Short circuits

A brief look at new and noteworthy experiences among DVDs, video games, gadgets and the Web.

Say hello to 'WALL-E' "WALL-E" just a movie for kids? Hardly. Pixar's latest blockbuster turned out to be the heartwarming charmer of the year for viewers of any age. The animated film really is a romantic comedy, starring a cute robotic fella who has been charged with cleaning up Earth after humans have fled the filthy planet. When a probe named EVE arrives to see if it's safe for the off-worlders to return, WALL-E's smitten sensors go into overload. All four home-video versions available today, including the single-disc DVD (Disney, $30), contain director's commentary, the theatrical short "Presto" and a new short, "BURN-E." The three-disc DVD ($40) and two-disc Blu-ray ($36) add the acclaimed documentary "The Pixar Story" and a bevy of background extras. The Blu-ray also has picture-in-picture commentary, video games and other geeky stuff. Finally, the premium DVD and a three-disc Blu-ray edition ($41) offer digital copies of the movie for portable players. You'll need a robot to sort out the various versions.

RANDY A. SALAS

Also out today: "Bones" (Season 3), "Doctor Who" (Series 4), "Hannah Montana" (Season 1), "Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," "Tropic Thunder."