11/01/09 - 11/07/09 SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION’S SKA REVIEW WRITING SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

Oct

31

2009

SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION’S SKA REVIEW WRITING SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.

Eligibility: SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION’s Review Writing Giveaway Sweepstakes is open only to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Sears Holdings Management Corporation, its affiliates, agents, and its advertising and promotion agencies, and their respective immediate family members (spouse, children, parents and siblings) and those living in the same household of each (whether or not related), are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited and subject to all laws.

Two ways to enter: (1) Online: When you submit a qualifying product review in a qualifying product category (as defined below) on MySears.com between 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, November 1, 2009 and 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, November 7, 2009, you will be automatically entered in the sweepstakes and eligible for the drawing conducted after the sweepstakes end date.  By entering this contest, entrants agree that all ideas comply with Sponsor’s Terms of Use for its website, found at http://www.mysears.com/terms_of_service. (2) By U.S. Mail: Hand-print your complete name, age, complete address (including ZIP Code), phone, either “Sears SKA Review Sweepstakes drawing” or and email address (optional) on a plain 3"x5" paper and mail it in a hand-addressed #10 envelope with first class postage affixed, to: Sears Holdings Management Corporation’s SKA Review Writing Sweepstakes, c/o Viewpoints Network, 222 West Hubbard, Suite 310, Chicago, IL 60654. Upon receipt of your mail-in entry, you will be automatically entered in the sweepstakes. Entries must be postmarked by November 7, 2009 and received by November 20,  2009 to be included in the sweepstakes drawing. Mechanically produced entries are not eligible.

A qualifying product review consists of:

1) Each product review must be of a product included in the website product catalog

2) Each product review is subject to editorial review

3) If the product is being reviewed for the first time, all review fields marked as mandatory on the website should be completed

4) Content of the review must be relevant to the product being reviewed

5) Content of the review must not contain profanity, non-family-friendly content, derogatory, or other inappropriate content;

6) Each review must be original content and uniquely created for Sears,  , must not be copied from any other online or offline source, and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity

7) Each product review must be a minimum of 250 characters in length (about 45 words)

 

A qualifying product category for purposes of this promotion only include:

• For the Home

 

In the event of dispute over the identity of a potential winner, online entries will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at the time of entry, and the potential winner may be required to provide identification sufficient to show that he/she is the authorized account holder of the email address submitted upon entry. "Authorized account holder" is the natural person who is assigned to an email address by the Internet Access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning email addresses.

Proof of emailing does not constitute proof of delivery or entry. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned to entrant. Every entry submission must be manually keystroked and/or manually entered by the individual entrant. Automated and/or repetitive electronic submission of entries (including but not limited to entries made using any script, macro, bot or sweepstakes service) will be disqualified and transmissions from any related email or IP addresses may be blocked.

Random Drawings:  Ten (10) potential prize winners, along with ten alternate potential prize winners, will be selected from among all combined eligible entries submitted online to MySears.com and mail-in entries designated “Sears SKA Review Sweepstakes drawing” in a random drawing conducted on or about November 20, 2009.  Drawing will be conducted by Sponsor or its designee,, whose decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the sweepstakes.  To win, the potential winner must: (i) comply with all requirements set forth in these rules; and (ii) except where prohibited by law, sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release from Liability, which will be provided by Sponsor.  If the potential winner does not meet the above requirements, or is otherwise disqualified, then the first alternate potential winner will become eligible to win the prize.  If, for any reason, the first alternate potential winner does not meet the above requirements, or is otherwise disqualified, then the remaining alternate potential winners will each, in turn, become eligible to win the prize until an alternate potential winner complies with the above criteria.

(A)    Prizes. Stand Mixer Prize:  There will be two (2) Stand Mixer Prizes, each consisting of a Kenmore Elite Stand Mixer (item number 89208).  Approximate Retail Value (ARV):  $249.99 each;

(B)    Coffee Maker Prize:  There will be two (2) Coffee Maker Prizes, each consisting of a Kenmore Grind & Brew Coffee Maker (item number 94006). ARV:  $149.99 each.

 

(C)    Toaster Prize:  There will be four (4) Toaster Prizes, two (2) consisting of a Kenmore Elite 2sl Toaster   (item number 90003). ARV:  $62.49 each and two (2) consisting of a Kenmore Elite 4sl Toaster (item number 90004) ARV: $87.49 each

(D)      Food Processor Prize:  There will be two (2) Food Processor Prizes, each consisting of a Kenmore Elite Food Processor (item number 90002). ARV:  $174.99 each.

 

Total Retail Value of All Prizes: $1449.99.  Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received prior to each drawing.  Limit one Prize per household.  Prizes won by minors will be awarded in minor’s name to a parent or legal guardian, who will be required to sign all required documents.

Prize Acceptance:  By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final in all respects.  Potential Prize winners will be required to provide a valid shipping address where they can receive the Prize to Sponsor.  Potential Prize winners who cannot or do not comply with this requirement or other provisions of these Official Rules may be disqualified, and an alternate winner may be selected from the remaining eligible entries at Sponsor’s sole discretion.  Prizes are not transferable. Taxes on Prizes are sole responsibility of winner. Winners of prizes valued over $600 will receive a 1099 IRS tax form at year end for the actual retail value of Prize.  No Prize substitutions or cash redemptions allowed except by Sponsor, who may substitute a Prize of equal or greater value if advertised Prize becomes unavailable.  Winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability and publicity (where permitted) within a time period designated by Sponsor, or Prize may be forfeited.   If potential Winner cannot be reached, if he/she is found to ineligible, if he/she cannot or does not comply with these Official Rules, or if his/her prize or prize notification or any prize correspondence is returned as undeliverable, potential Winner may be disqualified and an alternate may be selected from the remaining eligible entries at Sponsor’s sole discretion.  By accepting Prize, winner consents to use of name and likeness for advertising purposes worldwide without limitation and without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law.  By accepting prize, winner further agrees to release Sponsor and its parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, related companies and advertising and promotion agencies, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees and agents from any and all liability, loss or damage of any kind arising out of or in connection with their participation in this Sweepstakes or with respect to awarding, receipt, possession, use and/or misuse of any Prize.  Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other errors in the printing, the offering or the announcement of any prize of the promotion.

Miscellaneous: By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges, which are final in all respects. No cash or other substitution or transfer of prizes permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value due to prize unavailability due to circumstances beyond its control. Winners will be notified by email or U.S. mail. Return of any prize notification as non-deliverable will result in disqualification, and an alternate winner being randomly selected. Winners will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and (where not prohibited) Publicity Release within ten (10) days of attempted notification or winner will be disqualified and an alternate will be randomly selected. All taxes or prizes are the sole responsibility of the individual winners.

By participating, entrants agree: (1) that Sponsor may (unless prohibited by law) use winner's name, city of residence, photograph and/or likeness for advertising and other promotional purposes without further review or compensation in any media, in perpetuity and worldwide; (2) to hold Sponsor, its parent, divisions, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and other agents and their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents and assigns harmless against any and all claims, loss, liability, injury or damage to entrant or any other person or entity due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by reason of their acceptance, possession or use of a prize or their participation in this sweepstakes.

By participating, entrants hereby agree that sponsor is not responsible for incomplete, lost, late, damaged, illegible, misplaced or misdirected email/mailed entries or faulty transmissions, technical computer hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or interrupted or unavailable network connections, or failed, incomplete, garbled, misrouted, scrambled or delayed computer transmission or other errors or problems of any kind, whether mechanical, human, electronic or otherwise, which may limit a user's ability to participate in the sweepstakes. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prizes. Entrants further agree that sponsor assumes no responsibility or liability for (a) any incorrect or inaccurate entry information, or for any faulty, failed, garbled or jumbled electronic data transmissions; (b) any unauthorized access to, or theft, destruction or alteration of entries at any point in the operation of this Sweepstakes; (c) any technical malfunction, failure, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or communications line failure, regardless of cause, with regard to any equipment, systems, networks, lines, satellites, servers, computers or providers utilized in any aspect of the operation of the Sweepstakes; or, (d) inaccessibility or unavailability of the internet or the website or any combination thereof; (e) any injury or damage to participants or to any other person's computer which may be related to or resulting from any attempt to participate in the Sweepstakes or download any materials in the Sweepstakes.

Sponsor reserves the right to (1) disqualify any entrant and void any entries of an entrant who has engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct, fraud or other misconduct relative to this sweepstakes or otherwise attempted to tamper with or impair the sweepstakes, and to (2) cancel, modify, suspend or terminate the online portion of the sweepstakes if, in Sponsor's sole opinion, technical failures, applicable laws or regulations, virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other cause beyond Sponsor's reasonable control destroys the integrity of the sweepstakes or otherwise corrupts or impairs the administration, security, legality, fairness or proper play of the sweepstakes or any part thereof.

Sponsor also reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual found to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or the website, or to be acting in any manner Sponsor deems to be in violation of the Official Rules or disruptive, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. If, for any reason, the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned for reasons which may include without limitation, infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, violation of applicable law or regulation or any other causes which may corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes in whole or in part.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A USER OR ENTRANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Sponsor: SEARS HOLDINGS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Winners List: For a winners list (available after November 20, 2009) send a separate self-addressed stamped #10 envelope to be received by December 31, 2009, to: Sears SKA Review Sweepstakes C/O Viewpoints Network, 222 West Hubbard, Suite 310, Chicago, IL 60654.

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Invitation to the Party

Oct

30

2009

I’ve received the honor of being the Best Man at my little brother’s wedding which means 2 things. First, I am going to have to deliver a once in a lifetime speech. Second, I have to plan a guys night out. Upon embarking on this adventure, I was certain the speech would be the hard part and the outing would be the easy part. I thought, “send an email and invite them via social networking sites then follow up with an email maybe an evite and all will be well.” In the age of cell phones, email, evites, blogs, social networking and all other forms of emerging media, I’ve discovered that getting 20-30 guys together for an outing is harder than ever. Why? Because not everyone responds to one or two forms of communication even though they subscribe to all of them! Not to mention, with the holidays upon us, bustling work lives and active home lives, everyone is tapped for time, including me.

 

Chasing people down with changed email addresses and cell phone numbers is difficult, and the stress of finding the right words for the speech can be tremendous. So, you may ask, “Why work so hard to find them? It’s their loss if they don’t reply. It’s only a speech.” It’s because I am committed to doing my part to positively influence my brother’s experience as we approach a pivotal moment in his life. This attitude is why I chose to work for Sears and why I shop at Sears. Their commitment to customer service is similar. This is why Sears emails, blogs, uses social media and sends pre-printed advertisements to our homes. Sears want us all to come to the party because we’re all important.

About Me

I am John Farabee, and I am the National Inventory Manager for Sears Hometown Stores and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms based in Hoffman Estates, IL. My team and I work with all Sears teams and Hometown Owners to make sure the right amount of merchandise is in the right place at the right time because you’re important to me.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are part of the retail operation of Sears Holdings Corporation and located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is the locally owned and operated store and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, Sears brands like Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

 

 

Innovative products brought to life by the Blue Tools Crew!

Oct

30

2009

One of the fun things about being involved with the products we sell is seeing the evolution from concept all the way to delivery in to the customer’s hands.  You can’t help but hope that everyone shares the same excitement you experience.  I remember the first time I saw these two new Craftsman innovation items and thinking about how cool and functional they actually were.  After all, it isn’t enough for a product to just be new.  It has to function to make your life easier, provide you with something that may be missing.

This Holiday, we are introducing a couple of great new wrench innovation items that I hope everyone likes just as much as I do.  Not only will they make your life easier, they will lighten the load in your toolbox and in you wallet

At $19.99, the Craftsman Dog bone has the unique functionality of fitting 8 different size sockets on one wrench.  It has a Go-thru swivel head that allows for easy access and fits just about any angle.  On top of all that, it has a built-in 8lb magnet great for holding fasteners without losing them.  When you really think about it, the beauty of this device is replacing 8 different size wrenches in your toolbox and replacing it with just one.  It’s durable enough to handle a rugged job, but convenient enough to take anywhere.  Pick it up today in standard or metric (14277/14278)

Also at $19.99 is the Universal Wrench Set.  Like the Dog bone, this wrench set promises to make your life easier.  The unique Universal tooth design on the box head of this wrench fits 6 different types of fasteners including Hex 6pt, Square 4pt, Hex 12pt, External Torx, Spline and partially rounded.  It also has a reinforced open end for increased access.  It comes in a 6pc set and includes a bonus 7^thwrench and case.  When you think about this wrench set, think about the tag line “one wrench, many jobs”.  Think about how many different wrenches this can replace in your toolbox.  Available in standard or metric (14018/14019)

This is just the beginning of Innovation for Craftsman Mechanic’s tools.  2010 is shaping up to be a stellar year with tons of exciting new products designed to be truly innovative. 

 

We're having way too much Halloween Fun!

Oct

30

2009

Here at Sears, there's never a shortage of fun!  Today being Halloween means costumes galore.  Here are a few examples of Sear associates (and their kids) and the fun costumes they wore to work:

 

 

 

 

Last, but by no means least - the only costumed member of the community team - our very own Molly:

Molly decided to go as April O'Neil of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fame.

Don't forget to send us your photos to enter our Halloween Costume Contest.  All of the details for the contest can be found here.  Hurry the contest ends November 1st - we can't wait to see what you've come up with!

Tired of raking leaves all day? Try a leaf blower!

Oct

30

2009

The leaves are falling and I really need help!  Raking leaves and piling them into trash bags is not the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I would rather be in the great indoors watching College football!!  The best thing I've discovered is my neighbor's leaf blower.  He's done in minutes and has the ability to watch the entire game...not just the last quarter as the Florida Gators are beating Georgia.  A great resource for leaf blowers is Sears!  Sears carries 11 styles in the store and many more online.  You can find electric blowers, gas blowers and backpack blowers (just like the pros use).  Sears explains how to select a blower in four easy steps; 

 

Q: What is the size of the area you're going to use the blower for?

A: Electric blowers are ideal for jobs within 100' of an electrical outlet and gas powered blowers offer the benefit of mobility.

Q: What do you plan on using the blower for?

A: A small area is great for electric blowers (a driveway or walk).  For larger jobs you should consider a gas blower.  Gas blowers offer more power and range...they can also mulch and bag.

Q: Do you have a lot of trees?

A: If you have several large trees, a higher output blower is needed (gas or electric depending on the distance from the house).  If only a few small trees you can get by with a smaller blower. 

 

Q: What additional accessories do you need?

A: A gutter kit is always highly recommended!  No more ladders for cleaning out the gutter!  Also, if you have a heavy job to do...look for hearing protection. 

 

Dean Schwartz

VP/GM Lawn & Garden

Sears Holdings

Bad gas in April??

Oct

30

2009

It's not everyday that someone wakes up thinking about bad gas in April…but I do!  You might ask "why?" and it's a great question!  My name is Dean Schwartz and I'm responsible for the merchant organization at Sears and Kmart and bad gas haunts me every day.  It's not what you're thinking...it's actually bad gas due to power equipment users who don't know the affect not winterizing gas products has in the early spring.  If you don't winterize properly the result is the inability to start your mower/tractor/line trimmer or blower in March or April when you're ready to start your yard work.  There are great tips on winterizing products, but I find these the most useful; 

 

1) As you are getting towards the end of the season always use some type of fuel stabilizer.  Sears sells fuels stabilizer for both 2 cycle and 4 cycle engines on Sears.com or in one of our many outlets.  If you forget to completely winterize your products the fuel stabilizer will keep your gas "alive" through the winter months. 

 

2) Run the gas out of your products completely!  It might take a some time and your neighbors may ask why you are running your mower on your driveway but it's the best defense to bad gas!  If you explain that you're defending against bad gas...they may appreciate it!

 

3) Drop your mower off at your local Sears Service Center or local Sears store and ask for the product to be winterized.  The great folks at Sears Service will make sure the product is ready and could even replace a blade or put in a new spark plug...if needed! 

 

4) Use the Manage My Home website to help you with all kinds of tips on how to winterize products and other things in your home (link: http://www.managemyhome.com)...just type in 'winterize' in the search window! 

 

5) Take advantage of what others say about winterizing products by posting a quick forum question on MySears Community or MyKmart Community.  Remember, it's easier to winterize now and not have bad gas in April!!!

 

Dean Schwartz

VP/GM Lawn & Garden

Sears Holdings

 

 

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – The Perfect Snow Thrower

Oct

29

2009

Nine years ago, my wife and I purchased our very first home. I remember our first purchases for the new house – refrigerator, washer, and dryer – all purchased at Sears. It was spring and I also needed a lawnmower. I went to Sears and got good advice on all of the different kinds of mowers and features like self propelled and a mulch feature and a service plan to keep it well maintained for years.  As the season changed, my neighbors warned me that I should get a snow thrower because it’s not going to be fun shoveling the driveway with 5-10 inches of snow on the ground. Needless to say, I did not heed my neighbors’ warnings.

 

That winter, the first two snow falls were light and I said to myself this is going to be easy – no problem.  Well, in Chicago, there is no such thing as an easy winter. Of course, one day 10 inches of snow fell and I knew there was no way that I could shovel all of that snow. After work I went to the nearest Sears (a 5 minute drive) took me an hour. When I finally got there, I looked for snow throwers, but to my amazement, there were only two left. The salesperson told me that there was a mad rush for throwers and shovels. The two left in the store that day were small ones and the salesperson suggested that I would be better off with a much bigger thrower. I thought about it, but decided to buy it because I didn’t want to shovel 10 inches of snow. Luckily, that little thrower got the job done and I still have it to this day (it works just fine).

 

This year, I’ll be purchasing a bigger thrower this winter since forecasters are predicting a higher than average snowfall. And, I’m visiting my local Hometown Store to get expert advice for the perfect snow thrower.

 

About Me

 

My name is Ulsen Anderson and I am the Director of Finance for Hometown Stores.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

 

Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SearsHTS

Fan us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SearsHometownStore.com

Find out how Duct Tape, a Mannequin, and a 7 Story Building Prove the Toughness of Craftsman

Oct

29

2009

Craftsman has a strong reputation for having some of the toughest tools out on the market. This reputation has been driven by the Craftsman Labs team. Yes, the Craftsman Labs is a true place that pushes products to the limit. In fact, products have to pass numerous tests before we allow the Craftsman name to be placed on a product. Now we knew showing off our tests in our lab wouldn't be as entertaining as letting 3 guys run loose in an abandoned building, so that is what we did. We provided Kenny, Matt, and Sam with all the Craftsman tools and props under the sun and let them push the limits of our tool brand. This is where duct tape, a Mannequin, and a 7-story building come into play. I mean who would have thought a drill taped to a mannequin ghostriding off a 7 story building would still work. Yet, that is what happened...check it out!!

I have to admit...shhhh...keep this a secret...but n our secret lab we do drop tests all the time on our drills. We climb up tall ladders and drop drills from all different angles because in fact, that is what happens on a job site or at home. If a drill doesn't survive we make it better and stronger, just think of the 6 Million Dollar Man.

I know what you are thinking - all these tests - there was probably some fancy video editing involved....However, nothing fancy was done with these videos. The results are the results, so when we dragged the radio through the mud and it worked, it really still worked. When the guys smacked around the toolbox and it broke the golf club, it really broke the golf club. In fact to make a point - all the items were right off the shelf, the same Craftsman products you can go to your local Sears and purchase are what is used in these videos. I do have to admit though...it was fun making these videos. Check them all out at www.craftsmanlabs.com and don't forget to submit your thoughts on what we should test next. At www.craftsmanlabs.com we allow you to give your suggestions on how we should push the limit of some of our products.

Donate your old coat and receive a 20% discount

Oct

29

2009

Do you have an old winter coat that you're not using?  I guarantee that someone out there could probably put it to good use.  That's the whole point of the Big Warm-up.  Donate your used winter coat by bringing it into any Lands' End Shop at Sears and you'll get 20% off the purchase of one new regularly priced Lands' End coat.  This is a great way to make a difference and warm a heart during this upcoming holiday season.  This promotion ends November 30th so make sure you take advantage of it fast! You can easily share the Big Warm-up with your friends and don't forget to check out the video, keep an eye out for a special surprise.

The Benefits of Blu-ray

Oct

28

2009

 by Kevin Thornley

 

If you are still on the fence about converting to blu-ray now is the perfect time to make the switch.  Sub $150 Blu-ray players will be available the day after Thanksgiving from brands you know like Sony and if you’re not loyal to a particular brand there will be sub $100 players to be had from lesser known brands. 

 

Once you see the difference you will be amazed by the picture in all of its high-definition glory.  Blu-ray discs are superior in every way to DVD for the following reasons:

 

1.   Picture resolution:

Blu-ray has up to 6 times the resolution of standard DVD. 

Blu-ray resolution: 1080P Standard DVD: 480i

 

That means you have 1080 lines of resolution being progressively scanned vs. 480 lines of interlaced scanning – meaning only every other line of resolution is being refreshed at any given time.  It’s an optical illusion – only 240 lines are actually being refreshed and it’s tricking your eyes to make it look like 480 lines.

 

2.   Capacity:

  Blu-ray has up to 5 times the capacity of standard DVD.

 

Picture and sound quality are dependant on “bit-rates”  standard DVD runs at a bit rate of 10 Megabits per second while Blu-ray runs at 48 Megabits per second.  This extra capacity is also used for high-definition bonus features and 7.1 channels of surround sound that could never fit on a standard DVD. 

 

3.   Interactivity:

 

Blu-ray capacity also allows for special features with video pop-ups to appear while the movie is actually playing, so the director’s face might pop-up in a bubble to tell you about a scene while you’re seeing it.  Many blu-rays have interesting tidbits and facts about the production of the movie that will just appear to satisfy the super geeks who want to know everything about their favorite movies.  Many studios also put interactive games on their blu-rays which can enhance the story of the film with their additional content.

 

4.   Durability:

Blu-ray discs have a stronger, denser layer of protective coating than DVD

 

This doesn’t sound like much of an advantage but if you have kids at home that like to use you DVDs as Frisbees this could be your favorite upgrade.   You’re odds of having blu-rays ruined by scratches is far less than with DVD.   

 

Shop Blu-Ray Now

 

PS - If you are a gamer, now is also the best time to upgrade to blu-ray because the PS3 just dropped to $299 and is one of the highest rated blu-ray players on the market.