The Consumer Electronics Show doesn't start till next week but news is already leaking out. The first dual-format DVD player, handling both Blu-ray and HD DVD, will be announced by LG. Solving the same problem from another angle, Warner will announce a hybrid disc covering both formats, so you early adopters with single-format players needn't fall on your swords (if other studios fall in line). Perhaps the best news of all is that non-portable audio sales may be recovering after a long period of sitting in their room and moping. November figures from the Consumer Electronics Association show home component sales rising a whopping 54.9 percent, beating the 27.2 percent increase of iPods and other portables.
As new formats go, Blu-ray Disc got off to a shaky start. First, there were repeated production delays with Sony's PlayStation 3, an overhauled version of the company's popular game console that features a Blu-ray Disc drive for high-definition movie playback.
It's been several months since I originally reviewed the NevoSL remote. And after holding so many other small, lightweight remotes since then - various models from Harmony, Universal Remote Control, and Monster Cable - it was nice to have the Nevo back in my hand recently.
BLACK IS BLACK. True, but you won't believe how deep it goes on the high-def reissues of U2's 1988 concert pic Rattle and Hum (Paramount; Movie •••••; Blu-ray Disc Picture ••••, Sound ••••; HD DVD Picture ••••, Sound ••••½; Original Extras ½, New Extras: None).