Some devices, such as game consoles, MP3 players and Blu-ray players were designed so that their firmware could be updated in order to resolve hardware issues or use new features added to content after the hardware’s manufacture.

There are a few different ways to update the firmware on most Blu-ray players. One method is to visit the manufacturer’s website for your particular model player and download the updated firmware via a home PC. From there, you will use that PC’s CD or DVD burner to write the firmware to a blank disc. Inserting that disc into the Blu-ray player allows the device to read in the new files and update itself appropriately.

If your Blu-ray player is setup to access the Internet, such as through your home’s wireless network, you can download the firmware update directly using the internal tools in the player’s setup menu. This method is the easier of the two, and in some cases, can be configured to automatically happen when new firmwares are released.

Making sure that your Blu-ray player has the latest firmware prior to Avatar’s release on April 22nd will help avoid any playback problems on the day of release. If you have a Blu-ray player that does not have the capability to connect to the Internet, you can bring the device into your local Best Buy. Geek Squad Agents can get your device up to date and ready to go with our in-store firmware update service.

If you have a network-capable player, but don’t have it hooked up to the Internet, we have on-site networking services to add that device to your existing home network, or setup a new one to allow your Blu-ray player and other devices to share access to all the Internet has to offer.

If you have questions, contact your local Geek Squad for answers.

Now you might be thinking, why not get a DVR or TiVo? Those are both perfectly fine solutions, but I thought, “this could be a fun, challenging experiment.” So, I went to my case modding lab and began work on my own personal DVR (with no monthly fees).

The project began by searching online for a small, desktop PC-like case. I found a great one that looked like a stereo receiver I currently have in my house. When the case arrived, I installed a 320GB hard drive (for video storage) and 1.5GB (for memory).

Next, I had to choose a special graphics card. I needed one that would be powerful enough to display my picture on my 40’ Samsung LCD TV. I went with the ATI graphics card, the X1650 Pro.

Finally, I installed Windows XP Professional so I could control everything.

Upon my initial test drive, I was impressed. I quickly I realized this machine is far more capable than just recording and playing back TV. So I decided to install a Blu-Ray drive I had bought recently, as well as an HD card and digital reader. This means I can watch high definition content from my moded DVR.

I also installed a wireless adapter, so I could use the DVR to play my iTunes library and have access to the World Wide Web on my TV.

The final touch, installing a program called Snapstream Media so I can use my phone to tell my DVR what to record – just in case I forget to manually set it, or decide last minute I need to record something. 

All in all, I am really happy with my moded DVR. It was fun building, and really lets me enjoy my technology to the max. Next up, a Sega Saturn mod. Stay tuned…

That’s when I thought back to the last time I went to the movie theater: The release of the latest Batman installment, The Dark Knight. Sure, the movie was great, but I still remember that sent to my wallet when I saw the $10 price for tickets. After getting a medium soda, popcorn and a box of candy from the concession stand, I started to consider the possibility that I may need to start taking out short-term loans before coming back.

Doing some quick calculations in the back of my mind, I could easily see the claims from my friends about how a night out at the movies could easily cost a family of 4 nearly $75, and that’s not including the cost of industrial strength solvent you always end up needing to remove your shoes from the theater floor at the end of the movie.

Meanwhile, back in the present, I considered how much it was costing me for an evening with Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. I had spent a little over $1000 on my plasma HDTV and a little under $500 for my home theater sound system. With a Playstation 3 doing double-duty as both game system and Blu-ray HD movie player, my personal collection of audio and video toys cost around $2000.

The astounding thing is that you can get satisfactory results for far less than that. Many of my friends are quite happy with their $600 HDTVs and $300 sound systems. Suddenly, that $75 spent for that night out in a crowded theater, where you can’t pause the movie for a restroom break, let alone rewind to watch the good bits one more time, starts to bring into very clear focus why the movie theaters are worried about home theater technology.

Another advantage to a home theater setup is the simple fact that you can control how you consume content. Movies come and go at the local cinema, but you have an entire catalog of movies and television shows to watch at home. With those choices come more options in how much you want to pay for that content, now that you have the option of buying, renting or even streaming a movie or television show. The decision to rent, buy or stream often will depend on how often you might want to view a title.

If, for example, you’re going to re-watch that first season of Lost multiple, multiple, MULTIPLE times, you’re probably better off buying a copy on DVD (or maybe 2 copies, in case you wear the discs out). On the other hand, if you’re only looking to catch up on that episode of “The Office” you missed two weeks ago, you might consider watching a streaming version on Hulu.com. Or you may look into buying an individual episode of House on iTunes so that you can not only watch it on your Apple TV, but carry it with you on your iPod for viewing on the subway.

With the continuing march of home theater technology, the options available to you on when, where and even how you want to watch your movies has exploded over the last decade.

Personally, I’m just glad that Agent 3012 (that’s me) can watch Agent 86 (that’s Get Smart’s Maxwell Smart) on my own terms.

It’s simple: Geek Squad Agents tend to share a strong passion in technology inside AND outside work. Sure we have hobbies that have nothing to do with technology, but most of us spend at least a few hours a day researching the latest-and-greatest on our own time.

Let me take you on a short trip through a typical day for me. Hopefully it shines some light on what the “average” day of a Geek Squad Computing Agent looks like.

<6:45AM> Alarm clock awakes me from my dreams of robotic sheep.

<7:15AM> Post-shower snack time. I actually do not eat a full blown breakfast. During post-shower snack time, it is time to check the Geek Squad email for any bulletins that may have come in overnight from other Agents. Any big tech news is usually wrapped up in a mass email to all Agents so we are aware of the situation. After my download, I check my schedule for the day.

<7:30AM> Head online to Geek Squad’s “Agent Forums” to check out company news, see if there have been any big bug-reports or virus-reports and just check out what thousands of other Agents are chatting about.

<8:00 AM> On the road! Today I left a little early because the traffic report indicated back-up. The British sounding lady-of-the-GPS actually told me about traffic backup on I-84 CT today. My first mission: the eradication of a virus infection. The way the client described it, I’m thinking they have a fakealert virus on their computer. This is one of the latest infections I have been seeing. On the drive to the customer’s place, I am going through the removal processes, questions I need to ask and advice to give. This helps make sure the appointment goes as smoothly as possible.

<8:30 AM>Ah HA! I was correct. We have a case of fakealert! It’s trying to trick Samantha (name’s been changed to protect our customer’s true identity) into buying useless software and provide her personal information. Using our super-secret uber-virus-removing tools, I declare war on the virus. I have run across this infection before and I know where to look for it and how to remove it. In the course of battle I found a bunch of other spyware polluting her system.

Samantha and I chat about her web surfing behavior, program downloads and other related matters that help me sharpen up for future removal. For instance, if I run across several people who have reported this issue started after downloading the ‘xyz free music program,’ I will research this further on the Internet and see if other people have reported this problem. It may even warrant reporting on our Agent Forums for other Agents to share in the knowledge.

<10:30 AM> On the road again for a short trip to the next appointment of the day.

<10:45 AM> Time to set up some wireless Internet! Did you know that if your wireless is not encrypted properly, any person within range can do whatever they want on your Internet connection, even if it is illegal?

<Noonish> Insert food here. Catch up with some other peeps and use my phone to see what CNN and MSNBC are reporting on.

< The afternoon> Rinse, lather and repeat the above appointments two more times to the end of my day. Though I have helped Jennifer, Tom, Mindy and Linus (names of course changed) be the tech saviors to their respective families, my technology learning isn’t complete.

<5:07 PM> Traffic.

<5:32 PM> Still traffic.

<5:47 PM> Shut off Victoria (the name I have given to my English GPS lady, because I am tired of her sharing the dismal traffic situation).

<6:00 PM> Home. Each day I have a list of Web sites I peruse, looking for the latest news regarding Internet security, technology upgrades and other computer related stuff. Of course I also need to keep up on the latest news of two big gaming releases: Starcraft II and Diablo III! Actually most agents follow a similar routine with a list of bookmarks or RSS feeds on their news reader that deliver the latest news right to a homepage. Sound fun? Check out Google Reader or the RSS pane for iGoogle.

The end of the day is full of the obligatory surfing of social engineering Web sites, instant messaging and sharing email with colleagues, friends, and colleague’s that are friends. The computer really has become a central information and communication hub I use to the fullest. There is a constant stream of tech news coming in and out, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

<Time, confidential> I must now take a leave from you, my batteries need to be recharged so I can plug back into the Internet tomorrow morning. Goodnight.

I connected my new Wii to my HDTV and surround sound system and was pretty impressed with the video and audio quality (considering the Wii is not an HD game console like the PS3 or Xbox360). Not only was I impressed with the picture/sound quality, but was excited that my wife (who is definitely NOT a gamer) took interest in playing Wii Sports (which comes with the system) with me. She is quite the pro in bowling by the way.

From the basic games, we expanded to some interactive games like Mario Party 8 and the Agatha Christie series of mystery games. My wife is quite the mystery-lover (she watches countless hours of mystery shows and reads any who-done-it book she can get her hands on), so it was great to see a console truly tailoring games to a broader audience.

We have entertained company with the Wii. From friends our age, to our parents and grandparents, the Wii seems to draw everyone in. It is a modern version of a board game (think of how many hours you have played Monopoly or Scrabble with the family), that helps pull family and friends together. The bottom line, the Wii is a great system to entertain all age groups and is simple to use.

Alright, I confess, there are some things a Wii can’t do. My XBOX 360 has taken my gaming and entertainment to a whole new level. I picked up an XBOX 360 a few months after getting a Wii so I could game socially on the information superhighway. Many friends and colleagues play games via XBOX Live and I felt it was my time to join the online fun. Little did I know what I was getting in to!

The XBOX 360 is as much an entertainment hub as it is a gaming console. Yes, you can play games, but you can also stream movies and music from your PC, and watch Netflix movies (with the appropriate Netflix account) instantly. This system truly integrates all possible angles of entertainment into one small package.

The XBOX 360 presents games in stunning High Definition and Dolby Digital Surround Sound, for the ultimate realistic gaming experience. The game designs tend to be more virtual reality than the simplistic games for the Wii. The XBOX 360 has taken over my gaming life – I play with friends and people from work almost nightly. From racing games, to simulators, to tactical shooter games, I could spend hours…no, days…on this system. (that is, if my wife would let me).

The 360 has some great family features too. You can download family-oriented games from the XBOX Live Marketplace and the parental controls are outstanding (if you need help, check out our

Geek Squad service.) Overall, the 360 is definitely built more for the serious game enthusiast than it is for the casual video gamer.

All in all, both systems have pros and cons, and both can be very entertaining. But you have to weigh your options. The XBOX 360 tends to be a little more expensive then it’s cousin the Wii, but it all depends on the experience you are looking for. And if you can’t decide, you can always purchase numerous systems like me!