Just as Twentieth Century Fox announced its own Blu-ray interactive iPod Touch and iPhone app, Universal today took the wraps off its own interactive Blu-ray experiences: pocket BLU and social BLU. Both applications are designed to increase the online interactivity of Universal’s Blu-ray Disc movies.
The pocket BLU app, designed for iPhone and iPod Touch and available for free from the App Store, uses the device’s WiFi connection to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray player. Upon connecting with the Blu-ray player, it offers an advanced remote control for playback, a Video Timeline (if the device is oriented to landscape), exclusive Mobile-To-Go content on the Blu-ray Disc, and a Pop-Up Keyboard that lets users chat online with friends while watching the movie.
The other new technology, social BLU, allows users to easily sign on with their Facebook and Twitter login information and enjoy a variety of connected Blu-ray features with their friends. Users can update their Facebook and Twitter profile statuses via BD-Live, and with the click of a button rate the movie, send messages and (on future releases) be able to share film-related user-generated content with their friends via their social networking pages.
The pocket BLU app will debut this holiday season on the Blu-ray editions of Bruno (November 17), Funny People (November 24), Public Enemies (December 8), Inglourious Basterds (December 15), American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (December 22) and 9 (December 29). The social BLU technology will debut on American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.
Additionally, Universal announced it will unveil an all-new redesign of its BD-Live Center on Funny People, which makes the dynamic content on the multimedia portal easier to access, more engaging, and easier to use. On future releases, Universal will deliver additional new features based on these platforms.