Lucky consumer! It is very hard to be a good consumer in this bad bad world full of choices from two products. Coke or Pepsi, Mac or PC, Intel or AMD, Republican or Democrat… aaaaaaaaaah my head spins..

But the Blu-ray win comes just as digital movie downloads appear on the market, rolling out movies and TV shows on high-speed Internet connections and bypassing the disc altogether. That could limit growth for Blu-ray, analysts said.

Oh No! Downloadable movies? Who would think of that? Maybe you can spend some quality time with your kids to see what they were doing with ‘em computers last five years.

CEO Nishida said Toshiba has “absolutely no plans” to make or sell Blu-ray players.

Well, even Apple now include drivers for Windows and they would never ever let third-party OS on MAC…

“We are going to have to work extra hard to make up for these two years,” said a Matsushita official who declined to be named.

Wow! It took only two years to develop HD DVD? Or is the R&D in Japan now so cheap that you can simply ignore the cost of 10+ years? Do they have some scientists sweat shops over there?

{source engadgethd}

 11:30 am ET January 31, 2007 - Sonic Solutions this morning clarified its position regarding its apparent switch from HD DVD to Blu-ray, telling BetaNews that initial reports that the company abandoned HD DVD altogether were not quite accurate.Sonic spokesperson Chris Taylor said that the decision is only specific to its professional authoring suite. Other divisions, such as its Roxio consumer arm and ATG licensing group would remain format neutral. Even within the professional division, HD DVD would still live on through its CineVision authoring application.

 Despite the denying the deny above, I take it as confirmation, the HD DVD is officially dead. The industry put their hands off. Nobody is going to make HD DVD players just so people can make their own movies.

Toshiba is expected to pull the plug on its HD DVD format in the coming weeks, after a rash of retail defections that followed Warner Home Video's stunning announcement in early January that it would support only Sony's rival Blu-ray Disc format after May.Officially, no decision has been made, insists Jodi Sally, vp of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products. “Based on its technological advancements, we continue to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, given the value and consistent quality inherent in our player offerings,” she said.

It depends from which side of the fence you are looking at the consumers. If you are one or you are looking at one. Consumers have no horses in this race. Consumer task is exactly as name suggest to “consume”. It is believed in industry consumers can “consume” more with BD since BD has stronger restriction on playing user recorded material.

But she hinted that something's in the air. "Given the market developments in the past month," she said, "Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of our recent price reductions on all HD DVD players."

What is there to study? That Sony owns also the movie studios, but toshiba don’t?  I could tell you that without much study.

Rend and Watch almost instantly - within 30 seconds with a broadband internet connection. Watch on all platform Mac, Win, including Apple TV, last ipods, ipod touch/iphone.

Most of us watch movies ones.

The price is like a physical rental price, available 30 days after release.

30+24 rule
You have 30 days to start watching rented movie, after you start you have to finish watching within 24 hours (or watch as many times you want within the 24 hours). You can transfer between devices.
All major studios are on board: Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros, MGM, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, FOX…

If this takes off, it could also bring blow to the sales of physical format such as BD.

Movies, Movies Movies
They will update Apple TV 2.0 to be able rent directly on iTunes (no PC required) in DVD and HD quality with surround sound so you can watch it on your TV in livingroom. Apple is trying to succeed where nobody else did.

The “broadband connection” is the break point of course, but we want to see how it works in real time. If apple does deliver and people will accept it, then this may rapidly change the whole BD/HD situation.

In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

WB owns one of the biggest library of films. HD DVD without WB on board will surely impact the HD/BD controversy for the benefit of BD.

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

That is as good as dead. Releasing HD “after a short window” is just to keep the contract with toshiba in place. And even this will stop after MAY 2008.

Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD.

Act surprised for press release…  HD DVD promo group posponded (cancelled) the press conference at CES after the WB announcement and are currently discussing this issue with other HD DVD partners. It is a blow to HD DVD and a big one no matter how you sugarcoate it.

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