Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
While we were waiting for our Xbox Live Video Marketplace downloads to finish, we spotted a new service, MyTVPal.com, that is apparently launching next week using the MatrixStream 1080p IPTV set top box we saw earlier this year. Claiming 700 channels with user uploaded content and DVR features coming in 2007 -- plus 1080p downloads for subscribers with at least 5Mbps connections -- it could be a very attractive offering due the lack of native 1080p content for HDTV owners other than Blu-ray and HD DVD. The company plans to release 100,000 of the boxes in its first year, and you can sign up for the waiting list at their website. It's unclear what content providers will partner with the service, but the VOD listing on the site currently includes such stunners as The Beverly Hillbillies and English as a Second Language. We downloaded the software player and were able to get about 10 seconds of what appeared to be a public access channel before it ...

As turkey and various other food items are making their way down our large intestines, slowly changing their state from somewhat edible to incredibly inedible, we give thanks to our sponsors. Our heroes: American Express, Ali G DVD, Audi, Best Buy, Circuit City, DICE, FEAR 360, Fox Soccer Channel, HD-DVD, Intel, Logitech, Mio, Nokia, Parrot, Pentax, SV Supreme Vodka, Shure, Smarthome, Sonos, Sprint, Spotwave, Texas Instruments, and Yahoo.
Want to have Thanksgiving every week? Find out how. Thanks babe.

High-definition TVs are expected to be hot sellers this holiday season, but consumers may have a tough time sorting out the next-gen video discs and the players that go with them.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

If you bought into a first gen Blu-ray Disc / HDD recorder you're probably feeling a bit shortchanged on the disk space what with that 1TB HD DVD/HDD recorder available from Toshiba. Don't sweat it, I-O Data's got your back with their D-VHS capable, 800GB Rec-POT HVR-HD800R which can augment the storage of either the Panny DMR-BW200 or Sharp BD-HD100 when connected over one of the 2x Firewire in/outs. No BD recorder? No problem, this Rec-POT is more than capable of taking care of the recording biz all on its own when snuggled up to the TV over HDMI. It even plays nice with your Firewire digital video camera as you'd expect. Hitting Japan in December for ¥89,000 (about $754) for the 800GB model, a bit less if you're only looking for another 250GB.

[Via Impress] 
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-t...

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn't get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen...) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.
Here's what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn't specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.
CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.
Let's see here... hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying "Prius") and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in "feature creep" mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn't...

Toshiba announced they will be releasing two new models of HD DVD players in late December. The basic HD-XF2 (720p) will sell for $425 and the high-end HD-XA2 (1080p and True Color) will sell for $950. While it's nice to see Toshiba lowering the cost on their base player from the HD-A1's original $499 retail, A1 prices have dropped since their release, sitting at a comparable price point to the $425 XF2. In other words, HD-DVD isn't getting cheaper as of yet.
Apparently Toshiba is attempting to counteract the release of some major console release this week. More details on that completely unsubstantiated rumor as we get them. – Mark Wilson
Toshiba Debuts... [EETimes]
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Audi, Best Buy, Circuit City, DICE, Fear 360, Fox Soccer Channel, HD-DVD, Intel, Logitech, Mio, Nokia, Parrot, Pentax, SV Supreme Vodka, Shure, Smarthome, Sprint Business, Spotwave, Texas Instruments and Yahoo would like to wish you an early Happy Thanksgiving. They also send their regards to the doctor that is forced to pump all of the cranberry sauce out of your stomach.
Be one with the gluttony.
(Note: The sponsors of Gizmodo do not condone or condemn gluttony, or Thanksgiving for that matter.)

Universal Home Entertainment has scheduled a HD-DVD version of the 1973 caper The Sting for release in January. Winner of 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, “The Sting” stars Paul Newman and ...