Yoostar to Launch its System in Bloomingdale's and Best Buy

New York City-based start-up, Yoostar, announced Monday the retail partners for the launch of its flagship Yoostar system: according to the company, the system will be available for purchase on August 24th at Bloomingdale's stores across the US, and on September 8th at all Best Buy outlets. The company says that Bloomingdale's will be the only luxury department store to carry the product. "We believe Yoostar has the potential to be the single most popular home entertainment item of the holiday season, and beyond," Yoostar president and CEO, Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, said in a prepared statement. "Both retailers, with their history of being a launching pad for groundbreaking products, will ensure availability wherever our audience will be."

The Yoostar system, which will be priced at $169.95, is billed as providing "all the tools to turn your home into a movie studio," including a "studio-grade" Web cam with built-in dual microphones and remote control, a portable green screen, a professional stand, and software for PC's and Macs. The system employs the company's "Active Immersion Technology" to digitally remove the original actors from scenes, so that users can insert themselves in their place. Users will be able to record their performances to their own PC or Mac for local viewing, Yoostar says, and will also be able to upload them to the company's Web site and share them on various social networking sites. The system will come bundled with 14 movie and TV scenes, and Yoostar says that a constantly updated library of scenes will be available for purchase (priced between $0.99 and $3.99 each) and download on its Web site. Movies featured in the library will include "The Godfather," "The Blues Brothers," "Some Like it Hot," "Field of Dreams" ,"Rocky," "Beverly Hills Cop, " and "Animal House"; and the library will also feature scenes from "Sesame Street" and the NBA.

Yoostar says that it will promote its system live in select Best Buy and Bloomingdale's stores during September, via "stage directors" who will help shoppers use the system to create their own performances.