Modern Joys

Only a few decades ago businesses and consumers had only a handful of choices for telephone service, but recent changes in technology have changed all that.  These days many business owners and home consumers are taking a look at a technology known as Voice Over IP, or VoIP for short, and this promising technology can be an excellent choice for both commercial and home use.

While there are many important advantages to using VoIP technology, perhaps the most important is the cost. Compared to the cost of traditional business phone service VoIP can be a real bargain.  It is this cost difference that draws many business owners to VoIP service, but it is important for any would be adopter to compare plans carefully.

The amount of cost savings will vary according to a number of factors, including the up front cost of the equipment, the ongoing cost of service and the cost associated with outages, upgrades and repairs.  It is important for business owners to consider their options carefully if they are to maximize their savings and minimize their costs.

One of the most important considerations is the scope of service being offered by the VoIP provider.  While many VoIP services allow subscribers to call anyone who has a phone, be it a cell phone, VoIP phone or a traditional landline, others allow calls only between VoIP subscribers. This restriction is a significant one, especially in the world of business, and it is important to be certain that the VoIP system is capable of reliably connecting with any type of phone.

It is also important to be aware that most VoIP providers will charge a flat monthly fee for calls within the United States, versus the minute by minute service offered by most traditional telephone providers.  In addition some VoIP providers will charge a small per minute charge for calls to foreign countries.  Business owners who need to make frequent international calls may want to inquire about flat rate plans for international calling.

The type of VoIP equipment will also vary quite a bit, and it is important for the business owner to shop around carefully and choose the type of equipment that best suits their own needs.  Some VoIP service uses a computer, along with some sort of microphone, to transmit voice calls.  In addition many of these systems can also transmit video data, making them a good choice for businesses who want to do frequent conference calls and long-distance collaborations.

Of course not all VoIP systems require a computer, and there are a growing number of systems that are indistinguishable from traditional phones.  Many VoIP service providers will provide their own phone equipment, or even an adapter than can be used with any type of phone.  Business owners will need to compare the cost of the required equipment and weigh it against the cost savings to be achieved by choosing VoIP service.

Of course nothing, not even VoIP service, is without its disadvantages.  This technology is still relatively new, and it is still undergoing some growing pains.  Business owners will need to be aware of the potential pitfalls of VoIP service as well as the benefits.

One of the most significant drawbacks of VoIP is sound quality.  The quality of sound on a VoIP system can vary quite a bit, and many users still find it inferior to traditional landline service.  Many businesses have discovered that they need to upgrade their networks in order to provide adequate bandwidth for a new VoIP system, and additional upgrades may be needed down the road to accommodate a growing phone system.  Business owners should consider the possibility that sound quality will suffer before committing to a switchover to VoIP service.

There is also the risk that an undercapitalized VoIP service provider could suddenly go out of business, taking their customers’ phone service with them.  While in many cases a new company will take over for the failed provider, there is no guarantee that their equipment will be compatible.  Business owners may suddenly find themselves faced with the choice of shelling out thousands of dollars for new equipment or going back to their traditional landline service. 

Since there is no universal standard for VoIP service it can be more difficult to switch providers in the VoIP world.  While every traditional landline service is compatible with virtually every phone in existence, the same is not true of VoIP service.  Changing from one VoIP service to another may require significant investment in new equipment, and business owners will need to be aware of these potential costs.

The bottom line is that VoIP can be a great choice for many business owners, and many businesses are already taking advantage of the cost savings and flexibility this new technology can provide.  As with any type of technology, however, it is important to be aware of both the benefits and the potential drawbacks of this new type of phone service.
 

There’s a lot of talk in the media right now about the “DTV Changeover”, the February 17, 2009 switch from analog broadcast television to digital broadcast television - and a lot of confusing information is being tossed around on all sides. There are people everywhere that are trying to sell consumers new equipment based on this changeover. You need to understand how it affects you before you decide how you’re going to respond to it.

But why the switch? As technology has moved forward, we’ve discovered more efficient ways to use the radio frequencies (RF) that analog television depends on. After the switch, television will be using less RF bandwidth and transmitting more information. More shows, more music, more entertainment, and of course, more commercials. Digital broadcasts are less prone to noise and static, and the digital signal carries much higher resolution for HD displays to take advantage of. The bandwidth that’s released by the conversion will be re-targeted and assigned to other uses by the FCC after the cutover.
 
Generally it’s explained that you will be affected if you have an analog television now (probably so, if your television is older than a couple of years) and use an antenna to pick up locally broadcast programming. If you are currently using a cable box or satellite box, the changeover won’t affect you directly unless you decide to unhook that cable/satellite tuner and attempt to tune in broadcast channels. This is the part that most people need to understand - if you are a cable or satellite subscriber, you don’t have to do anything. You won’t even notice that the switch has happened unless you disconnect your television and try to tune in broadcast channels.
 
Remember to think about all the televisions you own. Maybe you’ve got cable in the living room and bedroom, but you’ve got a TV in the shop or garage for Sunday Football that’s using an antenna. Those televisions will have to be converted or connected (to cable), or you’re going to miss Monday Night Football. The little box under the kitchen cabinet? Same thing - no more cooking shows until you convert or connect.
 
If you find yourself among those affected directly by the changeover, there are three options. You can buy a new digital television, you can buy a converter box, or you can become a cable or satellite subscriber or extend your current cable or satellite connection to the other televisions.
 
You can obtain a coupon (up to two per household) for $40 from the government that can be used towards the purchase of a converter box. It’s very important to note that they expire 90 days after they are issued, so make sure you don’t apply for them very far in advance of your own need! The coupons aren’t restricted based on income, and you can only use one per converter box. The converter box goes between your television and its antenna and allows you to tune in digital broadcasts, although only at the standard resolution of your analog television. You’ll still have access to the expanded content provided by the digital changeover, though.

A new digital television is another option, one that offers you an enhanced viewing experience, bringing you clearer, higher resolution images and better sound than the analog format provides, along with the additional content. This can be expensive, but doesn’t have to be if you aren’t looking for a particularly large screen. Most digital televisions sold today are LCD, but nearly any TV that is HDTV ready is digital, whether they’re plasma, CRT, or DLP. Make sure you ask your salesperson, just to be safe; some, fairly rare, older HDTV systems are still analog.
 
The final choice is one most of us are familiar with. You can add a television to your cable or satellite plan, but most providers require you to purchase or rent another “box” (the tuner) from them. This can seem like a waste if you don’t use the television often, so consider the long term cost carefully. In some cases you can pay for a new, small, digital television for the cost of the cable/satellite tuner! And the converter box will almost certainly be less expensive - make sure and add up the cost before you commit.

Now you know what you need to know to make an informed decision on how to deal with the DTV changeover, and you know when it’s coming. All that’s left is adding up the cost and making the final decision. Add up the numbers and get ready to join the digital television revolution!

Congratulations to Tesla Motors who send word they have begun production at their UK facility. Tesla Motors produces fully electric sports vehicles for the retail market. There mission: “Tesla Motors designs and sells high-performance, highly efficient electric sports cars — with no compromises. Tesla Motors cars combine style, acceleration, and handling with advanced technologies that make them among the quickest and the most energy-efficient cars on the road”. This is really cool stuff, so after reviewing their statement remember to go check them out …

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Message from the Tesla team:

This morning at the Hethel, UK facility, regular production began with VIN002. This is an historical milestone for Tesla Motors and a watershed in the development of clean, zero-emissions vehicles.Tesla issued a press release regarding this news today that can be found here.

Tesla Motors president and CEO Ze’ev Drori also shared his thoughts on the Tesla blog which can be read here.

Toshiba is pulling the plug on production of HD DVD players, and the retail DVD business is scrambling. Obviously, those who invested in HD DVD players are smarted most by Toshiba’s announcement. For others, who purchased Blu-Ray players, or stayed out of the mess altogether, there is still many issues at hand. Consumers are asking themselves how will this decision affect me? The simple answer is– in more ways than one.

DVDs are now officially on the way out.

While the next generation in DVD format war waged on, retailers were nervous to pull regular DVD discs from the shelves. The majority of American households had not committed to one format over the other, and too many were staying out the fray altogether. Now a clear winner has emerged, expect movie stores and electronic outlets to fully transition to Blu-Ray products over the next few years. There will be an expectation for families to invest in a Blu-Ray disc player, at least those wishing to stay current on the latest in movie viewing pleasure.

Blu-Ray discs will let Hollywood studios offer more content.

One of the chief reasons Blu-Ray discs won out over HD DVD formats was an improvement in storage ability. Current Blu-Ray disc versions offer 20 GB of more data storage over HD DVD. Research teams have demonstrated the ability for Blu-Ray discs to hold as much as ten times more that difference. More space on a disc means more cast interviews, more behind-the-scenes footage, and even the possibility for 3-D movies at home. The media opportunities are endless with so much recordable memory available, and one little blue laser to read it all.

Pay more for next generation DVDs.

While consumers may have won out in the quality department, they lost in the pricing category. On average, Blu-Ray discs are $5-$10 more per unit than HD DVD movies. This price is unlikely to lower anytime soon since the competition is conquered. On the bright side, now studios no longer have to choose which format to release a movie in. Prices may come down if movie ticket sales remain slow in an attempt to buttress the sag in box office returns.

Expect greater picture quality.

Blu-ray disc players boast 1080p video resolution, while the HD DVD players could only produce 720p, and 1080i. The p, standing for progressive scan, is a higher picture quality than interlaced pictures, or the i. Have you ever videotaped by camcorder a program on television, tried to play it back and saw white horizontal lines moving up and down the screen? That effect is interlacing video, an older technology developed to conserve bandwidth. Only the odd or even picture lines are expressed in a single moment faster than the eye can see, so the picture views without a flicker. Progressive scan uses more bandwidth, expresses all resolution lines in sequence, producing a much crisper picture. The number in front of the letter equals the amount of horizontal lines of resolution used to make up a video picture.

The console wars will take a turn for the worse for Microsoft.

The Microsoft Corporation heavily backed Toshiba’s HD DVD format and provided some of the software platform, the HDi. In fact, the computer giant claimed the Java based Blu-Ray was less cooperative with existing computer software. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 also began offering HD DVD drives as an accessory in 2006. Now that their main competitor, Sony’s PlayStation 3, also owns the rights to the Blu-Ray disc technology, this could spell further trouble for the gaming division of the Microsoft. PlayStation 3 sales will likely get a huge boost now through Christmas since the price of the console is the same cost as the stand alone Blu-Ray player.

Newer technology is currently in research to give at-home viewers even better movie experiences in the living room. Flash memory and other forms of stable hard drives are in development to produce even better picture and sound quality. As consumer expectations of home theaters grow, this won’t be the last time customers will hear about wars between competing technologies in state of the art viewing equipment. The current dispute between second generation DVD players may indeed be resolved. The retail reality is it will take a while for prices to stabilize, both for players and the movie discs. However, expect a Blu-Ray player to be the top of everyone’s gift list for any occasion.

By:Elizabeth Ann West

By: Elizabeth Ann West

February 17, 2009 is the big day. It is the day when the rabbit ear will come down. Tin foil will go back to being used primarily in the kitchen. It will be the day that digital television kills the analog star. But how do you as a consumer benefit from this transition? In addition to superior quality, digital television is going to improve communication services and auxiliary functions of a television set.

First, if you receive any kind of digital cable services at your home, you have already voluntarily switched over. Congratulations, hope you are enjoying your improved picture and sound. If you are still only watching the five or six channels available for free by means of an antenna, you might be in trouble. A converter box is now available for purchase for less than $100, and the federal government is also offering a $40 coupon for up to two purchases of converter boxes.

Digital television allows for more efficient transmission of television programming from broadcasters to American homes. Multicasting, sending multiple television shows at once, is a large cost saving measure for broadcasters. This will allow companies to invest on improving digital and other new technologies as they become available, rather than also concentrating on an obsolete system like analog television. In addition, more channels and programming can also be offered in high definition television, the future of clear sound and picture broadcasting.

All television broadcasts take up space of the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum states at what megahertz intervals certain forms of energy exist at. Energy like x-rays and microwaves are at the higher end of the spectrum. Radio waves, the energy used to transmit everything from radios and television broadcast to cell phone use, is restricted to a 1000 megahertz interval in the bottom half of the spectrum. Digital television economizes the spectrum width required to broadcast television programs, thus freeing up spectrum for other uses.

Since electromagnetic spectrum is regulated by the government, the extra spectrum will first be used to improve our emergency and first responder networks. During the 2001 terrorist attacks, cell phones in affected areas were jammed from everyone trying to use the same infrastructure at once. Communication between emergency workers was affected, and one of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission was to fix this gross response vulnerability. The rest of the bandwidth will be auctioned off for new products and services as they become available, to improve communication standards for the rest of us.

Another benefit of digital television is its ability to interact with viewers on a multimedia level. Menu guides, digital video recorders (DVR), and closed captioning all have more variety and options with digital television. Some companies are even experimenting with advertising that allows a user to push a “select” or “enter” button to find out more about products and services they are interested in during a commercial. Closed captioning can be put into a different color, larger font, or slowed down for the hearing impaired. No reason to still get out a pair of reading glasses to watch television.

The transition to digital television is going to be a quiet revolution. Most homes have already switched from analog to digital television signals simply by purchasing a new television set in recent years, or subscribing to cable and satellite services. Cable companies have run digital cable to the majority of neighborhoods in urban and suburban areas. By making sure you are on the digital television express train, you are utilizing resources that have been available to you for years. This movement my also speed up the rate at which digital services reach more rural areas.

Even if you are part of the population needing a digital television converter box, your sacrifice will not be for nothing. Your family will enjoy better television programming. Never again resort to the percussive maintenance of striking the television or fiddling with antenna to get a better picture! Your family will also be a part of the greater good by helping to free up bandwidth for our emergency workers. Emergency services rely on that communication in crisis situations to save us and our loved ones from danger. Finally, look forward to the increased products and multimedia functions your television set can provide. Stop searching for the TV Guide to find out what’s coming on; simply use the menu guide or other functions available. After a few months of enjoying digital television, you will be asking yourself “How did I ever live without it?”

How Does GPS Work? 

GPS – Global Positioning System 

Global positioning system navigation devices have become very popular in the last couple of years. This technology is now built into automobiles, laptop computers, and is available in dedicated handheld units. But what is GPS, anyway? 

It’s All Happening Overhead 

Linked positioning satellites circling overhead transmit regular signals that are evaluated by your GPS receiver to determine your precise location.   

Microwave signals sent from these satellites travel at precise speeds that can be measured.  Knowing how much time has elapsed between the time the signal is sent by the satellite to the time it is received by the GPS receiver pinpoints time and location.   

Your GPS device receives signals from the satellites nearest to you and evaluates the delay in each signal as well as the position of each satellite to establish your precise location on the ground. 

So, What’s Up There? 

Currently NAVSTAR, the satellite system developed by the United States Department of Defense, is the only completely functioning system on earth, but other nations are working to develop their own networks. Galileo, controlled by the European Union nations, Russia’s GLONASS, and IRNSS under development by India, are all in different stages of completion. 

NAVSTAR’s satellite system is managed by the United States Air Force, and consists of over twenty orbiting satellites.  It is free for public use. 

The Future of GPS 

GPS receivers are becoming less expensive to produce, opening the door to more innovative ways to take advantage of the technology. Soon GPS receivers will be attached to your valuables as a security measure, injected under the skin of your favorite pet as a safeguard, and incorporated into the clothing your child wears.  The technology is here to stay, and the future is orbiting just overhead.

New advances in Bluetooth technology have made this small and ingenious device more useful than Dick Tracey’s wristwatch.  If you have heard the term Bluetooth, but have had questions about its uses, lets explore the wonders of the 21st century with the device that brings electronics to your earlobe.

What is Bluetooth

Bluetooth is still most closely associated with cell phones.  It is a small, often bullet shaped electronic receiver that uses short wave radio frequencies to communicate with other devices.  It rests next to or inside the ear and is usually looped around the back of the ear lobe with a plastic harness.  The entire device is very light and safe to use.  Calls are made or received by tapping buttons on the headset.  This allows the user to access a phone or other device 300 feet away or more. The Bluetooth signal does not require line-of-sight in order to operate either, so the phone can be in another room or even rooms away.
  

  Improvements

There have been a number of advances in recent years to enhance Bluetooth technology and make it more user friendly.  The original Bluetooth units were sometimes hard to pair with their devices and had to be made specifically for a single type of device in order to work at all.  Pairing, a process in which the Bluetooth connects wirelessly to another device was sometimes difficult to accomplish.  Newer technologies have made pairing and security protocols designed to encrypt information and control eavesdropping more effective and easier to use.

Where you will Find Bluetooth Now

Bluetooth is now a common feature in computers, either built in or incorporated via USB with the addition of a dongle.  This enables a remote Bluetooth signal to interact with your computer in a way similar to that of your mouse or keyboard. Bluetooth is also being used with GPS navigation systems, MP3 players, printers, newer generation gaming systems, and stereo headphones. But the day is coming when ovens, DVRs, garage doors, household thermostats, and potentially any device with an electronic interface can be linked to a Bluetooth receiver.

The Future of Bluetooth

In the last couple of years, there have been enhancements in the interoperability of Bluetooth with multiple devices.  Bluetooth networks can now interact with up to seven devices at the same time.  In the near future, potentially hundreds of devices will be under your control with a tap of the finger.

There are currently thousands of companies working to develop products that will utilize this new technology, bringing Bluetooth into every corner of our lives. 

Summary

The first stumbling steps of Bluetooth technology were hit-or-miss, leading to some annoyance and frustration, but now Bluetooth is entering its golden age.  New applications are being marketed every day.  As an example, you can walk into a photo kiosk and use your Bluetooth to send a photo from your phone to a photo development device that will print the photo for you.  You can send a signal from your Bluetooth to your computer to ask it to send your brioche recipe to your printer. In the not too distant future, you will be able to program your oven with your Bluetooth or use it start your robotic vacuum. 

Bluetooth will be as indispensable as email, and instead of using the traditional console with flashing lights that we’ve come to expect from so many science fiction movies, we will be wirelessly connected to our homes and workplaces using a small receiver strapped to our ears.

I wanted to share with my readers a portion of a newsletter provided to me by Tesla Motors. For those of you who may not know Tesla Motors is the manufacturer of the Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car which is on par in performance with some of the top carbon based automobiles produced today. Some of the performance specifications for  this car include: ability to accelerate from 0 - 60 mph in about 4 seconds; 135 mpg equivalent (over 200 miles per charge) or less than 2 cents per mile.   

I’m really excited about this vehicle because it is truly the future of transportation, and I for one would love to have a Tesla Roadster as my next automobile…. So when are they going to build a charging infrastructure in Toronto, Canada? 

Newsletter: 

Building out a nationwide EV charging infrastructure is an important part of the Tesla Motors vision. Recently Tesla Motors was awarded a grant by the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission to develop a 16 kilowatt public charging station. And this week Hyatt Hotels announced its intent to install charging stations at select properties, starting in the state of California.  

Hyatt and Tesla Motors on Wednesday celebrated the agreement with a joint road tour of Northern California. The Tesla Roadster made a short stop at the Hyatt Hotel at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and then continued on to Sacramento, where Tesla Motors staffers met with senior state legislative officials. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom stopped by the event and announced he had recently reserved a Tesla Roadster. He had an opportunity to take the car out for a short spin and came back all smiles.  After a short recharging demonstration in Sacramento, the Tesla Roadster hit the road to Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa, and Casino, and then it was back the Tesla Motors San Carlos, Calif., headquarters.  With a range of more than 200 miles on one charge, the Tesla Roadster is set for most day-trips and daily work commutes. An optional mobile changing kit that is compatible with 110- and 220-volt outlets is also available for charging on the road. Charging Stations at select Hyatt Hotels are an added convenience: The Tesla Roadster can be plugged in at night so it will recharge while its owner enjoys a relaxing dinner and a good night’s sleep. In fact, our customers have been vocal about their desire for fast-charging devices like the Home Charging Station (which comes with each Tesla Roadster and is installed in the owner’s garage) in public locations. The Hyatt agreement is the first step in our efforts to fulfill their request. Look for similar announcements in the future.  

Have you noticed your wireless internet connection dropping without warning?  Your cordless phone might be to blame.  Wireless routers utilize the 2.4 gigahertz frequency band, and so do most cordless phones.  Bluetooth devices, Xbox 360 controllers, Playstation 3 controllers, baby monitors, and microwave ovens can also interfere with wireless signals.  Cellular phones do not contribute to interference with Wi-Fi because they operate on very different frequencies. 

The Federal Communications Commission has divided the airwave spectrum into bands that are reserved for certain uses.  The crowded 2.4 GHz band is divided into 14 channels.  Some devices randomly select a channel to operate on each time they are powered up, while others rotate channels during each session of use. When a device is operating on the same channel as a phone, the user hears severe static.  The same garbling that causes static is deadly to wireless internet.  Interference is not limited to situations where devices are operating on the same channel.  If devices are operating on adjacent frequencies, there can still be interference. 

Luckily, there is a short term solution to the problem.  A new generation of cordless phones operates on the 5.8 GHz band.  These phones also allow users to roam farther from the base.  5.8 GHz phones have come down quite a bit in price, and are now available from major retailers starting at $35.  By utilizing a 5.8 GHz phone, you will be able to unclutter the 2.4 GHz band in your home.   

In the long term, the interference problem will be solved by new advances in Wi-Fi technology.  The next generation of Wi-Fi hardware will comply with new 802.11a standards.  802.11a will operate at the 5 GHz band.  This band is very different from the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands being used by other devices.  It should also improve the power and range of Wi-Fi signals.  As Wi-Fi continues to grow in popularity, 802.11a routers will likely become the industry standard.  As users set out to equip their home with wireless technology, they need to coordinate the frequencies that their devices will be operating on.  Ideally, a Wi-Fi network will utilize the least crowded band range.   Cordless phones and other devices can be purchased and set up with greater ease and at a much lower cost.

Technology is constantly improving whereby displays are getting sharper and sounds becoming louder and clearer.  Devices continue to hold more and more information.  A little over 10 years ago, DVD was starting to show its dominance over VHS.  Now DVDs are reaching the end of their reign, with new formats entering the horizon.  However, unlike DVDs, there is no clear indication of what this format will be.  Similar to the VHS/Betamax war in the 80s, there is a war between two formats, Blu-ray and HD-DVD. 

If you are wondering why DVDs are being replaced, the simple reason for the transition is high definition content.  The maximum resolution that can be played by a DVD is 720×480.  In contrast, both HD DVD and Blu-ray technologies can display a resolution of up to 1920×1080.  This results in a much clearer picture.  The two new formats also hold much more data.  A single layer DVD can hold up to 4.7 gigs of data.  Dual layer can hold up to 8.5 gigs.  HD-DVD can hold a lot more information: 15 gigs of data in single layer and 30 gigs dual layer.  Blu-ray holds even more: 25 gigs single layer and a whopping 50 gigs dual layer. 

The big question right now is which one to buy.  There is no quick answer.  However, before we get to which player to choose, you should know all of the costs associated with viewing high definition movies.   

The first component that is required is an HDTV.  When buying an HDTV, the key term you are looking for is resolution.  The resolution should be at least 720p (1280×720 at 60 frames/sec), or 1080i (1920×1080 at 30 frames/sec).  As a comparison, a DVD player will usually play a movie at 480p (704×480 at 60 frames/sec).  FYI, “i” stands for interlaced and “p” stands for progressive.  Progressive generally provides a smoother picture during a movie than interlaced.  If you have the money, you can go for a 1080p HDTV (1920×1080 at 60 frames/sec).  This is currently the highest resolution for Blu-ray or HD-DVD and as such, it is quite expensive.  When purchasing an HDTV, keep in mind that there are plenty of other factors besides resolution to consider.  You should do a lot of research and view a lot of HDTVs before deciding on which one to purchase. 

Once you have an HDTV, you need the right cables.  If you have a yellow composite cable, or black S-Video cable laying around, forget about them.  Picture quality will be terrible with either of these cables.  Component cables (purple, blue and green), or VGA cables will provide decent picture quality, but are by no means optimal.  The best cables right now are HDMI cables and they are approximately $80.  While they may seem expensive, they do provide the best picture quality and excellent digital sound quality.  When buying an HDTV, make sure there is an HDMI jack available on it.   Now let’s get to the cost of the player itself.  HD DVD players right now retail between $250 - $650 US.   Blu-ray disc players cost between $450 - $800 US.  Currently, HD DVD is cheaper than Blu-ray, because the HD DVD evolved from the DVD player.  Blu-ray is an entirely new technology.  While Blu-ray does hold more content than HD DVD, all other features are generally similar for both players. 

Which format should you buy?  As mentioned before, there is no definitive answer to that question.  Right now, Blu-ray has the slight edge on HD-DVD.  This is because all Play Station III systems come with a Blu-ray drive, and more Blu-ray movies are being sold than HD-DVD.  There are also more movies studios committed to Blu-ray than HD DVD.  However, keep in mind that there are certain features missing with the current Blu-ray devices.  If you purchase a Blu-ray drive now, you may not be able to use some of the features on newer Blu-ray discs.  As it stands, it is still too early to determine which format will win.  Therefore it would be risky to choose one format over the other at this time. 

Fortunately there are companies looking to bypass this competition.  LG has created a player that supports both HD DVD and Blu-ray technology.  However, it retails for about $1200.00 and not all HD DVD features are supported yet.  Future revisions of this product may yield better functionality and a more affordable price.  Warner Home Video is also planning to release a disc that is capable of playing both formats in late 2007/early 2008.  

If you are going to buy a next-gen player right away, then I would go with the Blu-ray.  Currently, Blu-ray has the edge in the format wars.  There are more Blu-ray titles being sold and there is more backing from movie companies.  It is still way too early to consider Blu-ray the winner but anything can happen in the next year or two.  The best advice is to wait a little longer.  In 2008, the winner of the Blu-ray/HD DVD war may become a lot clearer. 

Nicholas Gilhooly
Multimedia Specialist
www.ModernJoys.com