An in-depth analysis of the two formats reveals no clear winner.HD-DVDs, for example, are much easier to manufacture than Bly-ray discs, resulting in lower costs for customers, and higher profits for distributors.HD-DVD discs can also contain a “hybrid” feature, which allows them to be played on both standard DVD players, as well as HD-DVD players.From storage perspective, Blu-ray is the clear winner.Their single-layer discs have a capacity of around 25 GB, while their double-layer discs can hold up to 50 GB of content.HD-DVD’s storage capacity, on the other hand, clocks in at 15 GB and 30 GB for their single- and double-layer discs, respectively.Yet, despite this additional storage space, many believe that Blu-ray suffers from inferior picture quality.

Blue-ray’s quality issues stem from Sony’s initial adoption of the MPEG-2 video compression codec, which is somewhat less efficient and more space-hungry than HD-DVD’s VC-1 compression algorithm.Moreover, many of the first generation Blu-ray discs were single layer (25 GB), while most of the first generation HD-DVD discs were double layer (30 GB).By coupling an efficient codec with a larger storage capacity, HD-DVD was able to create disks with better picture quality.Recently, however, Blue-ray discs have begun to switch to VC-1.As a result, the picture quality of Blue-ray is now on par with HD-DVD.

Toshiba conceded defeat following Wal-Mart’s announcement that they were no longer going to carry HD-DVD players or movies in their stores.In addition, previously, many influential corporations had thrown their support behind Blu-ray, including Blockbuster, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Netflix, and Apple.Blu-ray has also always had support from a majority of Hollywood’s major movie studios.In the end, however, the declaration of a winner in the HD format wars seems somewhat arbitrary.Both systems had clear advantages in some areas, and disadvantages in others.Fortunately, HD-DVD’s admission of defeat has effectively resolved the issue, and it is now only a matter of time before Sony’s Blu-ray format is widely adopted.For the many consumers who were delaying their decision to purchase a next generation player, the choice of format is no longer a cause for concern.

Nearly everyone has either played or heard about video games. Many gaming councils have been released in the past decade, with PlayStation 3 being one of the most recent. In this article, I will discuss the PlayStation 3 and its future within the gaming industry.

PlayStation 3 is currently the most advanced video game system available on the market. Unfortunately, few people are fond of this new system. When the console was first released, many rejected it due to its price. Sony initially released two different versions of the system; a basic version for 500 dollars, and a fully featured version for 600 dollars. This pricing scheme did not last long, as Sony’s sales were not as high as expected. For the 2007 Christmas season, Sony dropped the price of the fully featured version to 500 dollars. Price wasn’t the only thing that was altered; Sony also changed what was included the box.

Currently, Sony has two different versions of the PlayStation 3 available for purchase: a 400 dollar 60 gigabyte version, and a 500 dollar 80 gigabyte version. What exactly are the primary differences between the two systems? In addition to a larger hard drive, the 500 dollar version also contains 4 USB ports, and is able to play all PS1 and PS2 games. The 400 dollar package, on the other hand, contains a smaller hard drive and only 2 USB ports. Moreover, this version cannot play old PS1 or PS2 games.

Sony plans to make additional changes to the PlayStation 3 soon. Currently, many websites are reporting that Sony will soon to discontinue the 60 and 80 gigabyte PlayStation 3s and replace them with 120 gigabyte and 160 gigabyte versions. In addition, these new packages will also include Sony’s Dual Shock Analog 3 controller, which will be available separately for those who did not purchase a 120 or 160 gigabyte system. In an effort to bolster the sales of PS3, Sony appears to have adopted a sales plan that is similar to the one used by Apple for their iPods. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the future of the PlayStation 3 still remains unclear.

Apple's new iPod Touch

By Joe Lewis

Tech Specs
- Height: 4.3 inches (110 mm)
- Width: 2.4 inches (61.8 mm)
- Depth: 0.31 inch (8 mm)
- 640x 480 px resolution
- Wi-fi Capabilities
- 8 gb or 16 gb

The Good
Recently, Apple has released its iPod Touch that is available in two sizes, 8GB and 16GB. The iPod Touch is the new addition to the iPod family. The beauty of this iPod is that it embodies most of the features from the iPhone minus the phone network. It is the first iPod to include Wi-fi (802.11 b/g) network capabilities and Apple’s Multi- touch technology. This is very convenient for a portable media player because it allows one to get access to the Internet and Youtube on the go. It is also possible to purchase songs from iTunes wireless shop; this makes it great for adding new music to your playlist whenever you have the need to listen to a new song. Having all of the extra features in a standard portable media device allows for more usability and allows users to get the most out of their iPod.

The Bad
The only downfall to this is that some of the cool features such as taking notes and adding calendar events are currently unavailable, therefore limiting some of the capabilities for now. Also, it would be nice if there were some way to connect to networks that were blocked by VPN such as the Penn State Network. Finally, you can purchase a standard iPod with with more space for less money. Therefore, to those interested in more quantity of space, the Touch is not for you.

Overall
Overall, the iPod Touch is excellent device despite my minor issues that I would like to see improved. Hopefully, in the future, Apple can figure out how to add more applications in such a small device. I give the iPod Touch a 5 out of 5.