I like Java and I like movies

But the whole Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD issue is moot in my opinion.

Why? For the same reason I don't buy CDs anymore; the ability to download or play music on demand has rendered them obsolete to me. If there's one thing I've learned from pay-per-view, iTunes, Apple TV, and the pile of scratched DVDs that I have, it's that buying physical media is so "five minutes ago." Just let me download and play it anywhere I want (i.e. on my laptop, or any TV in my house). No more searching for disks; worrying about them being scratched; or having them get lost. With backup drives as cheap as they are, and with storage space available with access over the internet, I really don't need to worry about having a physical DVD "just in case."

Admittedly, high-definition movies require quite a bit more storage than standard DVD movies. Blu-ray DVDs have between 25GB to 50GB of capacity, or more with the newer revisions. HD-DVD, by comparison, has between 15GB to 30GB of capacity. What makes Blu-ray really cool is that every player has Java built-in, allowing DVD makers to include dynamic content such as interactive menus and games. However, I just can't help but to wonder if this is enough to make consumers rush out and buy new players and DVDs.

Therefore, although Blu-ray and HD-DVD are nice, just give me the ability to purchase, download, selectively store, and play high-def movies anywhere I'd like, at anytime, and end the issue. Let me know if you agree.

-EJB

Posted by Eric Bruno at 05:52 AM  Permalink