BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Closing Bell: When the Market Can't Decide... (NFLX, PALM, T, LVLT, NICE, MOS)]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/06/closing-bell-when-the-market-cant-decide-nflx-palm-t-lv/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/06/closing-bell-when-the-market-cant-decide-nflx-palm-t-lv/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/06/closing-bell-when-the-market-cant-decide-nflx-palm-t-lv/#commentsFiled under: , ,

About all the FOMC Minutes did today was agitate those hoping for a dollar rally on currencies because the FOMC members were still concerned about the economic risks. Stronger supplies of oil were also ignored as weather related trading took oil higher from the post-report lows. The ISM non-Manufacturing data also came in just above the break-even point and the ADP data did not signal any major changes for Friday's jobs data. The DJIA and S&P 500 went from negative to positive so many times today that this was mixed regardless of how the averages ended up.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,574.06 +2.04 (0.02%)
S&P 500 1,137.14 +0.62 (0.05%)
Nasdaq 2,301.09 -7.62 (-0.33%)

Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades
Top Day Trader Alerts

Continue reading Closing Bell: When the Market Can't Decide... (NFLX, PALM, T, LVLT, NICE, MOS)

Closing Bell: When the Market Can't Decide... (NFLX, PALM, T, LVLT, NICE, MOS) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayjim cramerJimCramernice systemsNiceSystemspalmwarner brosWarnerBrosWed, 06 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Walmart doing away with new-release DVD displays]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/05/walmart-doing-away-with-new-release-dvd-displays/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/05/walmart-doing-away-with-new-release-dvd-displays/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/05/walmart-doing-away-with-new-release-dvd-displays/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) has been the leader in DVD sales in the U.S. for years now. It's estimated that 40% of all U.S. DVD sales originate within the doors of the world's largest retailer. But, could those days be coming to an end?

With Blu-ray DVD players coming with built-in internet video streaming, cable and satellite having video-on-demand choices of all recent movies, and more people buying content from Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes every day, what is the future of the physical DVD?

Continue reading Walmart doing away with new-release DVD displays

Walmart doing away with new-release DVD displays originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AAPLAppleBlu-rayDVD DisplaysImran KhaninthenewsiTunesWal-Mart DVDWal-Mart StoresWalmartWMTMon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy leads retailers in Blu-ray disc sales surge]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/12/best-buy-leads-retailers-in-blu-ray-disc-sales-surge/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/12/best-buy-leads-retailers-in-blu-ray-disc-sales-surge/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/12/best-buy-leads-retailers-in-blu-ray-disc-sales-surge/#commentsFiled under: ,

Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is leading the way in sales of movies and other content on the surging Blu-ray format. Ever since the competing high-definition format HD-DVD went defunct in 2007, Blu-ray has steadily climbed into the driver's seat of disc-based content sales. While traditional DVD sales still dwarf Blu-ray sales, the high-def format is gaining sold ground. With it, Best Buy has become the format's best friend.

Continue reading Best Buy leads retailers in Blu-ray disc sales surge

Best Buy leads retailers in Blu-ray disc sales surge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBYBest BuyBestBuyBlu-rayBlu-ray salesBlu-raySalesInc.Tue, 12 May 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix beats in Q1, but investors sold stock after report -- bad sign?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/24/netflix-beats-in-q1-but-investors-sold-stock-after-report-ba/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/24/netflix-beats-in-q1-but-investors-sold-stock-after-report-ba/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/24/netflix-beats-in-q1-but-investors-sold-stock-after-report-ba/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) did a spectacular job in Q1. The famous DVD-rental-by-mail entity issued its quarterly numbers on Thursday after the bell. On an adjusted basis, Netflix delivered 40 cents per diluted share. That represented bottom-line growth of over 70%. I guess movies truly are resistant to recessions, huh? Revenues advanced over 20%.

According to earnings.com, that 40-cent figure means that management destroyed expectations since Wall Street was looking for somewhere around 31 cents per share. I should point out, however, that I've noticed that some other sources listed the expectations as being a little higher than 31 cents. No matter, Netflix beat the bottom line.

Continue reading Netflix beats in Q1, but investors sold stock after report -- bad sign?

Netflix beats in Q1, but investors sold stock after report -- bad sign? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Read | Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonAMZNBBIblockbusterBlu-rayCMCSAComcastDVDfeaturedhome videoHomeVideointhenewsNetflixNFLXvideo on demandVideoOnDemandWal-MartWMTFri, 24 Apr 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DVD sales falling]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/25/dvd-sales-falling/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/25/dvd-sales-falling/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/25/dvd-sales-falling/#commentsFiled under:

Hollywood has always loved the DVD. After releasing movies theatrically, the DVD, as a billion-dollar cash generator, has been the film industry's decade-long best friend. That friend may be putting on its coat and about to head for the exit. Global DVD sales are expected to plunge 7.5% in 2008, meaning there is going to be a revenue problem brewing for some of the movie studios that count on DVD sales and resultant profit as part of their business model.

It's true that the DVD format is an aging medium with the newer advent of Blu-ray, HD-quality movies and television shows that stream from the internet to a PC or a "black box" hooked to that flat-screen set and with other forms of entertainment media taking the place of physical media like DVD. Sales of Blu-ray high-definition discs have partially offset the decline in DVD sales, but they are not growing as fast as DVD is declining, thereby causing a conundrum. Many consumers simply don't see the need to "upgrade" to Blu-ray. Standard DVD is good enough for many. To entice more consumers to buy the devices, Blu-ray needs cheap players (sub $199 pricing) and movies that are priced - at a maximum - 20% over standard DVD movies.

It's all about price for the growth of Blu-ray to supplant standard DVD. Product and picture quality has nothing to do with it, unlike what videophiles would have you believe. A bright light here will be Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)'s introduction of a Blu-ray player for under $130 this Friday. More retailers need to follow suit, though, and slash Blu-ray disc player prices, especially in this economic environment. The also need to add more models for consumers to choose from and only then they will respond and begin switching en masse from regular DVD to Blu-ray.

DVD sales falling originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-rayDVDDVD moviesDVD salesDvdMoviesDvdSalesRecessionretailTue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Target (TGT) starts selling $229 Blu-ray disc player]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/10/target-tgt-starts-selling-229-blu-ray-disc-player/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/10/target-tgt-starts-selling-229-blu-ray-disc-player/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/10/target-tgt-starts-selling-229-blu-ray-disc-player/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) has started selling a Blu-ray disc player for what is probably the lowest retail price you can find one at: $229. I've said many times in the past that this new format will not catch on with consumers until retail prices routinely get to less than $200, so this new price from Target is nearing that mark. Of course, panicked U.S. consumers probably won't be buying any Blu-ray players the remainder of this year as they watch what wealth they did have evaporate in the markets.

The Target model is an Olevia brand player (yes, that's an off-brand), which marks a $70 reduction from a recent Sony Blu-ray player that is being sold alongside the Olevia player for $299. Still, unless there is some breakthrough difference that Blu-ray manufacturers and retailers can market correctly, most U.S. consumers will stay with their progressive-scan DVD players that sell for $75 or less and have a perfectly fine picture (although not true high-definition).

So, perhaps sometime in late 2009 -- roughly a year from now -- the market will see $99 Blu-ray players and regular consumers may finally feel the urge to buy one and start re-purchasing their movie libraries in yet another format. That is, until super-duper, high-fidelity Purple-ray players hit the market sometime in 2014 and the cycle repeats yet again. Perhaps by then, we'll all be out of this economic funk and won't be protecting our cash hoards, however little they may be by then.

Target (TGT) starts selling $229 Blu-ray disc player originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-raySony Blu-RaySonyBlu-rayTarget Corp.Target StoresTargetCorp.TargetStoresTGTFri, 10 Oct 2008 15:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Circuit City tries to pump up Blu-ray disc sales with $14.99 pricing]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/03/circuit-city-tries-to-pump-up-blu-ray-disc-sales-with-14-99-pri/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/03/circuit-city-tries-to-pump-up-blu-ray-disc-sales-with-14-99-pri/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/03/circuit-city-tries-to-pump-up-blu-ray-disc-sales-with-14-99-pri/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE: CC) is joining competitor Best Buy Stores, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) in trying to pump up the slumbering Blu-ray disc format by introducing many titles at up to half off. The latest promo puts many Blu-ray movie titles at $14.99, a discount figure of up to 40%. The main reason: Blu-ray movie titles aren't exactly flying off the shelves these days, regardless of the high-definition resolution that fanatics claim make movies way more enjoyable.

Last week, I wrote about Best Buy's Blu-ray disc player price drop from $399.99 to $349.99, which was a complete non-event. The hardware manufacturers must _MUST_ get Blu-ray hardware players down to under $200 or Blu-ray will never become mainstream. Of course, the manufacturers and retailers are trying to milk the early period with profits, which is a standard exercise. Promoting Blu-ray movie titles to $15 (and even $20) is a great way to drum up interest in the format. Circuit City's move here, while great, still won't make up for the fact that the hardware is still too expensive for mass appeal.

Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF), the company that lost out in the high-definition disc format war to Sony Corp.'s (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray, even rolled out a new upconverting standard DVD player so that consumers could watch existing DVDs in near-HD format if they didn't want to invest in Blu-ray's expensive hardware prices just yet. So far, the retailers championing the Blu-ray format are promoting the format well, but it will need much more before becoming a mass format like DVD has become. Is standard DVD good enough for you? Sound off in comments below and let me know.

Circuit City tries to pump up Blu-ray disc sales with $14.99 pricing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbyBlu-rayBlu-ray saleBlu-raySaleCCCircuit CityCircuit City DVDCircuitCityCircuitCityDvdsneWed, 03 Sep 2008 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy (BBY) gets aggressive on Blu-ray price cuts ... not]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/26/best-buy-bby-gets-aggressive-on-blu-ray-price-cuts-not/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/26/best-buy-bby-gets-aggressive-on-blu-ray-price-cuts-not/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/26/best-buy-bby-gets-aggressive-on-blu-ray-price-cuts-not/#commentsFiled under: ,

Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) has lowered the price of a Sharp Blu-ray disc player this week to $349.99 from $399.99. Why is that so significant? It isn't. While most buyers in the U.S. sit and wait until Blu-ray player prices reach the $199.99 level, there is a looming problem even with that.

The problem is this: standard DVDs are good enough for most of us, and with upconverting players sitting in all retailers for $50 to $75, will another upgrade cycle to another format be foisted on the buying public? This one will be much harder than the transition from VHS tape to DVD a decade ago.

If Best Buy really wants to make the next-generation optical disc format truly a best seller, the pricing will have to come down by a mile. This really won't be the responsibility of the retailer, but the manufacturer. But Best Buy can do this: guarantee an X amount of sales if the price moves to a certain price point. It's the only retailer outside Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) that could possibly guarantee a certain amount of sales in order to get newer consumer electronics format into the mass population. So, will Best Buy take the lead and get Blu-ray into the mainstream?

Toshiba Corp. is rolling out its own upconverting standard DVD player specifically targeted to those buyers who don't yet want to invest in the expensive Blu-ray format. This is a good move, although there are tons of competing products already on the market. Although Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) won a major victory in the Blu-ray format, convincing customers to buy the expensive hardware and movie software is still a major challenge. Perhaps a major Blu-ray partnership between Best Buy and Sony should be on the way?

Best Buy (BBY) gets aggressive on Blu-ray price cuts ... not originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBYBest BuyBestBuyBlu-rayTue, 26 Aug 2008 12:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony and the debacle known as PlayStation 3]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/25/sony-and-the-debacle-known-as-playstation-3/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/25/sony-and-the-debacle-known-as-playstation-3/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/25/sony-and-the-debacle-known-as-playstation-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Man, it stinks to be Sony (NYSE: SNE). According to Forbes, the media company has lost $3.3 billion on its PlayStation 3 console so far. Wow. When the mighty fall, they fall hard. The PlayStation 3 is a heck of a powerful system, but the Nintendo (OTC: NTDOY) Wii has captivated players not only with its innovative nature, but with its affordable price. Right from the start, Nintendo decided to go with less costly components so that each console sold would generate a profit. Its retail price of $250 is a lot better than $500 to a consumer's wallet, especially when a cheaper system is also a lot of fun.

And talk about a hit to PlayStation's brand equity. Here's what most people think about the third PlayStation (from my experience at least): it doesn't have a lot of games available, there aren't many kid-friendly titles offered, I don't want to pay that much for a PlayStation system so I'll just wait for further price cuts. Boy, imagine if Sony has to cut the price even further. Sony already loses a bundle on each system.

Not only is Nintendo hurting Sony, but Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and its Xbox 360 is also out there causing damage. You can pick up a low-end version of the Xbox 360 without a hard drive for around $280. Too bad Sony decided to incorporate Blu-ray and hard drives into its business model for the PlayStation 3. Admittedly, I thought it was the right thing to do at the time as well, but I guess Sony and I have been proven wrong.

Continue reading Sony and the debacle known as PlayStation 3

Sony and the debacle known as PlayStation 3 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-rayfeaturedMicrosoftMSFTNintendoNTDOYPlayStation 3Playstation3SNESonyWiiXbox 360Xbox360Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Wal-Mart spins out Blu-ray player for record-low $298]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/wal-mart-spins-out-blu-ray-player-for-record-low-298/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/wal-mart-spins-out-blu-ray-player-for-record-low-298/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/wal-mart-spins-out-blu-ray-player-for-record-low-298/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) will soon be selling a Blu-ray disc player for under $300, as the Magnavox model NB500MG9 will hit Wal-Mart shelves for the new low price of $298 in an effort to encourage adoption of the new high-definition format in U.S. consumer homes. That's all great, since the expensive format has not won over a huge amount of customers with its high price, even though it is the sole hi-def disc format with HD DVD's demise earlier this year.

But $298 is still too expensive. Players will need to hit the $199 or $149 mark before mass adoption becomes possible. As usual, Wal-Mart is helping bring down the price of a major new consumer electronics item, and other retailers will be sure to follow suit soon. The prices of the software -- Blu-ray movies -- will also need to trend downwards. Consumers aren't going to be shelling out $30 a pop for a whole new library of movies to replace the perfectly fine DVDs sitting in their homes.

So, another round of "leading the pack" in terms of a new low price goes to Wal-Mart and its intensive pricing power over its supplier base. With Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) recently seen discounting Blu-ray movie titles to $16.99, the summer of 2008 may see the Blu-ray format gain mass acceptance among the tight-pocketed American consumer. Still -- who will be the first to have a $199 Blu-ray player on shelves?

Wal-Mart spins out Blu-ray player for record-low $298 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayWal-MartWal-Mart electronicsWal-martElectronicsWMTMon, 02 Jun 2008 13:41:00 EST<![CDATA[When will Blu-ray become a major medium?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/when-will-blu-ray-become-a-major-medium/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/when-will-blu-ray-become-a-major-medium/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/02/when-will-blu-ray-become-a-major-medium/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I read an article out on the AP over the weekend that reflected some thoughts I've been having about the Blu-ray medium. It just doesn't feel like people are that crazy for the format just yet, and it looks like my perception may be right.

The AP piece talks about how the price of the players seems to be too high for consumers. With some going for $399, the value issue is understandable in the context of an economic slowdown. Another good point was brought up: since consumers have been busy upgrading to large-screen TVs, there's just not enough left in some household budgets for adoption of the relatively new technology.

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), however, was mentioned as a retailer that is planning to become competitive in terms of price on Blu-ray units. Nevertheless, pundits believe it might be a few years before Blu-ray becomes saturated in homes across America.

As an investor who holds media companies in his portfolio -- Disney (NYSE: DIS), Marvel (NYSE: MVL) and, through General Electric (NYSE: GE), I have exposure to NBC Universal -- I am hoping that the new format becomes ubiquitous as swiftly as possible. Compared to DVD's initial adoption, there is some statistical evidence that the curve is actually proceeding at a faster pace.

Continue reading When will Blu-ray become a major medium?

When will Blu-ray become a major medium? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-raycontent distributionContentDistributionDISDisneyDVDGEGeneral ElectricGeneralElectricNBC UniversalNbcUniversalSNESonyTWXWal-MartWMTMon, 02 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy, Circuit City heavily promote Blu-ray movie title prices]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/30/best-buy-circuit-city-heavily-promote-blu-ray-movie-title-price/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/30/best-buy-circuit-city-heavily-promote-blu-ray-movie-title-price/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/30/best-buy-circuit-city-heavily-promote-blu-ray-movie-title-price/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Consumer electronics retailers Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) and Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE: CC) are now stocking only Blu-ray disc players in the wake of the fall of competitive format HD DVD. So far, Blu-ray disc players still are not that competitively priced compared to standard DVD players, which the industry may have a problem with if consumers continue to decide that standard DVD is "good enough" to use with that new flat-screen TV.

But at least the software catalog within the Blu-ray camp is getting some support. In addition to recent sales that placed some hit movies in the same price category as standard DVD players, the two retailers are not forgetting the huge camp of Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 3 owners, all of whom have a full Blu-ray disc player built into their gaming machines. This Blu-ray "owner's club" of sorts is a captive market at this time, and the two largest consumer electronics retailers are taking advantage of it. For example, a "buy 2, get 1 free" special is in effect this week at Circuit City stores, while Best Buy is offering a free $10 gift card with the purchase of two Blu-ray titles.

Not that both retailers have a lot of work to do -- they are both promoting Blu-ray just fine -- but hardware prices and eventually movie title prices will need to reach critical mass from the manufacturers and disc distributors before consumers go nuts on the format like they did with DVD a decade or so ago. It's nice to have a single, next-generation optical disc format to make the choice for the consumer dead simple. But, those consumers want the lower price also -- and Blu-Ray still isn't there yet. With gas hovering at record levels, would you buy one right now?

Best Buy, Circuit City heavily promote Blu-ray movie title prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBYBest BuyBestBuyBlu-rayBlu-ray playersBlu-rayPlayersCCCircuit CityCircuitCityWed, 30 Apr 2008 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy cuts select Blu-ray movie titles to $19.99]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/27/best-buy-cuts-select-blu-ray-movie-titles-to-19-99/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/27/best-buy-cuts-select-blu-ray-movie-titles-to-19-99/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/27/best-buy-cuts-select-blu-ray-movie-titles-to-19-99/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not only is Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) moving swiftly to kick out the dead HD DVD format from its store shelves, but now the largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. is starting to aggressively price the victor format of the next-generation DVD -- Blu-ray.

Although there is now just one next-generation DVD format available, consumers still haven't ponied up tons of cash to buy Blu-ray hardware players and accompanying $29,99 Blu-ray movie titles. Why? Standard DVD is good enough for most of us.

That is, until the prices come down on the players and the movies themselves. Blu-ray players are still pricey at $399 and up in most cases, but Best Buy is taking the sting out of some movie prices by cutting many popular titles to $19.99 each. Psychologically, that gets Blu-ray pricing on some level of parity with normal $14.99 and $16.99 DVD prices. Even some new releases on standard DVD start at $19.99 as well.

And not only that, online competitor Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) started offering more than 100 Blu-ray titles this week at up to 47% off. Is this the start of aggressive Blu-ray movie pricing meant to finally spur sales of the new DVD format? Now that the competing HD DVD format is out of the way, the path becomes much easier for retailers. Perhaps aggressive movie titles will actually cause the more expensive hardware to move faster off shelves.

Best Buy cuts select Blu-ray movie titles to $19.99 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amznBBYbest buybest buy inc.BestBuyBestBuyInc.blu rayblu-rayBluRayinthenewsThu, 27 Mar 2008 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony still wants in on the console cycle]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/21/sony-still-wants-in-on-the-console-cycle/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/21/sony-still-wants-in-on-the-console-cycle/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/21/sony-still-wants-in-on-the-console-cycle/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony (NYSE: SNE) is still in the game, and it wants competitors Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Nintendo (OTC BB: NTDOY) to know about it. The latest move by the company might not be extraordinary or anything like that, but it nevertheless shows a console maker that believes its product is worth something to living rooms across America (and the world, for that matter).

According to the following article from The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Sony is injecting some new bells and whistles into the PlayStation 3 unit. Via a system update called Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0, Sony users will be able to do neat things like transfer images and song playlists to the company's handheld PSP system, invoke a resume-play feature for Blu-ray films even once the disc has been taken out of the system, and download streamed content. Yep, these are neat things, all right -- but will they make people suddenly say to themselves, "Oh man, I have to get a PlayStation 3 over a Nintendo Wii or a Microsoft Xbox 360 for sure now!!!"

Well, it's hard to say that someone would say that exactly, but Sony is doing the correct thing here by adding functionality. And there are some who will indeed care about this stuff, and enjoy it. So it's important to have two minds about this as shareholders -- it isn't mindblowing news, but it shows that Sony is out there promoting. Anything helps. Plus, I like how Sony is yet again highlighting the Blu-ray capability -- that is a big distinction between its unit and the Xbox 360/Wii platforms. Blu-ray, as we all know by now, is the winner of the new format war, and Sony should gloat about that fact at every conceivable juncture.

So, again, I'm not saying this particular update will by itself turn the tide or anything -- price cuts would be more effective -- but I think it will help the brand equity of the PlayStation 3. As for me, I'm not running out to buy Sony -- I'm still happy playing the video-game revolution via my Activision (Nasdaq: ATVI) shares.

Disclosure: I own shares of Activision; positions can change at any time.

Sony still wants in on the console cycle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBlu-rayinthenewsNintendoPlayStation 3Playstation3SonyWiiXbox 360Xbox360Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Lions Gate and Apple roaring for digital distribution]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/11/lions-gate-and-apple-roaring-for-digital-distribution/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/11/lions-gate-and-apple-roaring-for-digital-distribution/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/11/lions-gate-and-apple-roaring-for-digital-distribution/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Lions Gate (NYSE: LGF), the feisty little studio that is responsible for torture-porn franchises Saw and Hostel, has hooked up with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to see if consumers care about owning digital copies of the movies they buy on DVD and Blu-ray format.

According to the following press release, Lionsgate will include an iTunes digital version of select projects on certain home-video releases. The digital copy will allow users to transfer a movie to an iTunes account, so it could then be viewable on multiple devices like PCs or Macs, iPods, Apple TV and iPhones. First up for the iTunes digital treatment will be Sylvester Stallone's Rambo -- yes, the old soldier is still around -- to be released to home video in May.

As the studio makes clear in its press release, this is all about experimentation with the promotion of new distribution models. Lionsgate wants to efficiently, and effectively, create new opportunities for its library. It's not alone -- Disney (NYSE: DIS), Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), Sony (NYSE: SNE) and General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal asset are all on a never-ending study of how best to leverage the digital era to make money from content portfolios. Lionsgate wants DVD buyers to realize that they can use iTunes to buy movies from its catalog. It's a bit weird to me, though, since one would figure that a person who buys a DVD will probably just access that particular content from the DVD itself. I understand the value of transferability, of course, but if Lionsgate -- or any content provider, for that matter -- simply ensures that each digital product sold online contains unique, compelling extras that cannot be found in any other format, then a digital library will be that much easier to monetize.

At any rate, it will be interesting to see how Apple and Lionsgate do with this scheme. Apple and its iTunes brand are certainly powerful drivers of digital distribution, so maybe users will perceive a value from the digital copies.

Disclosure: Steven Mallas owns shares of Disney and General Electric; positions can change at any time.

Lions Gate and Apple roaring for digital distribution originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleBlu-raydigital content distributionDigitalContentDistributionDVDiTunesLions GateLionsGateRamboSylvester StalloneSylvesterStalloneTue, 11 Mar 2008 12:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba dumps HD DVD format for good; Blu-ray emerges the winner]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/18/toshiba-dumps-hd-dvd-format-for-good-blu-ray-emerges-the-winner/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/18/toshiba-dumps-hd-dvd-format-for-good-blu-ray-emerges-the-winner/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/18/toshiba-dumps-hd-dvd-format-for-good-blu-ray-emerges-the-winner/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Now that the nation's largest retailer has dumped the HD DVD format, its creator, Toshiba, seems to finally have taken the hint and wants out of the HD DVD business. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), which can make a merchandising decision and have an effect on an entire industry, has done just that within the next-generation optical disc format that will replace the standard DVD someday.

Time Warner announced earlier this year that it would back out of the HD DVD format soon, Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) indicated that it would slowly stop selling HD DVD as well, and now the final death knell -- Wal-Mart. So, by the end of 2008 (if not before), consumers will finally have one high-definition optical format to choose from and the industry can rally behind it and finally put a worthless format war to rest. Unlike the VHS-Betamax war of the 1980s, Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) wins this one since it is the primary technical backer of the Blu-ray format..

So, there you have it -- one format finally emerges the victor. Will the triumph of Blu-ray finally mean increasing fortunes of consumer electronics manufacturers now that a single format can be marketed to consumers? How about Sony, which can now trumpet the Blu-ray capability of its money-losing PlLayStation 3 game console and try to make up for lost opportunities in the gaming market? The good news is that the consumer electronics camp can now price and market Blu-ray as the successor to DVD, lower disc prices and player prices, and urge a whole new generation of purchasers to 'upgrade' to another format yet again. Expect another format sometime in 2018, perhaps called Red-beam or something like that -- and the process will repeat all over again. That is, unless downloads haven't toasted much of the physical media market by then.

Toshiba dumps HD DVD format for good; Blu-ray emerges the winner originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbyBlu-rayDVD format warsDvdFormatWarsHD DVDHdDvdinthenewssnesonyToshibawmtMon, 18 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy gives away HD DVD players with purchases]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/15/best-buy-gives-away-hd-dvd-players-with-purchases/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/15/best-buy-gives-away-hd-dvd-players-with-purchases/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/15/best-buy-gives-away-hd-dvd-players-with-purchases/#commentsFiled under: ,

Not only is Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) starting to favor the next generation Blu-ray movie disc format over the competing HD DVD format, but the largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. is going to just give away HD DVD players to customers to get rid of them.

Well, not exactly. The Toshiba HD-A3 player will be part of a special promotion for customers who purchase an entire audio system from the retailer. In this week's circular, a $900 audio system featured the free Toshiba HD DVD player.

At the same time, Best Buy will be dwindling down its HD DVD movie disc selection and promoting the Blu-ray format much more heavily. So let me get this straight -- give away an HD DVD player, then decrease the amount of movies available for it on the road to an eventual drop of the format completely. Sounds like a recipe for customer success.

Most likely, the most sound strategy is that Best Buy wants to get rid of HD DVD player stock as much as possible so that it can eventually move exclusively to Blu-ray. First, give the players away (and look for more aggressive promos in the future), and then start discounting the movie titles. If this isn't another large sign that Blu-ray has won the format war, I'm not sure what is.

Best Buy gives away HD DVD players with purchases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBYBest BuyBest Buy, Inc.BestBuyBestBuy,Inc.Blu-rayHD DVD playersHdDvdPlayersFri, 15 Feb 2008 16:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon rings up 50% Blu-ray disc discounts]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/06/amazon-rings-up-50-blu-ray-disc-discounts/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/06/amazon-rings-up-50-blu-ray-disc-discounts/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/06/amazon-rings-up-50-blu-ray-disc-discounts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) will begin selling Blu-ray movie titles this month for quite a discount -- some for as low as $13.95, according to sources. This pricing moves comes as many customers have opted to stick with the older DVD standard and its $10 to $15 discs instead of the $30 Blu-ray discs -- and $300 players. To most consumers, the marginal improvement is just not worth it.

But now that Blu-ray has a huge upper hand against format competitor HD DVD, this recent price cut by Amazon.com may go a long way toward getting Blu-ray into the hands of consumers who were previously afraid of buying either high-definition format while waiting to see which one would become the standard.

Blu-ray players still aren't nearly as inexpensive as standard DVD players, and the job of hardware manufacturers will now be to get the price to a reasonable level (like $150) and entice customers to pony up for a new Blu-ray player. Once Blu-ray titles hit the $17.99 mark and players hit $150, expect Blu-ray to begin growing. Nothing moves consumers over the edge like price -- nothing. Until then, those $13.99 DVD titles and $60 up-converting DVD players will do most customers just fine.

Amazon rings up 50% Blu-ray disc discounts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amazon.comAMZNBlu-rayBlu-ray moviesBlu-rayMoviesinthenewsWed, 06 Feb 2008 15:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Bloggingstockcast: Disc format wars]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/10/bloggingstockcast-disc-format-wars/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/10/bloggingstockcast-disc-format-wars/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/10/bloggingstockcast-disc-format-wars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The HD vs Blu-Ray wars are still going. But as Brian White points out, they're already losers because downloads and online rentals are about to change the field.

Bloggingstockcast: Disc format wars originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaplblu-raydownloadshd dvdHdDvditunesmsftonline rentalsOnlineRentalssneThu, 10 Jan 2008 11:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony shares increase after Time Warner gets behind Blu-ray]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/07/sony-shares-increase-after-time-warner-gets-behind-blu-ray/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/07/sony-shares-increase-after-time-warner-gets-behind-blu-ray/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/07/sony-shares-increase-after-time-warner-gets-behind-blu-ray/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Time Warner, Inc. (NYSE: TWX)'s Warner Bros. abruptly dropped support for the HD DVD high-definition disc format this past weekend to focus solely on format competitor Blu-ray, HD DVD primary backer Toshiba Corp. (OTC: TOSBF) began to get really nervous. After all, this ridiculous next-generation format war (like the VHS vs. Betamax wars of the 1980s) was keeping many customers from buying a newer, high-definition DVD player for fear of buying something that would soon become obsolete.

Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE), on the other hand, was probably cheering in all its executive offices. Sony, who has more Blu-ray-capable DVD players sold than any other company in the form of PlayStation 3 game consoles, has been Toshiba's mortal enemy in the race to win the single-format, high-definition DVD war that started raging in 2007.

Investors liked the Warner Bros. announcement also, and Sony saw its shares edging higher this morning (up almost 3%). With Time Warner on board, 70% of all major films will now see DVD releases on the Blu-ray format. Some have even gone so far to say that HD DVD is now dead, even as it just started growing. Consumers will win with one standard, but some companies -- like Toshiba and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) -- will stand to lose at least a piece of their collective shirts. That's a format war for you.

Sony shares increase after Time Warner gets behind Blu-ray originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-rayHD DVDHdDvdinthenewsSNESonySony Corp.SonyCorp.Time WarnerTimeWarnerTWXMon, 07 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST