Audio Video News

Japan makes finished CE products like TVs as well as components such as LCD panels and chips, which it supplies to manufacturers all over the world. The disruption may result in shortages and higher pricing for these products and parts.

Download the Disney Second Screen app and you'll be able to sync a broadband-connected computer or iPad to the movie as it plays on your primary video display. Then you can "dive deeper into the film by engaging with fun interactive elements like animated flipbooks, galleries, photos, trivia, and more," says the press release.

You'll be able to search for actors and dialogue, choose clips to share on social networking sites, and find songs embedded in soundtracks. Not surprisingly, the latter will be linked for purchase in the iTunes music store.

The move is experimental. It comes on the heels of another unorthodox movie-distribution move, in which the studio offered two movies as Apple Store apps for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

DVD, say your prayers. Blu-ray Disc, better get your affairs in order. Judging from the new A/V receivers Pioneer introduced on Monday at the W Hotel in San Francisco, one could easily conclude that the old "hard" media formats have pretty much played out.

The proposal under discussion would "give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music," says Bloomberg News, which broke the story. "A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost."

Amazon Prime Instant Video is itself fairly new. Its initial purpose was to give free two-day shipping. Now it also includes Instant Video streaming of 5000 movie and TV show titles.