John Paczkowski

Recent Posts by John Paczkowski

HD DVD Consortium Announces Plans for 2-Disc Special Edition of Anti-Blockbuster Commentary

dvdfinishhim.jpgLooks like Sony may not have to add a new Blu-ray wing to its Museum of Failed Formats after all. This morning Blockbuster said it will stock only Blu-ray titles when it brings high-definition video to its 1,700 stores nationwide.

The company said the decision was based on the rising popularity of Blu-ray DVD rentals, which outpaced those of HD DVD in its test markets. “The consumers are sending us a message,” Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told the Associated Press. “I can’t ignore what I’m seeing … we’re expanding our Blu-ray inventory to ensure our stores reflect the right level of products.”

Blockbuster’s decision is another high-profile disappointment for supporters of the HD DVD standard that, until this morning, seemed to have the upper hand in the next-generation DVD format war. A few months back, HD DVD players were outselling their Blu-ray counterparts by a large margin, accounting for 60% of all high-definition set-top players sold. But recently the limited catalog of Blu-ray titles seems to be giving consumers pause as they consider their choice of next-generation DVD players. All major studios but one are releasing films in Blu-ray, with several, including Disney, releasing exclusively in the format. Said Blockbuster’s Smith, “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.”

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December 30, 2013 at 6:49 am PT

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December 29, 2013 at 2:12 pm PT

BlackBerry Pulls Latest Twitter for BB10 Update

December 29, 2013 at 5:58 am PT

Apple CEO Tim Cook Made $4.25 Million This Year

December 28, 2013 at 12:05 pm PT

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