16 June - Video Business - Key retailers showed they were ready for the Blu-ray Disc format launch, as advertising and merchandising plans bowed last week.

Samsung is slated to launch the first stand-alone Blu-ray player June 25, with software titles debuting June 20.

CompUSA headlined its Sunday, June 11 circular with the approaching Samsung Blu-ray bow, encouraging consumers to pre-order the player and hyping Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Underworld: Evolution and The Fifth Element, both due June 20.

Samsung spokesman Jose Cardona said the company expects to have players in 2,000 storefronts, including the Best Buy and Circuit City chains, by its June 25 launch. “Pre-orders have been incredible,” he said.

Bjorn’s, a consumer electronics superstore in Texas, will have 10 Samsung players at launch and plans side-by-side demonstrations of Blu-ray and HD DVD in order to objectively sell the competing formats.

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