Japanese Japan news (08/12/2004)

Bijin · Dec 8, 2004

Save Up to 75% on Asia Cruises
(Ad - http://www.vacationstogo.com, Dec 8 2004 1:04PM) Discuss

Companies target Japan's greying population
(Channel NewsAsia, Dec 8 2004 1:04PM) Discuss

German Chancellor Schroeder starts visit to Japan
(Xinhua News Agency, Dec 8 2004 1:03PM) Discuss

German Chancellor Schroeder leaves China for Japan
(Channel NewsAsia, Dec 8 2004 1:03PM) Discuss

US deserter to live in Japan
(News24.com, Dec 8 2004 1:03PM) Discuss

Dollar Rises 1 Percent Against Euro, Yen
(AP via ABCNEWS.com, Dec 8 2004 1:02PM) Discuss

Softbank BB using U.S. pressure to win cell phone license
(Japan Today, Dec 8 2004 1:02PM) Discuss

Japan makes protest after another Chinese ship spotted in its waters
(Channel NewsAsia, Dec 8 2004 1:02PM) Discuss

Remains given by N Korea not Yokota's
(Japan Today, Dec 8 2004 1:01PM) Discuss

RusPromAvto in talks with Nissan over car assembly in Russia
(PRIME-TASS, Dec 8 2004 12:57PM) Discuss

Japan's 3Q growth stalls
(CNN Money, Dec 8 2004 12:54PM) Discuss

U.S. Deserter Wants Japanese Citizenship
(AP via Guardian Unlimited, Dec 8 2004 12:52PM) Discuss

Ambassador Baker to quit Japan post
(Chicago Tribune, Dec 8 2004 12:44PM) Discuss

NTT Tests Adding Smells to Internet
(AP via Los Angeles Times, Dec 8 2004 12:42PM) Discuss

Dollar firmer across the board after Issing comments, weak Japan data (AFX News)
(FXstreet.com, Dec 8 2004 12:34PM) Discuss

Japan demands China halt survey in Japan's EEZ waters
(Kyodo, Dec 8 2004 12:32PM) Discuss

Toshiba shows off HD-DVD forward-compatible DVD disc
(Mac User, Dec 8 2004 12:32PM) Discuss

Japan to extend SDF mission in Iraq for 1 year Thurs
(Kyodo, Dec 8 2004 12:31PM) Discuss

Honda sales in China slow down
(Peoples Daily Online, Dec 8 2004 12:28PM) Discuss

Sony Europe chooses LUON to run its Christmas e-marketing campaign
(Belga Direct Press Releases, Dec 8 2004 12:04PM) Discuss

Japan protests to N.Korea over fake evidence
(AlertNet, Dec 8 2004 12:02PM) Discuss

Toshiba Develops Dual-Format DVD
(TechTree, Dec 8 2004 11:55AM) Discuss

Latest US$ exchange rates: US$/Yen 103.63; Euro/US$ 1.3344
(etnet.com.hk, Dec 8 2004 11:54AM) Discuss

Japan Protests to N.Korea Over Fake Evidence
(Reuters, Dec 8 2004 11:54AM) Discuss

Japan to Open Embassy in Turkmenistan January 2005
(News Central Asia, Dec 8 2004 11:51AM) Discuss

Japan Protests to N.Korea Over Fake Evidence
(ABCNEWS.com, Dec 8 2004 11:45AM) Discuss

Latest US$ exchange rates: US$/Yen 103.82; Euro/US$ 1.3323
(etnet.com.hk, Dec 8 2004 11:40AM) Discuss

Tokyo Stocks Post Modest Rebound
(AP via Los Angeles Times, Dec 8 2004 11:38AM) Discuss

Tokyo Stocks Post Modest Rebound
(San Jose Mercury News, Dec 8 2004 11:23AM) Discuss

Japanese firms develop new DVD
(Economictimes, Dec 8 2004 11:23AM) Discuss

Data Revision Shows Japan's Economy Grew
(San Jose Mercury News, Dec 8 2004 11:22AM) Discuss

Cloud · Dec 8, 2004

Japanese firms develop new DVD

Thought this was pretty cool, Toshiba seem to have the edge over Sony these days...

Japanese firms develop new DVD

AP[ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 08, 2004 12:42:26 PM]
TOKYO: Two Japanese companies said on Tuesday they have developed a DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition players, raising hopes for a smooth transition as more people dump old TV sets for better screens.

Toshiba and Memory-Tech said their disc has a dual-layered surface that can store both types of data on the same side.

For consumers, that would eliminate the potential headache of having to own two types of DVD players: Both will be able to read such discs, though only the newer equipment can take advantage of the higher-resolution technology.

The discs, which took six months to develop, will be able to hold 4.7 GB in the current format and 15 GB in high resolution, Memory-Tech spokesman Masato Otsuka said.

Making the discs won't cost any more than the companies now spend on producing current DVDs, Otsuka said.

The new DVDs rely on the HD-DVD format, which has the backing of the DVD Forum, an international association of electronics makers and movie studios. New DVD players using the format are expected to hit stores by late 2005.

Its competitor, Blu-Ray, is backed by Sony, its Hollywood studio and News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group. Blu-Ray has more storage space, but HD-DVD is expected to be cheaper to produce because its technology closely resembles current DVDs.

It's still unclear which will become the dominant technology.
Click to expand...

Previous article:

Film studios snub Sony DVD format

Three Hollywood studios have chosen to embrace next-generation DVD
technology backed by Toshiba, snubbing a rival product promoted by Sony.
Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers are to use a high definition DVD
format backed by Toshiba and NEC.

Their decision is a setback for Sony which famously lost the battle to set
a standard for video cassette recorders when its Betamax lost out to JVC's
VHS.

Toshiba expects sales of HD-DVDs to hit 300bn yen ($2.9bn; £1.5bn) by
2010.

Clearer pictures

Next-generation DVDs can record an entire film in high definition format,
ensuring sharper pictures.

We concluded that HD-DVD had several major advantages
Marsha King, Warner Home Video

The technology is expected to become widely available from 2006 onwards.

The studios' decision to back the Toshiba backed product is hugely
significant because along with New Line Cinema - a Warner sister company
which is also supporting the HD format - they account for about 45% of
packaged DVD content.

Sony has been banking on its Blu-ray Disc technology which has, to date,
won support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM Studios.

Universal is to release titles on Toshiba's HD-DVD format next year while
Paramount said it would follow suit in 2006.

"We have done extensive research on Blu-ray and HD-DVD and we concluded
finally that HD-DVD had several major advantages including in durability,
reliability and manufacturing," Marsha King, general manager of Warner
Home Video, told the Reuters news agency.

Competing formats

Sony also lost the most recent format war, when its DVD technology was
snubbed by other Japanese equipment manufacturers.

This allowed Toshiba technology to become the current industry standard.

"We think this carries a great impact," said Yoshihide Fujii, a corporate
senior vice president at Toshiba.

"There is strong desire in Hollywood for a single format."

Universal, Paramount and Warners said they would continue to work with the
Blu-ray group, whose members also include Dell, Samsung and Matsushita.

Twentieth Century Fox said recently that it was evaluating both major
formats.
Click to expand...

Japanese Japan news (08/12/2004)

Bijin boards.jp Bot

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Japanese Japan news (08/12/2004)

Bijin boards.jp Bot

Cloud Administrator Staff Member

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Cloud Administrator
Staff Member