Sony was firm for a long time on not dipping below an MSRP of $300 to battle cheap Chinese players, but already by the end of last year, the Chinese manufacturers were losing just as much money as the big guys like Samsung. The chart, using data from the Envisioneering Group in the WSJ article, shows the average price of players for each format in the years following their launch—DVD in 1997, Blu-ray in 2006.

It just stands to reason if we're not going to spend as much time watching Blu-ray as we did DVD—considering all of the other places we can watch video that's easier good enough—we're probably not gonna pay as much for it. As awesome as Avatar may be, I'm not really sure if 3D's gonna change that fact, at least not in our tiny living rooms. [WSJ, Chart Data by Envisioneering Group]

Here are the gifts you should give to that guy. And by give, I mean quietly sneak up and shoving it in his mail slot, because if he's anything like the Holiday Haters we know, he'll have barricaded himself in and shut off all forms of communication with the outside.

And if you hate the gallery format as much as he hates the holidays, click here.

A Philips GoLite Blu: If someone hates the holidays, it's likely that they hate the holiday season as well. Part of that is due to seasonal affective disorder, which in layman's terms, means you're not getting enough sunlight and you're depressed as a result.

The Philips GoLite Blu, which we reviewed last year, really helps lift mood. It might not make your pal's mood go from a 2 to a 10, but it'll definitely get him up into the 6 or 7s. $150 [Amazon]

Cellphone Flask: If your friend really hates being around family, there's few (legal) ways of making the time go by faster than getting stupidly drunk. But what if they're gifted with at least a little semblance of tact and don't want to go all out with a flask? Then here's the cellphone flask. Provided the guy's family is as dumb as he claims, they might not realize that this silver beauty really hides a few ounces of vodka and not his office email. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have to take this call. $10 [Amazon]

Yule Log Christmas Fireplace Blu-ray: This combines the traditional holiday tradition of sitting in front of a fireplace with the more palatable tradition of sitting in front of a TV. Your friend might hate the former, but he must still enjoy TV, right? Right? With the newly-updated Blu-ray version, he can just leave it on and enjoy the fake flames while doing whatever it is he does normally. Which, if our guess is right, is planning his own death. $11 [Amazon]

Festivus Pole LED Color Light Kit: Your loved one may hate the holidays, but what about Festivus? Bordering somewhere between a real holiday and a crappy meme that will not die, Festivus is the holiday for hipsters too cool or too poor to celebrate one of the "traditional" ones. On the plus side, you get a pole, so why not decorate it with some LED lights from China? $18 [Chinavasion]

Ex-lax Chocolate Laxatives: One hilarious way to a party is to have all the guests run home with Christmas sweaters tied around their pants. Any holiday hater will die to have these miracle pills in their arsenal of holiday-escaping gadgets, even if it isn't quite that gadgety. Think of it as Batman's utility belt if Batman really wanted to get out of a get together and was willing to wait 6 to 12 hours. $9 [Amazon]

Withings Wi-Fi Scale: Nothing pisses off a holiday hater more than someone actually enjoying themselves. How does one undo this mirth? By showing them how much weight they've gained since November. The Wi-Fi scale is fantastic because there's no hiding your weight—it gets uploaded automatically, online, and converted into graph form. Take that, innocent person who's just trying to celebrate the holidays. $160 [Gizmodo]

Swine Flu Protection Kit: Another thing holiday haters hate worse than the holidays is getting sick during the holidays. With the swine flu protection kit, even if your friend isn't actually safe from disease, he has peace of mind. [Amazon]

A Donation In His Name: For a person who hates the holidays and everything they stand for, giving him a present that's actually a present to someone else is the worst thing imaginable. It's like telling him that you HAD the excess money to spend on a present, but decided to give it to someone else instead. Or, like waving a bowl of food in front of a starving child and saying that there's a hungrier child that this is going to instead, and thanking him for his kindness. Don't do this!

All Giz Wants is our annual round-up of favorite gift ideas, including amazing attainable objects and a few far-out fantasies. We'll be popping guides catered to different interests regularly until Christmas, so keep checking back.

Making it easy for everyone to adopt 3D entertainment, good ol' Sony has worked it so that the PS3 will be able to play 3D Blu-ray discs, and the upcoming 3D players will be able to play 2D discs too. In regards to codecs, these discs will use Multiview Video Coding (or MVC), which is similar to the ITU-T H.264 AVC codec we use now, and will actually take up 50 per cent less space on the discs compared to 2D content.

Again clearing up any questions we may've had about 3D Blu-rays, the content will be full 1080p, so even though you're watching in 3D, the quality of the resolution won't be compromised. Expect to see some massive announcements from manufacturers and movie studios next month, including exactly what LG's going to sell in order to reach that 3.8m 3D TV units sold target. [BDA]

The adapter works with the Mini DisplayPort in the iMac 27", which is bi-directional. Right now, only this model of iMac supports this video standard. No price, no dates, no excuses not to buy this whenever it comes out. [Apogee via Electronista]

Consider the big picture laid out in the WSJ piece: Blu-ray, as a format, despite costing more per individual movie, only pulls around 14 percent of the revenue that DVD does. If you compare the formats at the same year in their life cycle, Blu-ray, in its fourth year, only has revenues that are about a quarter of what DVD made in its fourth year. Hrm, I guess those Flipper discs make a lot more sense now. [WSJ]

Take a look at your Blu-ray library for a minute. See anything missing? If not, you're not looking hard enough. Because for every high-def release of The Proposal that Hollywood shoves out the door, a Raiders of the Lost Ark stays on the shelf. Right now, whether it's a rights issue or a matter of strategic timing, a team of highly qualified artists and technicians are putting the finishing touches on Cheaper By the Dozen 2's Blu-ray release instead of dreaming up interactive features for Alien.

That's just scratching the surface. Right now on Amazon you can buy a 20th Century Fox Blu-ray bundle of three genuinely funny comedies—Napoleon Dynamite, Office Space and Young Frankenstein—that have nothing in common other than being completely unnecessary to watch in high-def. You know what three movies Fox hasn't put on Blu-ray at all? A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

This shouldn't be so hard, Hollywood. Whatever problems you're working through right now, get it figured out. You've only got like 2.5 more years before broadband puts the whole Blu-ray concept completely out of business. To help get you started, here's a list of 20 movies we need right now, and 10 that you should pass on altogether, before you waste any more time.

20 Movies That Should Be on Blu-ray

And 10 That Really Shouldn't

11:50: Ten minutes left until the star (Daniel Radcliffe) and the director (David Yates) pop up and start talking about the movie while watching the movie.

11:51: If you're using the PlayStation 3, you should make sure you've got the correct audio output to hear the audio stream. Otherwise, like myself last time, you'll hear nothing.

11:53: If you miss this, it'll be on BD-Live in a few weeks, says the British announcer.

11:53: I just figured out that they're doing this livecast at 12 noon instead of 6PM Pacific because kids in the UK need to watch this too. Otherwise, it'd be 2 in the morning.

11:55: There's a weird bug right now with two audio streams being overlayed simultaneously. One announcement and one...announcement.

11:56: Oh and if you need to get in, here's the invite.

12:00: Two voices talking simultaneously is more annoying than you'd imagine.

12:02: It's about to start in a minute.

12:02: Before we start, I gotta say this was probably in the top half of the Harry Potter movies, for me. The only problems I had with it was the fact that it looked like the whole movie had a power outage. And, that it didn't follow the book as closely as other movies.

12:03: It's starting.

12:04: I'm having audio difficulties and had to restart the movie.

12:05: It would be nice to go through one of these screenings without technical problems. You'd think the PS3 would be the most stable platform, but I guess not. And now it's having trouble loading the BD-Live.

12:06: Millions of kids around the world are logging into BD-Live right now apparently. Hey kids, get off my (virtual) lawn.

12:06: I'm back in! Daniel is talking about Harry Potter and how he differs from the character.

12:07: To answer a person who asked a question about if Dan learned anything from Harry Potter, he says yes.

12:10: His favorite movie is #5. He likes shooting and watching that one.

12:10: The director says he doesn't have a favorite.

12:12: Oh wait, the director couldn't make it—this is someone else.

12:12: Harry Potter is there though.

12:13: Daniel is saying the director is great, and can see the whole film while shooting an individual scene.

12:13: Here's a little hint of how Dumbledore is gay: he was treasuring a knitting magazine (with JK, the author, on the cover).

12:15: Someone asked what other movies he wants to try and get into, and Dan says he wants to concentrate on finishing the last two movies, and then maybe go back to the stage in London or NY.

12:17: Now a question about Alan Rickman. How did Dan feel about hearing Alan Rickman speak, in the first movie? Answer: probably terrified.

12:19: It's too bad the director isn't here, because I would very much ask him why the movie is shot during a power outage...in a black hole. Seriously, I couldn't see anything.

12:20: Q: Is Helena Bonham Carter as cool as she looks?

12:20: A: Yes. Also she is mad. And she pulls off that wig well, and she is hilarious.

12:23: Someone just asked him about what bands he likes. It'd be better if they focused on, you know, what's going on in the movie, but I guess that's the kind of question we're going to get today.

12:24: Q: Is Emma Watson as beautiful in person as she is in the movies?

12:24: A: "Yes!!" That Dan.

12:25: And now they're singing the praises of Blu-ray, and saying the interactive experience of Blu-ray is "mindblowing."

12:25: This is the first time they've actually seen one of the Harry Potter movies on Blu-ray, apparently.

12:27: What Blu-rays would you want directors' Q&A of? Post in the comments.

12:27: Q: "What's your favorite special effects sequence in this film?"

12:27: A: The island near the end of the movie, with the cabin and all the monsters in the water.

12:28: A: Dan's favorite is the dragon chase in #4.

12:30: Q: "If you had the ability to use an invisibility cloak, what would you do?"

12:30: A: Dan says robbing banks. He did not say sneaking a peek of Emma Watson.

12:32: Q: "Are you or the others going to be Twittering soon?"

12:32: A: Dan says no. He says he likes Twitter, but he feels he'd be inundated.

12:35: Dan's talking about sports.

12:36: For the most part, the audio stream is a lot more stable than it was during the Terminator live event.

12:38: What's the next step in these? Video streaming of them in a corner? That might be pretty fun.

12:39: Dan says he was in the right place at the right time to get the part of Harry.

12:43: Unfortunately the two people answering questions, Dan and the other guy, don't know any technical stuff. It's too bad the director couldn't show up.

12:44: Q: Has anyone ever challenged you to a Harry Potter trivia match?

12:44: A: Yes, and I've lost every time.

12:48: I'm leaving out the questions about him playing Quidditch and other silly dialogue, btw.

12:54: To answer my own question, I would really love to hear Michael Bay give a commentary on Transformers 2. I'd like to hear his thoughts behind why he wanted to do the CG a certain way, or if he left that all up to the CG folks.

12:57: Q: Besides acting, do you want to get into another part of the film business?

12:57: A: I'd love to direct, but it's a long way off.

12:59: And now, a peepee break.

1:06: We're back.

1:06: They're talking about how an actor on screen now playing Marcus Belby was killed, stabbed, while protecting his brother.

1:10: It would be nicer if you could submit questions directly from your Blu-ray player as well. That would make it more of an all-in-one experience, without having to have a phone or a computer in front of you.

1:15: On another note, BD-Live kind of forms the basis of community watching, in a sense. Right now you can watch with directors and hear them talk, but if you can go in the direction of the Netflix community watch on Xbox Live, you can get communal viewings with your friends as well. That would be pretty interesting, being able to watch the same movie, synced, with a buddy across the country.

1:21: Someone asked if they could get Ricky Gervais into the movies.

1:34: Slight spoiler for #7: They'll be playing themselves in that one scene.

1:41: They're talking about the acting process, and the audition process and so forth. Nothing that interesting.

1:43: Q: Do you find it hard working around green screens and CG?

1:44: A: Not really. I don't have to spend a lot of time in front of a green screen. I only have to do about three days in front of a green screen at a time. In the first film I did a month in front of a screen for Quidditch and that was mind numbing.

1:52: Looks like the audio stream just cut out.

1:53: It's back.

2:00: I'd also like to hear JJ Abrams talk about Star Trek too. That would be one interesting live commentary.

2:01: I think they're doing another peepee break now.

2:10: Now the audio is just cutting in and out like mad.

2:29: Oh wow has it been 20 minutes since I typed something. How long is this movie?

2:34: The audio is finicky again, and the movie's about to end.

2:42: Movie's over, and they're saying their thanks for watching.

2:42: Thanks for reading! (Maybe we should stick with Sci Fi movies from now on.)

If you want to check it out yourself, you'll have to have a copy of the movie on Blu-ray and a Blu-ray player that supports BD-Live. If not, just check out Giz tomorrow when I give you the highlights live.

And for those who are curious as to how these director's commentary live screenings have been going, here's our Terminator Salvation liveblog in which I almost stabbed myself with a beer bottle.

Update: Here's the link you can use to sign up for the screening. [Warner Bros BD Live]

So far, they've got this going for a few hundred titles it looks like, and it's restricted to the US, but hopefully it grows. (And hopefully, they'll stop being stingy with the high def streams.) Just look for the Disc+ on Demand logo on movie pages to see if it's eligible. [Amazon via NewTeeVee]

It's going to be the first audio commentary that's live streamed from off the disc, so that'll be interesting to see, even if the movie (or the commentary) won't live up to expectations.

Stuff like this is indicative of the problems with the Blu-ray format. Not only did they launch the format with players not fully supporting basic stuff like Ethernet ports for over-the-internet updates, it took them almost two years to get suppliers onto the Blu-ray 2.0 format, which more or less made them catch up with HD DVD's feature set. Blu-ray didn't just put the cart before the horse, they rolled the cart down a hill, waited a year, and asked the horse politely if it could go find the cart.

I don't want this post to be just a chance to re-hash all the old issues with Blu-ray, but really. Three years. It took three years for you guys to get your act together and realize most of the people—the mainstream, not Gizmodo readers—now don't really see the need to buy new players, new discs and new TVs just to watch movies in high def. Hell, one in five people can't tell the difference between SD and HD.

Don't get me wrong; this is a wonderful idea. With combo discs you can eliminate the need for standalone DVD releases, thereby saving shelf space AND putting Blu-ray discs in the hands of people that wouldn't necessarily have purchased Blu-ray. Once these unwitting customers collect enough Blu-ray combo discs, they just might buy a cheap BD player and convert. Really, it's a great sales tactic and something that will ease the transition for the less technologically inclined.

But answer me this, Blu-ray consortium: why did it take you three extra years to pull this off?

The first movies that'll be Flippers will be new releases of the Bourne trilogy next month. Truthfully, this idea isn't quite as ridiculous as I want to say it is—like the wet dream of an Akihabara store video clerk—as long as the discs don't cost any more than standard Blu-ray discs. I wouldn't exactly call it "future-proofing" your video collection, as Universal does.

This is kind of like the real HD DVD, huh?

Universal Studios Home Entertainment GIVES CONSUMERS ULTIMATE CONTROL AND FLEXIBILITY WITH Revolutionary New Blu-ray™ hi-def and DVD "Flipper" Discs BEGINNING With the ReleaseS OF

The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum

Industry-Changing Dual-Format Technology Features Both 
Blu-ray™ and DVD Versions on One Disc

Universal City, California, December 1, 2009 – In a move that is poised to elevate the Blu-ray™ Hi-Def format and provide consumers with the ultimate in convenience and viewing flexibility, Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) announced the introduction of groundbreaking dual-format discs containing both Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD versions of some of Hollywood's most iconic films. An industry first, the new "flipper" discs will launch on January 19, 2010 with the blockbuster superspy thrillers The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon, premiering as individually packaged Blu-ray™ discs.

For the first time ever, consumers will have the ability to choose between Blu-ray™ and DVD formats, simply by flipping a single disc. With complete utility in one convenient package, the revolutionary medium can be used on any DVD or Blu-ray™ compatible player, game platform or computer, making it ideal for anyone planning to upgrade to Blu-ray™ at a future date as well as current owners of both Blu-ray™ and DVD systems. Each side of Universal's flipper discs includes the entire movie as well as all available bonus features, with the Blu-ray™ side featuring exciting BD exclusives such as U-Control and BD-Live™.

"Universal's flipper discs are the perfect way for consumers to future-proof their collections while still enjoying their favorite movies on all their existing DVD players," said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "The flipper disc offers an easy way for viewers to convert to Blu-ray now or at any time in the future, confident in the fact they will be able to experience their home entertainment purchases in the highest quality picture and sound when they do."

The release will mark the first time the Bourne trilogy, one of the highest grossing action movie franchises in history, is available individually in Blu-ray's™ renowned perfect picture and purest digital sound. Each film is accompanied by an array of exciting bonus features that plunge viewers deeper in to the shadowy world of international espionage, including top-secret files, challenging strategy games, fascinating filmmakers and actor profiles, commentary, deleted scenes and Universal's renowned BD-Live™ functionality.

Riddled with deception, intrigue and high-octane thrills, each chapter of the globe-hopping search for Jason Bourne's true identity raises the stakes another lethal notch as the undercover killer settles old scores and uncovers new secrets. A commanding roster of acclaimed actors accompanies Damon on his quest, including Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Franka Potente, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Albert Finney.

CONTENT OVERVIEW & SYNOPSES:

THE BOURNE IDENTITY

FILM SYNOPSIS:
After being pulled from the sea with two bullets in his back, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) awakens on a fishing boat with no memory of his involvement in a top-secret, black ops arm of the CIA called Treadstone. The only clue to his identity is the number of a Swiss bank account in which he discovers an array of passports and weapons, as well as a fortune in cash. As he struggles to regain his memory, his former employers dub him a rogue agent and target him for termination. When an equally deadly assassin codenamed "Professor" (Clive Owen) is sent to dispose of him, Bourne rediscovers his extraordinary survival skills, including hand-to-hand combat, martial arts and multiple languages and begins to understand who he really is. As he struggles to unlock the secret of his own identity, Bourne has to deal with his past in order to ensure his own future.

BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
Exclusive U-Control: Universal's exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
Picture in Picture
Bourne Orientation
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game
Treadstone Files: Includes interactive Character Dossiers, Agent Status info and GPS features.
BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
Additional extras:
My Scenes
The Ludlum Identity: An extraordinary portrait of the best-selling author through archival interviews with friends, colleagues, family members and Ludlum himself.
The Ludlum Supremacy: Who is Jason Bourne? A revealing look at how Bourne was born.
The Ludlum Ultimatum: A fascinating examination of the Bourne character and his enduring audience appeal.
The Birth of the Bourne Identity
Deleted and Extended Scenes (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Alternate Opening and Ending: With an introduction by producer Frank Marshall, screenwriter Tony Gilroy and actor Brian Cox. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
The Bourne Mastermind: Robert Ludlum: A fascinating new look at the late Robert Ludlum, the bestselling novelist who created the "Bourne" trilogy. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Access Granted: An exclusive interview with screenwriter Tony Gilroy on the challenges of adapting Ludlum's 500-page book for the screen. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
From Identity to Supremacy – Jason & Marie: This feature includes exclusive interviews with Matt Damon and Franka Potente which explore the making of The Bourne Identity - and build a bridge to the spectacular sequel, The Bourne Supremacy. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
The Bourne Diagnosis: Insights into the causes and effects of Jason Bourne's struggle with amnesia from a UCLA psychologist. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Cloak and Dagger: In this feature, CIA liaison officer Chase Brandon delivers a detailed, real-world analysis of the making of a super-spy. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Inside a Fight Sequence: Join Matt Damon on the set as he and the film's Stunt Choreographer map out the explosive action-packed U.S. Embassy fight sequence. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Moby "Extreme Ways" Music Video (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Feature Commentary with Director Doug Liman (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY

FILM SYNOPSIS:
When his lover is murdered and he is framed for the assassination of a fellow agent, Jason Bourne finds himself on the run again. But as he closes in on his girlfriend's killers, he realizes his former handlers are back on his trail. After his fingerprints are found at the scene of a murder in Berlin, an ambitious CIA operative (Joan Allen) becomes determined to stop him once and for all. Haunted by debilitating fragmented memories as he navigates the labyrinth of international espionage, Bourne (Matt Damon) must outwit, outmaneuver and outmuscle some of the most powerful forces in the world just to survive.

BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
Exclusive U-Control: Universal's exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
Picture in Picture
Bourne Orientation
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game
Bourne Dossier
BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
Additional extras:
My Scenes
Scoring with John Powell: A special look at creating the pulse-pounding score for the movie. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
The Bourne Mastermind: Robert Ludlum: A fascinating new look at the late Robert Ludlum, the bestselling novelist who created the "Bourne" trilogy.
The Bourne Diagnosis Part Two: Insights into the causes and effects of Jason Bourne's struggle with amnesia from a UCLA psychologist.
Feature Commentary with Paul Greengrass (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Explosive Deleted Scenes (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Matching Identities: Casting – See what it took to land a key role in this major action hit. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Keeping It Real – A look at the edgy and kinetic visual style the filmmakers brought to Supremacy. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Blowing Things Up – Virtual isn't always better. See how some of the film's most awesome pyrotechnical sequences were created-without digital effects. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
On the Move with Jason Bourne – Travel the globe to visit the film's exotic locations from India to Berlin to Moscow. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Bourne to Be Wild: Fight Training – Matt Damon didn't become a lethal weapon overnight. Witness the action as the star and the movie's fight trainer perfect the film's thrilling hand-to-hand combat scenes! (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Crash Cam: Racing Through the Streets of Moscow – Experience how stunt coordinators meticulously planned and executed the movie's stunning, high-speed chase sequence. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
The Go-Mobile Revs Up the Action – Feel the rush of being in the driver's seat with this revolutionary new vehicle used to capture Matt Damon's high-speed exploits in the film's jaw-dropping car chase sequences! (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene – Step onto the set and experience the tension and intense preparation as the filmmaking team plans and shoots one of the movie's most demanding, dangerous and thrilling action scenes. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

FILM SYNOPSIS:
All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Damon) is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to uncover the truth behind his mysterious past-all the while trying to outwit a new generation of highly-trained assassins as well as the relentless CIA operatives who will stop at nothing to prevent him from learning his true identity.

BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
Exclusive U-Control: Universal's exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
Picture in Picture
Bourne Orientation
Be Bourne Spy Training – Viewers test their skills to see if they've got what it takes to be a covert operative.
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game
Blackbriar Files: While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3D animations.
BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
Additional extras:
My Scenes
Man on the Move: Jason Bourne – From Berlin to Tangier, see how the film's exotic locations influenced the filmmaking process. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Rooftop Pursuit – Discover how state-of-the-art technology was used to film the incredible Tangier rooftop chase scene! (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Planning the Punches – Matt Damon reveals his complex and rigorous fight training. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Driving School – Join Matt Damon behind the wheel as he trains for the New York car chase scene. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
New York Chase – An insider's view on how the film's heart-stopping chase sequences were filmed. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Feature Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
Deleted Scenes (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)

Mr. Skin has mentioned this new ability before the expose in the current issue of The New Yorker, including in an episode of Doug Benson's fantastic podcast, I Love Movies. Basically, the higher resolution makes what was once a blur visible. In Fleshbot's words:

Where once there was but a dark shadow, now we're presented with bush (or at least more boobage). Where...no, actually, that's pretty much the end of the story.

We certainly hope Mr. Skin is getting a kickback from Sony for all the Blu-ray promotion. His love of the format has certainly gotten me more interested in this wondrous bush-revealing technology. [Fleshbot]

Let me explain: the menu screen for Never Been Kissed appears momentarily when the disc is loaded, then reverts to the standard Fight Club menu. It's actually a brilliantly hilarious gag perpetrated by director David Fincher for the release. Not only are the two movies polar opposites of one another, but Never Been Kissed outgrossed Fight Club when both movies were released in 1999. To her credit, Drew has a good sense of humor about the whole thing. As a producer on the film, she gave the go-ahead for the prank. [A.V. Club via Yahoo Movies]

Trade in Your DVDs, Plus a Couple Bucks, and Get the Blu-ray Versions

Warner set up a DVD to Blu-ray exchange program called, appropriately enough, DVD2Blu, as sort of a more-tempting version of its HD-DVD to Blu-ray version. The problem is, it's not actually that great of a deal; you're limited to Warner movies, obviously, but it also costs $8-10 per DVD, plus $5 shipping, for the exchange. You might actually be better off just hitting Best Buy or Walmart or whatever and looking for sales, since DVD2Blu could cost you 18 bucks plus the agony of waiting for your new HD copy of The Wedding Singer: Totally Awesome Edition to arrive. [Engadget]

Steve Ballmer Acknowledges Apple's Gains, Remains Cocky

Microsoft held a shareholder's meeting this morning, led by the always-dynamic Steve Ballmer, and an interesting question came up: Why does Microsoft have such a lousy reputation among certain demographics, like, say, upper-middle-class college kids? Ballmer admitted that Apple's been seeing some gains that, while small, are a clear sign that Microsoft has room for improvement, either in marketing or product positioning. It's a pretty clear-headed statement from Ballmer—after all, he notes, Microsoft still has an insane marketshare, even in the high-end consumer demo, so despite Apple's visibility, Microsoft doesn't exactly have cause for concern. That level-headedness is why this story's in Remainders: Where's the explosive, frothing-at-the-mouth, prone to Bidenesque gaffes Ballmer we all know and, um, know? [TechFlash]

Sanyo to Build Houses Powered by Solar Energy and Li-Ion Batteries

Sanyo, considered Japan's "greenest" electronics manufacturer (sort of like being the best-dressed homeless person), is about to start building solar-powered, lithium-ion-based homes in its native country. The houses are all equipped with LED lighting, solar-powered water heater, all that stuff. They'll be a little pricey, at around $355,000—an equivalent non-green house would cost $62,000 less, although the Sanyo houses come with a $30,000 government subsidy. It's in Remainders because it's Japan only, and because I don't understand enough Japanese to learn any more about it. [Crunchgear]

Sony Announces Vague "iTunes-Like" Store on PlayStation Network for Books, Movies, Music

Sony announced the tentatively named Sony Online Service today—it's described as an "iTunes-like" service on the PlayStation Network, offering movies, music, and books, all media for which Sony also sells accompanying hardware. It'll also allow users to upload their own video, and will probably have support for independent app development later on down the road. We don't really know much else, like, say, a launch date or pricing (or even a final name), so it winds up here, alone in the dark corner of Gizmodo we call Remainders. [AppleInsider via Engadget]

Cell Phones
Verizon Samsung SCH-u350 Prepaid Cell Phone - $9.99 *

Computers
Buy a HP Mini 1020 or 1030 Netbook, Get 1 Neoprene Sleeve and Microsoft Wireless 3000 Mouse Free - $0.00 *
HP Mini 1020 Netbook - 10.1", Windows XP, 160GB HDD - $299.99 *

Digital Cameras
Kodak EasyShare Digital Camera Bundle (M340) - $99.99 *
Vivitar V8025 Digital Camera - 8.1MP, 8x Zoom - $49.99 *

Digital Media Cards
Dane-Elec 4GB Micro SD Memory Card with 3-in-1 Reader - $8.99 *

DVD Players
GFM Progressive Scan DVD Player - $19.99 *
GPX 10.2" Portable DVD Player - $99.99 *
Sylvania Blu-ray Disc Player - $89.00 *

Electronics
Deluxe V-Rocker SE Wireless Video Rocker - $49.99 *
iLive Home Dock for iPod - $19.99 *
Meijer PowerCell Pack Batteries (AA/AAA 12-pk, C/D 6-pk, 9V 3-pk) - $3.99 *
Sony Fashion Earbuds - $4.99 *
Sungale 7" Digital Frame - $29.99 *

GPS Navigation Systems
Magellian RoadMate 1440 GPS - $119.99 *

Hard Drives
Seagate 1TB Desktop Hard Drive - $79.00 *

Timex Watches - 35% Off *

Kitchen & Housewares
Magic Bullet Express Blender - $34.99 *
T-Fail Performance Stainless Steel Copper Bottom Cookware Set 10-pc. (After Rebate) - $79.99 *

Miscellaneous
One General Merchandise Item 15% OFF with Coupon, Excludes Doorbusters, Good only on 11/27 5AM to Noon, Exclusions Apply - $0.00 *

Movies
Blu-ray Movies - Over 24 Title to Choose From - (Live Free or Die Hard, Die Another Day, Speed and more) - $9.00 *
DVD Movies - 13 Titles to Choose From (Marly and Me, Mall Cop, Coraline, Fast & Furious and more) - $8.00 *
DVD Movies - Over 50 Titles to Choose From (Meet the Fockers, Friday Night Lights, Underworld, Leatherheads and more) - $3.00 *

MP3 Players
Apple iPod touch 8GB w/ $50 Meijer Coupon - $199.00 *

Networking & Wireless
D-Link Wireless N Router - $19.99 *

Portable USB Storage
SanDisk USB Flash Drive - 4GB - $9.00 *
SanDisk USB Flash Drive - 8GB - $14.00 *

Sports & Fitness
Koolaroo 8 Pc. Kids' 5x3 Tent Combo - $19.99 *
Lake & Train 2.5lb. Ontario Sleeping Bag - $9.99 *
Top Flite XL5000 Super Long Super Straight and Super Soft 15 Pack Golf Balls - $8.50

Television
Sylvania 19" Class LCD HDTV - $129.99 *
Sylvania 42" 1080p LCD HDTV - $499.99 *

Tools & Hardware
Stanley 8 Gallon Stainless Steel Shop Vac with Accessories - $39.99 *
Stanley Squidbrite Flexible Work Light - $19.99 *

Toys
Action Figures - Ben 10, Bakugan, G.I. Joe, Star Wars or Transformers Action Figures - $5.50 *
Arsenal X 6mm 2 Pistol Kit or Full Auto Electric Kit - $14.99 *
Barbie and Disney Princess Dolls (Various) - $5.50 *
Board Games (Various Titles) - $6.00 *
Disney Storybooks - 8 Titles to Choose From - $6.00 *
ESPN 6-in-1 Game Center - $29.99 *
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy, Purse, Tools, Cookie Jar, Piggy Bank, Tea Pot, CD Player or Counting Phone - $9.99 *
Leap Frog Learning Toys - $14.99 *
Lego - B2G1 *
Littlest Pet Shop Pairs or Postcard Pets - $3.00 *
Mongoose 20" Boys' Streak Bike or 20" Girls' Ethereal Bike - $49.99 *
Single Pack Hot Wheels or Matchbox Basic Cars, Monster Jam Vehicles or Disney Cars - B1G1 *

Video Games
All Video Games Priced $19.99 or Less - 50% Off *
Buy Any Xbox 360 Game System or Bundle, Get Grand Theft Auto IV and Halo 3 FREE - $0.00 *
Buy a PS3 120GB Slim Console, Get 2 Buy-ray Movies and 2 Video Games (Exclusions Apply) - $0.00 *
Nintendo DSi Video Game System w/ FREE $30 Meijer Coupon Good For Your Next Purchase - $169.99 *
Nintendo Wii Console w/ $50 OFF Your Next Meijer Purchase Coupon - $199.99 * [Black Friday]

Both the the Shift: Intel P55 and the Shift: Intel X58 are powered by Intel Core i7 900 processors running Windows 7. ATI Radeo HD and NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards are featured, and I'm sure the discerning gamer expects nothing less.

Storage options include up to six mechanical or 12 SSD drives. The two diverge on memory specs, with the P55 containing up to 8GB DDR3-1600 low latency RAM and the X58 up to 12GB DDR3-2000 or 24GB DDR3-1600. DVD or Blu-Ray drives are options for both rigs while a standard Asetek closed-loop liquid cooling system keeps things chilled.

Pricing begins at an optimistic $2,199 and $2,599, respectively, although with all the options listed above that can (and probably will) climb much, much higher. Since Shift is the only PC that Maingear going's to focus on selling from now on, I hope it works it out for them.

GM's offering in-car internet for $500 and +$29 a month. Great! This is a stupid thing to get—think about devices like the MiFi, and ask yourself who would buy this. Plus, do you really want to buy a GM? If you go American, go Ford. They have cool tech! [Engadget]
Apple stores are ditching those clunky handheld point of sale computers—which are Windows-run—for iPod touches that can do the same thing. There's no way to write this story up without making an easy Microsoft joke, which isn't fair because those point of sale units have been a big part of why Apple stores have been such easy places to drop loads of cash. [AppleInsider]
Virgin erases Helio and the Ocean 2. But not before we erased the love and care we had back in 2007 for the company. Remember how progressive they were? Were? [Mobile Crunch]
JVC's $200 Blu-ray player does not stream media and does not cost less than the LG bd370 which does. It doesn't even cost less than the PS3, which also, you know, plays games. Do not buy. [JVC]

Watch it, share it, do what you like. And if you just want the short and sweet, here again are our five featured bits (shot and edited by Mike Short):

Steve Ballmer Exclusive Interview Series:
Part 1: Ballmer Talks Natal, Says Blu-ray Add-On for Xbox Coming
Part 2: Ballmer on the Smartphone Race: "It Doesn't Matter What the Critics Say"
Part 3: Ballmer on Zune: Sometimes You Get It Right The Third Time?
Part 4: Ballmer on Those Crazy Ballmer YouTube Videos
Part 5: Ballmer Optimistic About Win 7, But Says Vista Is "Very Popular"