I’ve been waiting for this to materialize in some form or another. I knew it would happen some day. I just didn’t expect to be able to control my PS3 with my iPhone via a Fast and Furious movie related application.
So, it turns out that Universal Studios Home Entertainment has beaten all the iTunes App Store developers to the punch and come up with a way for us to control our Blu-ray players through an application downloaded onto an iPhone or iPod Touch. The bummer of it is that it’s such a specific and limited control that we’re offered through the device that it’s almost not worth the bother, at this point. But I see a lot of potential here. On July 28th the studio will release the film Fast and Furious on Blu-ray with a “Virtual Car Garage” bonus feature that uses BD Live technology. If your player is connected to a network, you’ll be able to manipulate this content on-screen by using a free app you can download onto your iPhone or iPod Touch through the iTunes store.
According to the article at Home Media Magazine, Universal intends to broaden their reach into our set-top boxes and connectivity through mobile devices,
- “On subsequent Universal Blu-ray Disc releases coming later in the year, consumers will be able to access bonus content found on their Blu-ray Disc releases and download it onto their iPhone or iPod Touch. They’ll also be able to use the devices as a virtual remote to control their Blu-ray Disc features and access additional information while watching the movie.”
I don’t know about you, but while I find this kind-of cool and all, I’d much rather just have an app on my iPhone that works as a full-on PS3 remote control! Why has no-one developed this yet?! I mean, Sony could have released one themselves and, at $0.99 probably made back all of their losses on the console. Why is Universal the first one to take advantage of this obvious hole in the market?
Read the full article at Home Media Magazine: Universal Bows iPod Touch/iPhone Apps for Blu-ray
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]]>I should add here that it looks like we’ll be getting another Fast and Furious box set in the new Franchise Collection, which will feature all four films bundled together. In addition, this will be the first time that the previous three entries in the series will be available as individual discs. Autobots, transform!
FAST AND FURIOUS
(July 28, 2009, MSRP $39.96)
Video: 2.35:1 1080p
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features Include:
• Digital copy of the film
• Under the Hood: Muscle Cars & Imports
• High Octane Action: The Stunts
• Shooting the Big Rig Heist
• Driving School with Vin Diesel
• Original short film ‘Los bandoleros’: the never-before-seen short film that reveals the events leading up to the explosive beginning of ‘Fast & Furious’
• U-Control:
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◦ Paul Walker and director Justin Lin take control of your player to reveal exciting behind-the-scenes details
◦ Virtual Car Garage: look closely at the hot cars, then create your own custom vehicle and share it with your friends
• BD-Live:
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◦ Create your own Fast & Furious Video Mashup featuring action and music from the film, then share it via BD-Live
◦ BD-Live Center