HD DVD TAKES AN EARLY LEAD OVER
BLU-RAY, ACCORDING TO CONSUMERS

Cymfony Analysis of Consumer-Generated Media Reveals Resentment toward Sony; Undercuts Blu-ray Disc

News Facts

Cymfony, a market influence analytics company, issues a Consumer Opinion and Trends report, "A Blue Christmas for Blu-ray," examining consumer market perception of next-generation high-definition video platforms HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc
From October 1, 2006 to November 30, 2006 almost 18,000 posts in social media discussed HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, evenly divided between the two formats
Negative Blu-ray conversation indicates lack of consumer trust in Sony, as well as gamer displeasure with selling Blu-ray in association with PlayStation 3
Positive discussions about HD DVD are 46% higher than Blu-ray, with over twice as many post authors stating being "impressed with HD DVD" versus "impressed with Blu-ray"
Cymfony conducted the research as an independent study to evaluate and measure the influence of online social media in the high definition video market. The research was not sponsored by any manufacturer or other organization affiliated with either HD DVD or Blu-ray technologies products.
The report is available for download at http://www.cymfony.com/Blu-ray.pdf

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Please use this link to access a purpose-built del.icio.us page with consumer reaction to the Blu-ray and HD DVD debate

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Sample of consumer quotes from "A Blue Christmas for Blu-ray" Consumer Opinions and Trends Report:

"Sony, on the other hand, has a track record of starting format wars, and losing them too. Beta, mini-disc, umd, and atrac have all been huge flops, but they just don't seem to learn their lesson because they're too greedy." -- phishbook.com
"There are other issues too; the sheer arrogance of Sony is incredible, and puts me off wanting to support them."
-- avforums.com
"What if you don't give a damn about watching movies on your game console? What if you prefer to buy a separate HD player? That's the rub. Sony forces you to buy Blu-ray. MS doesn't force you to buy HD-DVD. It's about giving the consumer options. Bargain my arse, as a consumer I prefer options."
-- forums.adventuregamers.com

Quote, attributable to Jim Nail, chief strategy & marketing officer at Cymfony (click here for Jim Nail's LinkedIn profile):

"While the media and manufacturers duke it out over their format choice, our research shows that consumers are turning away from Blu-ray because of Sony's reputation and heavy-handed launch strategy. Cymfony's unique capabilities for analysis of traditional and consumer generated media provide corporations with an early warning system of whether their marketing or product initiatives are gaining traction in the user community."

Please contact Rachel Miller to arrange an interview and/or for additional quotes.

About Cymfony

Cymfony, a market influence analytics company, scans and interprets the millions of voices at the intersection of social and mainstream media. Its award winning platform, Orchestra, integrates innovative technology with expert analysis to uncover new business opportunities and identify threats to corporate reputation—at the speed of the market.

Cymfony pioneered the innovative technology to extract meaning from high volumes and diverse sources of text. U.S. Intelligence Agencies have been relying on our technology for more than 8 years. Cymfony is an innovator in the integration of social and traditional media, offering access to the greatest breadth of content sources and analytical expertise.

Contact Cymfony at 617-673-6000 (x2) or visit the web at www.cymfony.com and Cymfony's Influence 2.0 blog at http://www.influence2.com.

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