NetBlender recently announced a new technology called BD Touch, that connects Apple’s (News - Alert) iPod Touch and iPhone devices to Blu-ray disc content and players. BD Touch leverages built-in Blu-ray and WiFi connection on the Apple’s devices.

 

BD Touch will also work on all BD-Live enabled Blu-ray disc player like Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3, for which a firmware update was released in March 2008.

 

BD Touch enables transfer of digital copies of movies from a Blu-ray disc menus, real-time movie details and Blu-ray disc titles, incorporating this data into games using the iPhone (News - Alert) as a controller.

 

BD Touch features also include search and e-commerce possibilities.

 

“Having spent the past decade building interactive video products we are thrilled to bring together two of the most interactive consumer products ever created with BD Touch,” said John Harrington, NetBlender CEO, in a statement. “We began R&D on integrating the two devices right after I experienced the iPhone Multi-Touch interface for the first time.”

 

Denny Breitenfeld, NetBlender CTO, stated that, having released the BD Touch software developer kit (SDK) to the iPhone community, the company is eager to see creative possibilities for Blu-ray interactivity flourish.

 

He also said that the BD Touch framework was built into the company’s Blu-ray disc authoring solution, DoStudio, so Blu-ray authors at every level of the industry can take advantage of new applications with point and click ease.

 

To create iPhone applications with BD Touch features, NetBlender has created two BD Touch SDK programs for developers.

 

First, The BD Touch — Connect SDK provides specification for data transfer between a BD Touch enabled Blu-Ray disc and an iPhone/ iPod Touch. It also provides a robust security framework and ensures compatibility with all BD Live enabled players.

 

Second, BD Touch Premiere Blend/In SDK is an extended developer kit designed for studios and software companies who require customized solutions that incorporate BD Touch features. NetBlender approves all Premiere Blend/In partners and provides support and testing tools. Some of the extended capabilities include option to simultaneously connect multiple iPhones to a Blu-ray disc and capability to receive and respond from the Blu-ray disc to a 3D motion information from the iPhone.

 

Using these SDKs, developers can create free or commercial applications.

 

"BD Touch is another great example of NetBlender's thought leadership in the professional Blu-ray authoring market. We are pleased that NetBlender's DoStudio, which incorporates Corel's PureHD Multiplexing technology, is continuing to expand the creative possibilities for next generation media professionals." said Jeff Hastings, President and GM Corel Digital Media.

 

In the high-definition disc “format war,” Sony’s Blu-ray finally won over HD DVD in February, when Toshiba (News - Alert) Corp. announced it would exit the high-definition format business. Since then Blu-ray disc adoption has picked up with retailers offering coupons to existing HD DVD format owners.