, bringing a growing collection of 2160p titles to hungry 4K TV owners. Ultra HD delivery products from Sony and Samsung are now joined by Ultra HD options from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, UltraFlix, M-Go, Comcast, DISH, DirecTV, and more. Likewise, more Ultra HD platforms are still forthcoming, including the highly anticipated launch of Ultra HD Blu-ray. But just what 4K services are available now, and on what brands and devices do they work? And what Ultra HD content is out there to watch and how much is it going to cost? [teaser]We've broken down all of the current 4K platforms and players along with details about title selections, costs, and compatibility. [/teaser] So, without further ado, we present High-Def Digest's Guide to 4K Ultra HD Content & Devices! Sony 4K Ultra HD Media Player with Video Unlimited 4K One of the most comprehensive 4K content solutions currently on the market is Sony's FMP-X10 set-top box. The device connects to a compatible Ultra HD TV via HDMI and allows users to download and store 4K movies and TV shows from Sony's Video Unlimited 4K service. The player also includes a 1TB hard drive that can store about 20 downloaded Ultra HD movies, access to Netflix 4K streaming playback, and TRILUMINOS expanded color support. Title Selection: Sony's Video Unlimited 4K service offers one of the largest Ultra HD content libraries currently available with over 200 titles to choose from. Some popular films and TV shows include 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2,' 'American Hustle' 'Captain Philips,' 'Elysium,' 'Fury,' 'Breaking Bad,' and 'The Blacklist.' Cost: Suggested retail price for the player is $699. 24 hour rentals start at $7.99 and purchases start at $29.99. In addition, the service includes access to over 50 free short films, documentaries, music videos and sports videos.Compatibility: Though Sony originally intended its player to only support Sony branded TVs, the manufacturer now states that the device will work with other brand displays that include HDMI 2.0 connections with HDCP 2.2 copyright protection as well. Samsung UHD Video Pack This is Samsung's proprietary Ultra HD hard drive. The CY-SUC10SH1 UHD Video Pack connects to a user's Samsung Ultra HD TV via USB 3.0. The device features a 1TB hard drive that comes pre-loaded with 4K titles and offers the ability to download 4K media from the M-GO service.Title Selection: The current UHD Video pack comes pre-loaded with 10 4K films including 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation,' 'World War Z,' 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine,' 'Night at the Museum,' 'The Counselor,' 'Forrest Gump,' 'Star Trek,' 'Star Trek: Into Darkness,' 'Life of Pi' and 'The Book Thief.' In addition, the device also includes 30 documentaries in Ultra HD.Cost: Suggested retail price for the Samsung UHD Video Pack is $400.Compatibility: The current model is only compatible with Samsung 2014 HU and S9 (105"/110") Series UHD TVs and 2013 F9000 and S9 (85") Series TVs with the SEK-2500U Evolution Kit Update. Netflix The popular streaming service now offers a slim but growing collection of Ultra HD content. In order to stream 4K titles, the platform uses the H.265/HEVC codec at about 15.6 Mbps. The company recommends that users have an internet connection of at least 25Mbps to watch Ultra HD streams.Title Selection: Netflix's 4K library is pretty small at the moment, but current movies and TV shows in Ultra HD include titles like 'Marco Polo,' 'House of Cards,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'The Blacklist,' 'Ghostbusters,' 'Ghostbusters 2,' 'Smurfs 2,' 'Jerry Maguire,' 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' and a few nature documentaries. Cost: Netflix Ultra HD streaming currently costs $11.99 per month.Compatibility: Netflix 4K playback is available through the Netflix app on Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, VIZIO, Sharp, and Toshiba brand Ultra HD TVs that include support for the HEVC codec. For a full list of supported televisions, click on your brand above and look for the models that have Ultra HD listed under resolution. Amazon Instant Video Not content to be outdone by rival service Netflix, Amazon has also recently entered the world of 4K streaming. The company allows all customers to buy titles from a respectable collection of Ultra HD movies and also offers a selection of free 4K content to Amazon Prime subscribers. Title Selection: Movies available to buy include 'After Earth,' 'American Hustle,' 'Captain Phillips,' 'Elysium,' 'Hancock,' 'Moneyball,' 'The Mask of Zorro,' 'The Monuments Men,' 'The Amazing Spider Man,' 'The Amazing Spider Man 2,' 'The Da Vinci Code,' 'The Patriot,' 'Think Like a Man Too,' 'This is the End' and more. In addition, Prime members can stream TV shows and films like 'Orphan Black,' 'Alpha House,' 'Transparent,' 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,' and 'Philadelphia' in Ultra HD for no extra charge.Cost: Purchases start at $19.99. An Amazon Prime membership currently costs $99 per year.Compatibility: 4K streaming is available through the Amazon Instant Video app on several Samsung, Sony, LG, and VIZIO Ultra HD TV models. For a full list of supported models scroll down to the bottom of Amazon's 4K Ultra HD Guide. M-GO Beyond the likes of Amazon and Netflix, other digital services have also stepped up to offer 4K content. M-GO currently has a growing collection of films and TV shows in native Ultra HD and upscaled 4K. Rentals and purchases are offered with streaming and downloadable options (with the separate Samsung UHD Video Pack). In order to enjoy Ultra HD streaming, the company recommends that users have about 10mbps of dedicated bandwidth. Title Selection: 4K content includes titles like 'Die Hard' 'Jingle All the Way,' 'The Wolverine,' 'Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,' 'The Giver,' and 'Spartacus Gods of the Arena.' Cost: Ultra HD pricing varies but rentals start at around $6 and purchases start at around $20. Suggested retail price for the Samsung UHD Video Pack is $400. Compatibility: M-GO 4K content is currently exclusive to supported Samsung Ultra HD TVs. For a full list of compatible models, check out M-GO's Ultra HD FAQ. Users looking to download 4K titles through the service will also need the Samsung UHD Video Pack. UltraFlix Another streaming 4K option comes in the form of NanoTech's UltraFlix platform. The service now offers more than 500 hours of native and upscaled 4K movies, travel and nature documentaries, sports videos, concerts, TV shows and moving murals. Using the new HEVC codec and NanoTech's proprietary methods, UltraFlix can stream high quality 4K video with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 at less than 8Mbps on supported TVs and the company's own NanoTech Nuvola NP-1 player. Title Selection: 4K content includes titles like 'Rocky,' 'Fargo,' 'Robocop,' 'Tekken: Kauya's Revenge 2,' 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,' 'A Magic Christmas,' 'The World's Fastest Indian,' 'Rain Man,' 'The Who - Quadrophenia - Live in London,' 'Charade,' and 40 IMAX titles. Cost: 48-hour Ultra HD rentals range from $2 to $10, and there is around 100 hours of free content. Suggested retail price for the NanoTech Nuvola NP-1 is $299. Compatibility: UltraFlix is available on select Samsung, Sony, and VIZIO Ultra HD TVs. Likewise, customers can enjoy the service through any brand Ultra HD TV with the NanoTech Nuvola NP-1. Toon Goggles Looking for a kid-centric 4K solution? Well then, Toon Goggles might be for you. The digital entertainment service offers some on-demand children's programming in Ultra HD resolution. Title Selection: 4K content includes 18 professionally made series like 'Bernard' and 'Trust Me, I'm a Genie.' Cost: Toon Goggles offers a free ad-supported service and a premium ad-free subscription service for $5 per month. Compatibility: Toon Goggles in 4K is available on VIZIO P-Series Ultra HD TVs and select Sony models. YouTube Outside of the other big 4K subscription, rental, and purchasing services, streaming giant YouTube also allows its users to upload and stream content in 4K as well. The site uses the VP9 codec for 2160p playback. Title Selection: Besides a few nature clips, promos, trailers, and user generated content there really isn't much here to get excited about yet. Cost: Current 4K content is free to watch. Compatibility: Ultra HD YouTube streaming is currently only available through a computer, though upcoming 4K smart TVs might support playback through the YouTube app. Vimeo Like YouTube, Vimeo also lets its users upload content in 4K resolution. But unlike YouTube, the company does not support Ultra HD streaming at this time. Instead, the service lets viewers download 4K content uploaded in Ultra HD by Vimeo PRO members and Vimeo On Demand sellers. Title Selection: 4K on-demand videos include all three seasons of 'Video Game High School,' the documentary 'A Film About Coffee,' and more. Cost: Some content is free while on-demand title rentals start out at around $4 and purchases range from $13 to $20. Compatibility: Vimeo 4K downloads are currently only available on computers. Comcast Xfinity in Ultra HD Though full 4K support is still forthcoming from the cable giant, the company does currently offer an Ultra HD on-demand app for select Samsung Ultra HD TVs. To access the content, Xfinity customers with 2014 Samsung 4K TVs simply need to download the Xfinity in UHD app from the SMART Hub and then type in their Xfinity login information. In addition, Comcast plans to offer their full Xfinity in UHD catalog across Xfinity TV Go platforms for all customers later this year and will soon provide a new 4K X1 set-top box. Title Selection: Current titles include several NBC and USA shows like 'Chicago Fire,' 'Suits,' 'Covert Affairs,' and 'Parks and Recreation.' Cost: The app is free for Xfinity customers who have a subscription that supports the participating networks. Compatibility: Xfinity in Ultra HD is currently only available on supported Samsung Ultra HD TVs. DirecTV 4K VOD On the satellite front, DirecTV also offers a 4K video-on-demand option. The service is a partnership with Samsung, and is accessible to customers with a DirecTV Genie HD DVR and a supported Samsung Ultra HD TV. The initial lineup of 4K on-demand titles includes nearly 20 popular films and nature documentaries from Paramount Pictures and K2 Communications. Title Selection: Current titles include 'Forrest Gump,' 'Star Trek (2009),' 'Amistad,' 'The Terminal,' 'McLintock!,' 'Transformers: Age of Extinction,' 'The Last Reef,' 'Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs,' 'Antarctica,' 'Dolphins,' 'Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag,' 'Dinosaurs Alive!,' 'Coral Reef Adventure,' 'Space Junk,' 'Yellowstone,' 'Legends of Flight,' 'Rescue,' 'The Ultimate Wave Tahiti,' and 'Mysteries of the Great Lakes.' Cost: 4K titles range from $4 to $16. Compatibility: DirecTV's 4K VOD service currently requires a DirecTV subscription, a Genie HD DVR, and a 2014 Samsung Ultra HD TV. Support for more TV brands is expected to be added later this year. Upcoming 4K Services & Devices: DISH 4K Joey, Ultra HD Blu-ray, Live 4K Broadcasts In addition to all of the current Ultra HD options, there are several 4K platforms still on the horizon. First up, is DISH's recently announced 4K Joey Ultra HD set-top box. The device is designed to integrate with DISH’s Hopper Whole Home HD DVR system and will be compatible with most brand HDMI 2.0/ HDCP 2.2-compliant televisions. Exact content has not been announced yet, but the 4K Joey is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2015. Meanwhile, the most anticipated 4K content option remains Ultra HD Blu-ray. Though the spec is still being finalized, Panasonic recently revealed a prototype player at CES and the format is expected to launch in late 2015 or early 2016. Ultra HD Blu-ray will likely support 4K/60p/10-bit video, High Dynamic Range tech, wide color gamuts, and HEVC (H.265) encoding for playback at a high bit rate of 100Mbps. Finally, it's likely that Ultra HD won't ever become truly mainstream until live cable/satellite/and OTA broadcasts are made available. Though a timetable for 4K broadcasts has not been announced, several companies have run successful Ultra HD test transmissions and the new ATSC 3.0 standard should make 4K content possible. While Ultra HD content services and devices have been expanding slowly but surely, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to title selections and quality. 2015 is poised to be a big year for all things 4K, finally bringing worthwhile material to all those expensive, beautiful displays. For now, though, what do you think about the current crop of 4K services and titles? Which upcoming 4K devices or platforms are you most excited about?Posted Thu Feb 5, 2015 at 03:45 PM PST by: -
Shout! Factory Launches Free Digital Streaming Service for Cult Movies & TV Shows[teaser]The new streaming service offers a curated collection of classic and contemporary cult titles. [/teaser] Shout! Factory has announced the arrival of Shout! Factory TV. The new digital entertainment service is a free-to-consumer ad-supported streaming entertainment platform that will provide a curated library of cult TV shows, movies, comedy, original specials and more. Shout! Factory TV includes over 2,500 hours of content selected from Shout! Factory, Westchester Films, Timeless Media Group, Scream Factory, major studios, independent producers and other sources from around the world. Titles available now or coming soon include 'Mystery Science Theater 3000,' 'Home Movies,' 'It's Garry Shandling's Show,' 'Dennis the Menace,' 'The Weird Al Show,' 'Stagecoach,' 'The Stunt Man,' 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec,' 'A Room with a View,' the 'Werner Herzog Movie Collection,' and more. Viewers can start streaming Shout! Factory TV now on their computers or mobile browsers by visiting ShoutFactoryTV.com. Likewise, users can also download the Shout! Factory TV app on their Roku devices to watch programming on the big screen. Rollout to more devices is planned for the future. Source: Shout! Factory TVPosted Thu Feb 5, 2015 at 04:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to 42 Percent off Projectors, Receivers & Media Players[teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering big deals on select home theater items! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronics sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on gear products from Epson, Yamaha, Denon, and Roku. Epson HC730HD PowerLite 730HD 720p Projector (Refurbished) - Currently $429 (34 percent off). Yamaha RX-A1030 7.2-Channel A/V Receiver - Currently $700 (42 percent off). Denon AVR-X3100W 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver - Currently $799 (20 percent off). Denon DBT-1713UD 3D Ready Blu-ray Universal Disc Player - Currently $349 (37 percent off). Roku 3 Streaming Media Player - Currently $89 (11 percent off). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Wed Feb 4, 2015 at 06:00 PM PST by: -
Sonos Introduces Limited Edition Blue Note PLAY:1 Speaker for $250[teaser]The company's first limited edition speaker celebrates more than 75 years of jazz music. [/teaser] Sonos and Blue Note Records have announced a special version of the PLAY:1. The Blue Note PLAY:1 features a custom design and exclusive playlists. "We wanted to create an expression of Blue Note’s singular style while embracing all the idiosyncrasies of a live performance," said Sonos VP of Design Tad Toulis. "This mindset led us to the design solution – one which captures a singular moment in the act of creation." The speaker celebrates jazz music and Sonos' recent collaborations with Blue Note Records through a unique color design that features a vertical fade from dark navy to cerulean blue. In addition, the limited edition model includes the Blue Note on Sonos radio station integrated into the main menu of the Sonos app. As part of the station, customers will gain access to channels like "Born in Blue" and "Blue Note 101," as well as an exclusive "Artist Selects" channel that offers curated jazz music selections by Don Was. An exact release date has not been announced yet, but the Sonos Blue Note PLAY:1 will be sold on the Sonos website for $250. The speaker is limited to about 4,100 units and the company expects them to sell fast. Full details on availability will be announced in the coming weeks. The regular Sonos Play:1 ($199), Play:3 ($299), and Play:5 ($399) are all on sale now. Sources: Sonos Blog, Sonos Blue NotePosted Wed Feb 4, 2015 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
Netflix Debuts Teaser Trailer for Marvel's 'Daredevil,' Series Premiere Set for Streaming Devices on April 10[teaser] Check out our first look at "The Man Without Fear" in action. [/teaser] Netflix has released the first trailer for its upcoming original series 'Daredevil.' The 13-episode show is based on the Marvel comic book character and is the first of four original Marvel series set to debut on Netflix. The other shows include 'A.K.A. Jessica Jones,' ' Luke Cage,' and 'Iron Fist.' In addition, the shows are all set to culminate in a crossover miniseries titled 'The Defenders.' Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the Super Hero Daredevil in modern day Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Produced by Marvel Television and ABC Studios, with executive producers Steven S. DeKnight (Spartacus), Jeph Loeb (Marvels Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Drew Goddard (Cabin In The Woods), the series also stars Rosario Dawson, Vincent DOnofrio, Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson. A monthly Netflix subscription currently starts at $7.99 for SD streaming, $8.99 for HD streaming, and $11.99 for Ultra HD streaming. The service is available on a variety of smart TVs and media players, including the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku 3, Apple TV and Chromecast. Source: MarvelPosted Wed Feb 4, 2015 at 09:00 AM PST by:
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Amazon & Sprint Could Buy RadioShack Stores as Retailer Prepares to Shut Down[teaser]The electronics retailer is considering selling its store locations as it heads toward bankruptcy. [/teaser] According to a report from Bloomberg, RadioShack is in talks with several bidders about acquiring their retail locations once the chain files for bankruptcy. Potential buyers include Amazon, Sprint, and the investment group that owns Brookstone. If the deals go through, it will likely mean the end of all RadioShack retail locations, with the current crop of around 4,000 brick-and-mortar stores set to be either re-branded or closed down. Sprint is discussing the purchase of about 1,300 to 2,000 of the locations. Likewise, Amazon is also now rumored to be interested in acquiring some of the stores as well. The online retail giant has previously experimented with kiosks and pop-up stores, and the company could use the locations to promote its Fire TV media player, Fire HDX tablets, Fire Phone, and Kindle e-reader, as well as offer online customers a physical pickup and drop-off center. Negotiations are still ongoing, however, and it is possible that another bidder could come in to keep RadioShack in business. Source: BloombergPosted Tue Feb 3, 2015 at 08:00 PM PST by:
