dvd

Microsoft has given Windows users yet another reason to complain.

The company revealed yesterday that Media Center will not be built into Windows 8 despite past assurances that it would be part of the new OS. Instead, users of the Windows 8 Professional edition will have to pony up money for a Media Center Pack. Those running the basic version of Windows 8 will have to pay for a Windows 8 Pro Pack just to get Media Center.

The lack of Media Center also means that DVD playback won't natively be available in Windows 8 since that option won'… Read more

Microsoft announced today that it is "making Windows Media Center available in Windows 8." But... this is actually a half truth.

The tech company is taking a number of steps to make sure Windows 8 supports Media Center just like in Windows 7. However, it's changing Media Center's integration into Windows. Rather than shipping it with Windows 8 -- as it has done in the last two versions of Windows -- users now have to buy the Media Center separately as an upgrade.

"Given the changing landscape, the cost of decoder licensing, and the importance … Read more

Any mom will agree: the best Mother's Day gifts (other than jewelry, a spa day, and a Kindle Fire) are the homemade ones. They show that you appreciate her enough to invest your time and effort on something personal, something unique, something special.

For example, you know all those photos in Mom's camera, the ones she's been amassing for years but never bothers to download or print? Why not turn them into a slideshow, one you can burn to a DVD and show during the Mother's Day festivities?

Don't have the right software? Now you … Read more

Not all HD is the same. For that matter, just because you have an HDTV, that doesn't mean you're actually watching high-definition video. A variety of factors could be conspiring to create an image that's not nearly as good as what your TV is capable of.

Make sure you're getting the most from your TV with this guide.… Read more

Are you ready for large-screen ultrabooks? Well, hopefully the answer's "yes," because they're coming to stores whether you like it or not. The differentiating factors on what constituted an ultrabook -- thin, portable, power efficient, SSD, no optical drive, lack of dedicated "high-end" graphics, longer battery life -- have started to go out the window. Witness the 15-inch Samsung Series 9 and HP Envy 14 Spectre, for starters.

As far as the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3-581TG is concerned, it may make you question your entire perception of the category. DVD drive? Check. Dedicated high-end Nvidia graphics? Check. Larger hard drive options? Check. Portable? Well, not exactly, compared to 13-inch ultrabooks. The Ultra M3 is 4.4 pounds, but it is .79 inches thick. Of all of these, the biggest novelty of this Timeline is that it's the first ultrabook (as defined by Intel) to feature Nvidia graphics. It won't be the last.… Read more

Want to make your DVD library more travel-friendly? Rip those movies and load 'em up on your iPad. It sure beats paying iTunes for stuff you already own.

Speaking of paying, there's no need to spend money on a DVD ripper, either. For a limited time, you can get uRexsoft iPad DVD Ripper (Win) free of charge. It supports not only the iPad and iPad 2, but also the new iPad.… Read more

I'm on vacation for the next couple days, so I'll see you back here on Thursday. In the meantime, I have a nice, meaty topic to tide you over.

A few weeks ago I asked if it still made sense to buy CDs, what with so many download and streaming options.

Today, let's turn our attention to those other silvery platters of goodness: DVDs (and, by proxy, Blu-rays). Do they still have a place in the world?

Despite the physical similarities of the media, music and movies aren't quite the same thing. I think people tend … Read more

If you need to rip a DVD so you can watch it on your tablet, smartphone, or whatever, you're crazy if you pay money for the software to do it.

That's because a handful of software developers (all of which work out of the same office designing the same products under different names, I often suspect) routinely give away their products.

Case in point: Digiarty software is once again giving away MacX DVD Ripper Pro, which normally sells for as much as $49.95. FYI, that link takes you to the Mac version; if you want the Windows … Read more

Goodbye "Scarface" streaming on Netflix. Goodbye streaming of "Young Frankenstein," "Toy Story 3," "Big Trouble in Little China," "Beetlejuice," "Gangs of New York," and many more.

Netflix's 4-year contract with Starz ended as of yesterday, meaning that streaming of all of Starz's movies has ceased. According to CNNMoney, Starz content accounted for 2 percent of users viewing time.

Starz announced that it would end its streaming deal with Netflix last September. In a statement, the company wrote, "This decision is a result of our strategy … Read more