Only in Dubai and the surrounding areas would a 4,000-square foot cinema-on-wheels be considered "portable." The 70-ton, six-story high screen -- which is nicely complemented by a 32-speaker digital surround sound system -- is prepared to show off theatrical masterpieces to some 2,000 onlookers at the Hydra Open Air Cinema UAE 2008. Said event is set to spend a dozen nights in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai during November and December, and organizers are fully expecting to make it an annual tradition. So, what are the chances we can get Star Wars going on this thing?

[Via AboutProjectors]

Verizon's Interactive Media Guide has been on the rollout path since July of last year, but now customers in Maryland and Virginia can look forward to even more of that delicious interactivity. Beginning this very moment, FiOS TV users in the aforementioned states will have access to a "fantasy sports application, free casual games, purchasing power via remote control, more widgets that provide on-demand access to information and entertainment, and other exciting options." More specifically, you'll be able to stream HD recordings to six other TV sets throughout the home, create two separate lists of favorite channels and interface with your ESPN Fantasy Football right on your TV screen. Not bad for free, huh?

Now that Vudu has stepped up the bit-rates of its HD downloadable movies, have you been drawn away from Apple TV's gigantic selection of movies, or the Xbox 360's impressive array of Hi-Def TV shows? Although it seems like not one box offers everything anyone could want, we still want to know: which HD download service do you prefer?

What we're watching tonight:

• CBS (1080i) lines up The Big Bang Theory at 8 p.m., followed by How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Worst Week and CSI: Miami
• Fox (720p) continues the NLCS with Phillies/Dodgers at 8 p.m.
• ABC (720p) has Dancing with the Stars at 8 p.m., the season premiere of Samantha Who? at 9:31 p.m. and Boston Legal at 10:01 p.m.
• NBC (1080i) brings home Chuck at 8 p.m., followed by Heroes and the series premiere of My Own Worst Enemy
• CW (1080i) has Gossip Girl at 8 p.m. and One Tree Hill at 9 p.m.
• TLC (1080i) drops in the season premiere of Little People, Big World at 8 & 8:30 p.m., followed by John & Kate Plus 8 at 9 & 9:30 and 17 Kids & Counting at 10 p.m.
• ESPN (720p) kicks off Monday Night Football at 8:30 p.m. with Giants/Browns
• HBO (1080i) presents Section 60: Arlington National Cemetery at 9 p.m.
• USA (1080i) has WWE: Raw at 9 p.m.
• TNT (1080i) has Raising the Bar at 10 p.m.

It was inevitable, really. G4 clearly targets the young male, and young males clearly prefer their TV to be aired in high-def. After a recent falloff in viewership during Q3 of this year, G4 President Neil Tiles is looking to make moves to get those numbers back up. In fact, he outrightly stated that "as of December, we'll be moving towards an HD offering that will allow us to bridge that gap." Unfortunately, no more details beyond that were given, but suffice it to say, we'll be pretty dismayed if December comes and goes without nary a mention of G4HD. Look, if Spike can go HD, you guys can to. Game on!

[Thanks, longhairbilly]

Update: Seems G4HD is expected by Comcast on December 8th. Thanks, Jeremy!

We know you've got 14 alarms set to remind you, but The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray will be all over store shelves tomorrow. If you're still unsure if the massive 10-disc set is worth the investment (or re-investment), a few long-winded reviews have already hit the 'net to help you decide. Put simply, the collection was deemed "a visual and aural extravaganza," and according to one reviewer, Blu-ray fanatics shouldn't hesitate to "consider the upgrade to this best-yet high-def edition." Of course, critics at IGN seemed less enthusiastic about just how worthwhile the upgrade was, noting that it's probably not worth it (from SD) unless you just cannot live without the superior audio and video transfers. We'll leave the final decision up to you, but one thing's for sure -- if you've got the cash to spare, you won't be disappointed.

Read - DVD Talk review
Read - Big Picture Big Sound review
Read - IGN review

Blu-ray's incredible fourth quarter of new releases continues this week as some of the biggest blockbusters of the summer debut. The biggest title this week is very easily Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, with almost no other day-and-date release coming in second. The other big news this week is all the HD DVD catchup titles from both Warner and Universal, the biggest of which is easily The Ultimate Matrix Collection. But Neo's trio isn't the only title Blu fans have been waiting on for way to long, Warner also has Constantine, while Universal has American Gangster and the classic Casino. 6 out of the 22 titles this week are IMAX movies which we're sure someone can't wait to enjoy at home -- sans nausea. Fox has a couple catalog classics from the 80's with The Jewel of the Nile and Romancing the Stone. Meanwhile, we'll all wait until next Tuesday when MGM will deliver more James Bond flicks in HD than any single human can possibly watch in a week.

Blu-ray

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Paramount)
• The Ultimate Matrix Collection (Warner)
• Constantine (Warner)
• Poltergeist (Warner)
• American Gangster (Universal)
• Gangsters Giftset (Universal)
• Casino (Universal)
• Eastern Promises (Universal)
• The Jewel of the Nile (Fox)
• Romancing the Stone (Fox)
• Mongol (New Line)
• Standard Operating Procedure (Sony)
• Space Station / Mission to Mir (Warner)
• Cosmic Voyage / Destiny in Space (Warner)
• Coral Reef Adventure (Image)
• Dolphins (Image)
• Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag (Image)
• The Living Sea (Image)
• Great Expectations (ITV)
• Infernal Affairs 3 (101)
• The Universe: The Complete Season 1 (A&E)
• War, Inc. (First Look)

Sir Bond's Blu-ray classics aren't slated to ship until October 21st, but apparently, the box sets have found their way into at least one particular store. It seems as if the six films are split between two box sets (though we imagine you'll also be able to purchase them individually), and one lucky poster over at AVS Forum finally decided on Volume Two. Packed within was For Your Eyes Only, From Russia With Love and Thunderball. Lookin' good, James, and that pair of e-Movie Cash Certificates for Quantum of Solace is much appreciated as well.

[Via CommanderBond]

AT&T's not messing around with spreading the good word on its U-verse services, as it has just nailed down an agreement to sell the aforementioned products in two of America's largest retail outlets. Beginning this month, U-verse kiosks will emerge in over 600 Circuit City and Walmart locations, which will give unsuspecting consumers the chance to ditch their current cable / satellite / fiber provider and sign up for AT&T's own programming / high-speed internet / digital phone suite. The move comes in the midst of its nationwide Total Home DVR rollout, which enables any connected TV in the crib to watch a recorded SD or HD show. Of course, U-verse still serves a comparatively small amount of the country at present time, but with an initiative like this, we feel pretty good about future expansion.

A couple of months back, we saw what was to come with DISH Network's 1080p video-on-demand service. Now, the cats and kittens over at Sound & Vision have a definitive writeup explaining the value of the aforementioned offering. At the time of review, Speed Racer was DISH's 1080p VOD movie of the month, so critics fired it up via the satcaster's set-top-box while comparing it to the version on Blu-ray. Obviously, DISH's 1080p isn't the same quality 1080p as what you'll find on a BD-50, but the results were pretty astounding, regardless. In fact, critics had a tough time deciphering between the two from a normal viewing distance, and while they were fully expecting to be underwhelmed by DISH Network's 1080p material, they were actually stunned by just how impressive it looked. Of course, the dearth of titles available at any given time means that this won't sway potential customers in and of itself, but you can rest assured DISH is looking to beef up its 1080p HD VOD lineup as quickly as possible.

The highly controversial (okay, maybe not so much) Scarlet series from LG is being expanded today with the introduction of the LG80. The natural step-up from the LG60 and LG70 features an undisclosed screen size (though we assume it'll range from 42- to 65-inches) with a Full HD (1080p) resolution, 30,000:1 contrast ratio, three AV modes (for movies / video games / sports) and a USB 2.0 port for piping in photos or digital video files. You'll also find a pair of HDMI 1.3 sockets, but the real kicker is the sound system. When powered on, two side speakers extend from the rear of the unit while working alongside the stationary center speaker and "subwoofer" to create a 3.1 system with 50-watts of output. Sure, it's not a 3,000-watt, 7.1-channel master rig, but it's probably decent enough for an inbuilt setup. Look for this one to ship everywhere save for the US and Europe starting later this year.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Samsung's BD-P1500 didn't stay situated at $200 for long before selling out (or being removed) at RadioShack, but on the eve of one of the most anticipated Blu-ray releases in the history of the format, along comes yet another deal that could be just the one you were waiting for. If you've been holding off on buying a BD deck until The Ultimate Matrix Collection landed, have a look at this. A number of retailers (Amazon, Best Buy and Circuit City, most notably) are now offering the Profile 1.1 Profile 2.0 player with a completely free copy of the 10-disc box set. Of course, the price of the player varies depending on your e-tailer of choice, but considering that the MSRP on the film set alone is $129.95, you can probably see the value here. Dig in below, if you're so inclined.

[Thanks, Jason]

Read - Amazon
Read - Best Buy
Read - Circuit City

Mitsubishi's HC6500 / HC7000 projectors got official in late August, and now it's time to pay up if you've been eying either one. Both of the 1080p beamers are shipping to those with the requisite coin, and speaking of, neither is particularly cheap. The latter checks in at $3,995, which buys you a 72,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,000 ANSI lumens; the former demands a little less at $2,495 and offers up a 15,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,200 ANSI lumens. Hit up your nearest Mitsu Diamond dealer to set up a preview session (and talk 'em down from MSRP, obviously).

[Via AboutProjectors]

AT&T hasn't made it official or anything, but one particular U-verse user in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is already enjoying the spoils of Total Home DVR. That's right -- Milwaukee residents subscribed to the provider's fiber-based TV service can now check out recorded programs on any connected TV, not just the main set in the den. Let us know if AT&T drops the new software in your locale, it's been pretty busy of late rolling it out.

[Thanks, Ryan]

Are you stoked, Dayton? You should be. Time Warner Cable has just sent out fliers to select customers in the region noting that a baker's dozen worth of HD channels are on the way, which will bring the grand total in the area to 46. Reportedly, the outfit will be pretty much finishing off its switched digital video (SDV) transition, as all 13 of the newcomers will be delivered via the bit-saving method. Ready to check out the exhaustive list? Head on past the break, you lucky, lucky Ohioan. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Dayton Guy]