Blu-ray movies get direct iPhone control
updated 09:40 am EDT, Mon July 20, 2009
Blu-ray iPhone Features
Universal Studios today revealed the first movie to support direct control by an iPhone or iPod touch. The Blu-ray Special Edition version of Fast & Furious will be accompanied by an app that lets either of Apple's devices remotely control special features on a Blu-ray player over the local network using Wi-Fi. In a virtual garage feature, viewers can use the touchscreen to pan around cars and tap on specific hot spots to bring up the information on the TV. It's not specified if this is the only direct feature.
The iPhone app will also have several extra features specific to owners of the movie, such as downloadable versions of video features from the Blu-ray movie, cast and other film features, and a full copy of the movie itself transferable from a second disc.
The movie producers are taking advantage of newer Blu-ray players' support for Blu-ray Profile 2.0, which provides network access over either Ethernet or Wi-Fi and is intended primarily for Internet-based content. Besides a broadband Internet link, it usually also needs 1GB of storage on the Blu-ray player either built-in or on a USB drive.
Fast & Furious Special Edition ships on July 28th for $40; the app itself will be available for free at the App Store.
$40 huh?
07/20, 10:43am reply
And here I as thinking going to the movies was expensive.
koolkid1976
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2003
wow
07/20, 11:04am reply
that is a cool feature. regardless of what movie it is, it opens a LOT of doors for the technology to have widespread applications!
izajeenyus
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Joined: May 2009
meh
07/20, 11:21am reply
Can they release an app that makes that movie suck less?
WiseWeasel
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 1999
not practical
07/20, 02:00pm reply
Not a practical feature and not so a practical price. It's one of those toys that you'll have great fun for the first time and never going to touch it again.
coffeetime
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Joined: Nov 2006
Not impressed
07/20, 03:09pm reply
I would be more excited if Hardware manufacturers would simply create apps for their Blu-ray players so that the iPhone would eventually be the be-all end-all remote control.
JNGowan
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Joined: Feb 2009