The Blu-ray Disc Association has approved the BDXL standard this week, meaning quad-layer 128GB Blu-ray discs are on the way.

BDXL also allows for triple-layer BDs with 100GB capacity.

Current Blu-ray players are not compatible with BDXL, and there are no players yet in the works with support for the new standard. When they do become available, BDXL players will support current single and double-layer BD, as well.

For now, the format is targeted "at professional applications such as archiving and medial imaging," says TG.

BDXL should hit the mainstream, however, when 3D Blu-ray content hits mainstream, as that content will need the extra space.

Says BDA committee chair Victor Matsuda: "The BDA worked diligently to create an extension of the Blu-ray Disc format that leverages the physical structure of the design of the disc to create even more storage capacity."

Permalink | Comments

---

The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) has announced this week that their long time Chairman and CEO John Kennedy will be stepping down.

Says Kennedy of his departure: "I leave behind a fabulous team at IFPI well qualified to deal with the many and complex issues the recording industry has to deal with."

The IFPI has been known to take down file sharing sites, notably international torrent sites. The IFPI is also behind raids on music pirates and uploaders.

Kennedy continued: "It has been a fascinating, enjoyable and challenging role over the last few years and I believe we have achieved a great deal but I now intend to return to a more commercial role."

Finally, the ex-CEO marked a number of "successes" the group has had during his tenure:

-The concept of graduated response is now being enacted by many governments and considered by more - a far cry from the reception I got when I suggested this idea to the ISPs many years ago in Brussels.

-Over the last few years IFPI has been very focused on driving growth of collecting society income and the figures speak for themselves. Over the last five years global broadcasting and public performance revenues for recordings have grown by 270 million dollars an increase of 42%.

-A broadcast right in the USA is hopefully within our grasp and in China a broadcast and public performance right should become a reality over the next few years.

-In spite of the challenges the industry faces we have built a 4.3 billion dollar digital business representing more than twenty five per cent (25%) of global revenues. Furthermore in 2009 13 markets around the world returned to growth.

-Tremendous progress has been made on the campaign to extend the copyright term, though the task is not yet complete.

-It's also wonderful to see the success of the industry against Limewire.

As a concluding remark, Kennedy laughed: "I promise not to mention piracy for a while!"

Permalink | Comments

---

According to a leak reported by BGR, Verizon is already slashing the prices of the Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two devices, part of a wider promotion that starts tomorrow.

Just last week, it was rumored that Verizon had only sold 500 Kin devices since launch in May, an unexpectedly low number, even by most conservative standards.

If the rumor is true, which seems likely, Verizon is slashing the prices in an effort to sell excess stock of the smartphones.

The Kin One will drop to $30 from $50 and the Kin Two from $100 to $50, with both also offering "BOGA," (buy one, get an additional phone of equal or lesser price free).

While decent low-end smartphones, the Kins have been criticized for their mandatory $70 voice+text+data plans, especially since the phones were built for teenagers.

Permalink | Comments

---

Nokia has selected the Linux-based MeeGo mobile operating system over its Symbian OS for all upcoming high-end smartphones, effectively admitting that Symbian was not in a position to ever truly rival the iPhone or Android devices.

CNET says the N8 will be the last N-series smartphone to use Symbian.

"Going forward, N-series devices will be based on MeeGo," said a spokesman.

Symbian will still be installed on low and mid-end phones from the world's largest phone maker, however.

Nokia has spent many millions on developing the Symbian OS, only to see their smartphone market share deteriorate thanks to Apple and Android.

MeeGo was created earlier this year, a merged effort by Nokia and Intel, mixing their Maemo and Moblin operating systems.

Permalink | Comments

---

As has been the case with all service packs, whether in alpha or beta mode, a beta of the upcoming Windows 7 SP1 has been leaked on line, and is now circulating on torrent, P2P and warez sites.

Additionally, a beta of the Windows Server 2008 R2 has been leaked as well.

The SP1, as stated by Microsoft, will be mainly a rollup of already-released hotfixes.

Earlier in the month, Microsoft spokesperson Gavriella Schuster, said the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 official beta was set for a July launch.

She also explained the SP: "It will not contain any new features that are specific to Windows 7 itself. For Windows 7, SP1 will simply be the combination of updates already available through Windows Update and additional hotfixes based on feedback by our customers and partners. In other words, customers can feel confident about deploying Windows 7 now!"

Just yesterday, the software giant announced it was selling seven Windows 7 copies per second, with 150 million licenses sold in just 8 months.

Read the change log here: Windows 7 SP1 Beta leak

Permalink | Comments

---

Peter Molyneux of Microsoft, the man behind games like Fable, has taken a shot at Sony's PlayStation Move motion control system, saying it is no different than the Wii's four year-old motion controls.

In an interview, Molyneux said: "I find it hard in my mind to differentiate between the Sony Move and the Wii... I know Sony and Nintendo would argue that they are different, but they kind of seem the same."

Those comments mirror critics of the Move, who say the system is very similar to the Wii's controls, even down to the controller's shape.

Sony has downplayed those concerns, arguing that the Move is much more sophisticated because it can track player motion through a camera, while also capturing full depth of motion. The Wii can only recognize 2D movements.

Playing up Microsoft's upcoming Kinect motion control system, Molyneux says: "It would be very easy for [Microsoft] to have created something like the Wii, but instead they did go that extra mile and they said, 'No, we're going to make that huge step.'"

The Kinect is set for release in November.

Permalink | Comments

---

Jason Bateman, the popular actor, was booed unmercifully on iPhone 4 launch day, after he was escorted inside by Apple employees, effectively cutting over 2000 people who were waiting in line.

USWeekly says a line of 2000 would-be iPhone owners were waiting in line at a Los Angeles Apple store when the actor arrived.

After waiting just ten minutes, he was pulled from the line and escorted inside by Apple employees.

"The crowd freaked and booed, and he put his head down," said one spectator. "Everyone literally started booing and hissing!" said a second witness.

The iPhone 4 has a 1GHz A4 processor, a 3.5-inch multi-touch screen, a 5MP camera, a smaller MP front-facing camera for video conferencing, a micro-SIM tray, large 960x640 resolution, and 720p video recording capabilities.

Additionally, the phone has 802.11n wireless networking and quad-band HSPDPA/HSUPA networking.

Apple is expected to have sold over 1.2 million devices during its first 72 hours of availability.

Permalink | Comments

---

Earlier this month, Microsoft officially launched the Kinect motion control system for the Xbox 360 but the company has still refused to give a concrete price on the system.

Retailers like Amazon, Gamestop and Wal-Mart all have the system up for pre-order at $150, with the warning that the price is not yet official and is subject to change.

The system seemingly got more official pricing when the Microsoft Store put the system up for sale at $150 also.

Stephen Toulouse, Director of Policy Enforcement for Xbox LIVE, made it clear, however, that the pricing was still not live: "Guys I have nothing to do with Kinect Pricing. All prices now *no matter what the retail source* are placeholders. We've not announced."

Xbox Evolved is posting the latest rumor, this week, citing a Microsoft representative who has said the Kinect will actually sell for $120 USD.

Reads the site: "A Microsoft representative told the employees of a Texas Gamestop that Kinect would be $119."

There is no evidence of the speculation being true, but a $120 price point would certainly bring more on-the-fence consumers into the mix.

Permalink | Comments

---

Microsoft has announced that it is selling seven copies of Windows 7 every second, making it the fastest selling operating system in the company's history.

Notes Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft's in-house Windows blogger: "Windows 7 is the fastest selling operating system in history."

The company has sold over 150 million Windows 7 licenses in the past 8 months, and LeBlanc says that 75 percent of enterprises are either deploying it or actively evaluating the operating system.

IW adds that Microsoft may still have its hands full trying to convince IT managers to move from XP Pro to Windows 7, as the memory (or nightmare some would say) of Vista is still fresh.

Vista left many concerns of application compatibility and stringent hardware requirements, and who could forget about the UAC.

Windows 7 has addressed most of those issues, however, including the implementation of XP Mode for compatibility.

Permalink | Comments

---