Amazon.com and Microsoft had announced a partnership which will make 1,000 independent film titles available via Amazon.com’s CustomFlix DVD-on-demand service in HD DVD format. Under the program, Amazon will waive the processing fees for the first 1,000 films it accepts for production, while Microsoft will supply the technology necessary to encode the films and package extra features on the HD DVD discs.
“This collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers to reach Amazon customers with their films via the HD DVD format,” said Peter Faricy, Amazon.com’s VP of music and movies. “By working together with Microsoft and leveraging the proven CustomFlix DVD on Demand model, we can lower the barriers to entry for independent filmmakers and dramatically increase the selection we offer our customers.”
CustomFlix is a produce-on-demand movie service: when a customer orders a film, the company produces a one-off disc and its packaging and sends the requested content to the customer. With retail space for DVD and movie titles being so expensive, CustomFlix hopes to offer an alternative distribution channel for film content which might not otherwise be available for purchase. Sundance Channel will be reviewing the HD titles submitted to the CustomFlix HD DVD program for potential broadcast; it will also make its ecology series Big Ideas for a Small Planet available in HD DVD format via CustomFlix.
CustomFlix has not released pricing information on HD DVD titles to be offered through the program, or when the first titles will become available.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.