Sony to bow BD Live movie database

PHYSICAL: Sony Electronics bows Blu-ray laptop at $879

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/18/2009

JUNE 18 | PHYSICAL: SAN FRANCISCO—Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will enhance all major new release and catalog Blu-ray Disc titles with a Web-enabled real-time movie database starting this September.

The BD Live feature, named MovieIQ, will let viewers access frequently updated cast and crew information at the same time they watch such participating Sony Blu-ray titles as Angels & Demons, Easy Rider, Punch Drunk Love, The Quick and the Dead and Sex, Lies and Videotape. People also can immediately look up production facts and soundtrack specifics during MovieIQ-equipped titles.

"We believe it's BD Live's first killer app," SPHE senior VP of worldwide marketing Tracey Garvin said of MovieIQ during a press briefing here. The event was designed to rally support for the format with the tech press and blogs. Upcoming BD Live features include RSS, live streaming and mobile applications, Garvin said.

Also during the briefing, Sony Electronics announced a new entry-level Vaio PC equipped with a Blu-ray drive. The Vaio NW starts at $879 with Blu-ray, about $200 less than the company's current entry point.

Sony Electronics senior VP Mike Abary said that 90% of Sony's notebook PCs are now Blu-ray-enabled and estimated that 80% of all Blu-ray devices in the market are now BD Live-capable.

Blu-ray currently has a featured role in one of Microsoft's "I'm a PC" commercials, Abery noted. The PC line also will be supported this year with a retail campaign including training, retail endcaps and display signage, he said.

Studios have been experimenting for some time with BD Live features, as they've rolled out to mixed succcess with consumers. However, Warner Home Video research recently concluded that movie database information would be a coveted feature on Blu-ray.

“It has always been our goal at Sony Pictures to offer fans the ability to truly connect with their favorite movies using BD Live,” said Lexine Wong, senior executive VP of worldwide marketing at Sony. “We know many people interrupt their movie-watching experience to look up the filmography of an actor or to find out more about a song playing in the background. Now through MovieIQ, movie lovers can dive into constantly updated information about the movie they are watching without leaving their sofa, further enhancing the experience of watching movies in this always-connected age.”

Sony also has recently spruced up its BD Live offerings with the introduction of in-movie blogging tool Cinechat and offers for theatrical ticket cash. Since spring 2008, Sony has released more than 100 BD Live titles.

Gracenote, a Sony Corp. subsidiary, is powering the database technology through its Video Explore application.

Ross Blanchard, VP of business development at Gracenote, added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sony Pictures to deliver MovieIQ, a feature that takes full advantage of the Blu-ray format’s Internet connectivity and truly demonstrates that Blu-ray is the future of home entertainment. Now, movie lovers will have access to an incredible new service where they can explore and discover all the rich details on their favorite actors, directors and movies.”