Blu-Ray DVD tipped to win

As the battle continues in the next-generation DVD war, one analyst predicts Blu-Ray disc technology will prevail and become the eventual winner, reports Information Week.

Semico Research senior analyst Adrienne Downey says it seems more than likely that Blu-Ray will win. Both the Blu-Ray and its rival HD-DVD formats are blue-laser-based, backwardly compatible with current DVDs and enable more content per disk. Blu-Ray supporters argue the format offers more storage, while HD-DVD supporters say their format is cheaper to make.

Both products are expected to be released around March. Sony, Dell, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and most of the Hollywood studios support Blu-Ray. Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo, the DVD Forum and only two Hollywood studios support the HD-DVD format.

Meanwhile, The Register says Microsoft is hedging its bets on which format will win and has announced it may ship a Blu-Ray disc drive for its Xbox 360 games console instead of HD-DVD if there is consumer demand.

IBM`s radical Cell processor, to debut in Sony`s PlayStation 3 (PS3), could reshape entertainment and spark the next hi-tech boom, says Forbes.Com.

Sony`s PS3 game console performs 2 trillion calculations per second. This means millions of homes will soon sport a supercomputer with the kind of power once reserved for seismic exploration and nuclear-weapons design to enable programmers to create videogames that look as realistic as film.

The report says some techies predict PS3 will usher in the next microchip revolution. The Sony system owes its computing power to a microprocessor called Cell, which runs at least 10 times as fast as Intel`s most powerful Pentium.

Cell chip developers Sony, Toshiba and IBM are extending their joint research project on developing new semiconductors to power consumer electronics, reports M&C News.

The project, begun in 2000, will be extended through 2010 and will work on developing chips 32 nanometres or less. The current standard size of computer chips is 90 nanometres.

Smaller chips allow manufacturers to produce faster, smaller and more energy-efficient devices while lowering costs.

A new version of Net phone calling software from Skype Technologies has won over critics who found problems with earlier versions of the same software, reports eWeek.

Improvements in Skype 2.0 include free video calling and the ability to sort contacts into groups like colleagues, friends and family, in response to criticism of an earlier test version of the software.

The report says with 222 million downloads of its software, Skype is probably the best known of the new breed of companies offering free software that allows an Internet connection to double as a local, national or international phone line.

BlackBerry handheld devices will soon support Google Talk instant messaging, according to BlackBerry manufacturer, Research in Motion.

Google Talk for BlackBerry will allow users to send and receive instant text messages with other Google Talk members.

The instant messaging service will require a Gmail e-mail account, and although the application is free, it will be subject to data-service rates.

The latest version of Mozilla`s Thunderbird e-mail client, featuring intelligent spam filters and customisable views, is available as a free download, reports Technology News Daily.

Thunderbird has attracted more than 18 million downloads since its launch in December 2004. Mozilla says Thunderbird 1.5 is the culmination of a year`s worth of feedback from its users and delivers a safe, fast and easy-to-use e-mail solution.

Thunderbird 1.5 features several enhancements, including streamlined and automated updates, greater spam control and security, and enhanced support for podcasting.