Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced today that they have signed deals to offer HD digital downloads and rentals from all the major movie studios via the PlayStation Network (PSN), the first platform to do so.

"Securing high definition content from these studios is another significant milestone further validating PlayStation Network as a complete entertainment network in the home. PlayStation Network is the first and only service to deliver high definition home entertainment from all six major studios, directly to consumers for download," added Peter Dille, senior vice president, marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. "PlayStation Network continues to offer the most comprehensive catalogue of HD movies to PlayStation Network members that realize the wide-ranging entertainment power of the PS3 system."

Currently the films are only available to United States gamers, but should hit the UK, France, Germany and Spain "soon."

Titles available today are (plus the studio they are from):

* 20th Century Fox – "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", "Jennifer's Body" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (on March 23)
* Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar's "Up", Jerry Bruckheimer's "G-Force" and Disney's "Earth"
* Paramount Pictures – "Star Trek", "Paranormal Activity" and "Zoolander"
* Sony Pictures – "This Is It", "2012", "District 9" and "Zombieland"
* Universal – "Inglourious Basterds", "Couples Retreat" and "Public Enemies"
* Warner Bros. Digital Distribution - "The Hangover", "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and "The Wizard of Oz"

Permalink | Comments

---

According to FBR Capital analyst Craig Berger, Apple is prepared to build 5 million iPads for the first half of 2010, a higher estimate then most previous analysis.

Says Berger in an investment note: "We believe various news articles and competitor notes calling for a build delay were just false alarms."

Additionally, Berger gave estimates for other Apple devices, including iPods and Mac notebooks.

The analyst expects builds of 9.3 million iPods for the March quarter, 1.7 million notebooks and 1 million desktops.

The iPad has an April 3rd release date for models with only Wi-Fi support. 3G versions are expected in the coming months.

Permalink | Comments

---

An analytics firm, the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (SACHD) has released a forecasting report that says the Sony PlayStation 3 will eventually outsell the Xbox 360 and the Wii, on route to 127 million units sold.

The "Taming the Waves: Games Console Life Cycles and Platform Competition," report says that Sony's PS3 will surpass the Wii eventually despite a giant gap now, as the firm believes the PS3 will still be a viable platform for at least five years after the Wii is replaced.

Overall, SACHD sees 103 million units sold for the Wii, and 127 million for the PS3. They did not offer a prediction for the Xbox 360.

"Nintendo has done a great job with the Wii in bringing console games to new audiences," says SACHD analyst David Mercer. "But its sales are now falling, particularly in mature markets, and its installed base will peak in 2011. Ownership of both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 will hit their highest points between 2012 and 2014."

The SACHD also says the "global installed base of home consoles will reach over 220 million" by the end of 2010.

Permalink | Comments

---

Just one day after Apple unveiled their first iPad commercial during the Academy Awards, HP is fighting back, releasing a few videos that show off the powerful features of the upcoming Slate tablet.

The Windows 7-based tablet was first shown off at the CES event earlier this year, and should be Apple's biggest rival when it is released.

"With this Slate product, you're getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand," says Phil McKinney, vice president and CTO for HP's personal systems group (PSG). "No watered-down Internet, no sacrifices."

The Slate runs Flash no problem, unlike the iPad, which is looking like it will never have Flash support.

Permalink | Comments

---

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has signed into effect a new anti-violent video game law that makes it a crime to import "violent" video games, with offenders being forced to pay a heavy fine or even spend up to five years in prison.

Gamethirst has translated the "Ley para la Prohibición de Videojuegos Bélicos y Juguetes Bélicos" (Law for the banning of violent video games and toys) and posted it (reposted here):

1. Violent video games: Video games or programs that can be use on personal computers, arcade systems, video game consoles, portable devices or mobile telephones, or any other electronic or telephonic device, that contain information or images that promote or incite violence and the use of weapons.

2. Violent toys: Objects or instruments that in form mimic any kind of weapon used by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, weapons of war used by any other nation, citizen or state security forces, as well as those that, though not promoting war, establish the kind of game that stimulates aggressiveness or violence.

Article 13. Those who in any way promote the purchase or use of violent toys or video games as defined by this law will be punished with a fine of between 2,000 and 4,000 tax units.

Article 14. Those who import, manufacture, sell, rent, or distribute violent toys or video games will be punished with 3 to 5 years in prison.

The law seems pretty clear, distribute these violent video games and spend time in a Venezuelan prison.

Permalink | Comments

---

America's largest carrier, Verizon Wireless, has announced they have signed a deal with the NFL to stream live football games via the RedZone Channel over mobile phones.

The deal will last for the next four seasons, and will begin with the NFL draft in April.

Although unconfirmed, the deal is said to have been priced at $720 million.

The NFL has never had a deal of this caliber, preferring to broadcast games on TV, on CBS, FOX, and ESPN. Verizon continues to look at ways of bringing in new revenue, as the mobile phone market is near saturation in the United States.

Permalink | Comments

---

Although completely unconfirmed, TechArp is reporting that Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is coming in the Q4 2010.

TechArp has been spot on for past service pack releases, dating back to the XP days, so the new report is speculation, but at least worth listening to.

In January, rumors began swirling of an upcoming SP1, but Microsoft responded: "There is currently no news around this at the moment."

Vista saw its SP1 released 14 months after release, and that OS was debateably one of Microsoft's worse. After SP1 is released, Microsoft is expected to see a bump in sales, as corporations normally wait until after the first service pack release to migrate to a new operating system.

Permalink | Comments

---

According to a new WSJ report, Google has teamed up with the Dish Network to create an Android-based set-top box that will be used to stream YouTube and other videos to HDTVs.

The set-top will be operated with a keyboard, making for easier searches.

Additionally to YouTube, the deal will allow for searches of video content from Dish as well, and the ability to create video playlists. The Journal also notes that Google has been working on the box since last year, and that it still may not ever get released, as it is not top priority for the search giant.

Dish Network has 14 million subscribers.

It is unclear how Google will price the box, and whether ad revenue will subsidize the price.

Permalink | Comments

---

Ubisoft has confirmed that their DRM servers remained under attack until earlier today, thanks to a DDoS attack.

Yesterday we reported that Ubi's servers were down, meaning legitimate buyers of their games could no longer play the game, since the "always connected" DRM could not connect.

Read the original Tweet: "Our servers are under attack again. Some gamers are experiencing trouble signing in. We're working on it and will keep you posted"

Today, the company says the servers are back online: "Login servers were partially reestablished at 10pm CET and fully restored at 1am CET. The attack affected only those trying to login"

Ubi's "always connected" DRM means gamers must be connected to the Internet at all times, so the game can authenticate. If you are ever kicked off the Internet, even for a second (or Ubi's servers are down), you are brought back to the main menu, losing any progress you made in the game since your last save.

Permalink | Comments

---