First Blu-ray Player With 250GB Hard Drive, Wi-Fi, NetCast Entertainment Access and Gracenote MusicID-Stream
LG Electronics just announced the BD590 — the first Blu-ray Disc player to feature an integrated 250-gigabyte (GB) hard drive, thereby creating a Media Library, allowing for easy storage and instant playback of music, photos, personal videos and online movies from VUDU’s download service.
With its built-in 250GB hard drive, LG’s BD590 enables consumers to consolidate their digital media files in a single device for exceptional high-resolution enjoyment. Consumers can quickly copy and archive their CD music collection onto the BD590 by making use of the product’s MusicID feature powered by Gracenote. 
For the first time in any home Blu-ray product, the BD590 will feature Gracenote’s MusicID-Stream™, which allows consumers to hear a song playing in a movie or TV show by simply pressing a button on their remote control. Gracenote then returns rich information on the song, such as artist and genre, along with album cover art. Photos or personal videos that may have been scattered throughout the home on PCs or digital cameras can now be simply imported via the USB or Ethernet port to create a single organized library of personal memories.
Through LG’s NetCast functionality, the BD590 also allows consumers to purchase movies from VUDU, with the option to stream or store movies directly on the hard drive. Consumers also will enjoy built-in Wi-Fi connectivity that allows consumers flexibility when installing a home entertainment system by connecting directly to any existing 802.11n wireless home network. Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) functionality expands entertainment options by enabling easier access to family videos and pictures stored on other DLNA-enabled systems, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite memories on the big HDTV screen, rather than smaller computer monitors.
Incorporating LG’s NetCast Entertainment Access, the entire line of Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems offer consumers convenient access to a virtually endless array of entertainment content options with the largest variety of content options for consumers. NetCast Entertainment Access allows instant access to Netflix™, CinemaNow™, VUDU, YouTube™ and Pandora. New content partners for 2010 include the Picasa photo service and forecasts from AccuWeather.
To take full advantage of the Blu-ray format, LG’s Network Blu-ray players also provide convenient access to BD Live, which offers a wide variety of content, such as movie scene extras, new previews and the ability to read synopses and rate movies. Also included are Bonus View features which provide picture-in-picture access to Blu-ray Disc special features, allowing consumers to toggle between their favorite movie scenes and bonus features on the disc. For those with a library full of both standard and Blu-ray titles, LG’s players utilize 1080p upscaling of standard DVDs for a near high definition viewing experience — no matter what format is being played.
LG will also offer the BD570, which has the same specifications as the BD590, minus the hard drive. Both players are due to be released in February 2010. Prices to be announced.
