Originally set to launch in the US on May 23, Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-ray player will now hit store shelves on June 25.
For those who had been planning to drop a grand on a Blu-ray player next month and are disappointed by the additional wait, Samsung is using the extra month to add support for Mini-SD and Memory Stick Pro Duo flash card formats. In addition to the newly expanded "11-in-2" memory card reader, the BD-P1000 will upconvert traditional DVD content to 1080p on television sets or monitors with an HDMI interface. The BD-P1000 will retail for US$999.
If you're like me, you're greeting news of the latest delays with a big yawn. Admittedly, if I had an HDTV capable of showing 1080p content, I might be a bit more excited about the new formats, but not much. New technology is always expensive, but when DVD players are going for as little as US$30 these days, the high price of both formats will be a stumbling block for many. Convincing consumers to spend anywhere from US$499-999 for a next-generation optical disc player is going to be a tough sell at first, especially with the limited number of titles available. Factor in the uncertainty over which format will ultimately win out, and the sales job gets tougher. Who wants to buy the next Betamax?
Full Story...Credit: ars technica
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