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Looks like the format wars are all but over...

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/02/hd-dvd-death-ma.html

Apparently the winner is blu-ray!

As a new buyer of an XBox 360, this news has 800-pound gorilla Microsoft wiping egg off its corporate face.  It backed the wrong pony on its popular game platform, and what's more expected people to cough up another $170 on top of the initial sticker of $400 for the HD-DVD add-on.  Sony, on the other hand, while it delayed its initial release of the Playstation 3 and set its pricepoint higher than the XBox, comes complete with Blu-Ray capability out of the box.  Somewhere deep in the bowels of Sony, there's certainly a Monty Burns-esque character gleefully wringing his evil hands and muttering, "Excellent..."

This begs the question "what now?"  Will MS eat crow and retro-fit the HD units to run Blu-Ray, or (as is suspected) allow HD-DVD to quietly fade into memory while it ponders what to put in the next iteration of entertainment platform?

Needless to say, Mr. Gates is likely not amused.

 

Apparently, M$ is going Blu-ray


http://gizmodo.com/357541/microsoft-rumored-to-release-blu+ray-xbox-360-as-early-as-may-2008

It would be easy enough to do, the 360 has more modularity to it.  On the downside, there are folks now with what amounts to $170 paperweights.  Unless M$ has some sort of serious trade-in program (turn in your old HD-DVD drive for a significant rebate on your new Blu-Ray drive), they're going to hack off a lot of customers.  Wouldn't be the first time...or the last.  I'm just sayin'. 

Internally, I'm sure their spin-doctors are busy at work trying to figure the best way to put a lustre on this steaming pile.  The House That Gates Built has been veeeeeery subdued about this.  Even on their forums, no official word from a Redmond-ite.  Yep. Closed up tighter than a clam at a butter convention.

Should be interesting to see how they play this hand.  Pass the popcorn and down in front! 

Apparently Toshiba made the announcement earlier today. I've also heard that Walmart is OUT of the HD-DVD business now. Rats off a sinking ship.

I'm sure that the spinmeisters at M$ will do something with this to make you think that paying yet MORE money will benefit you. <g>

Can't wait to see that "tech note". <chuckle>

Tom

[From the "Big Brass Spheres of Audacity--Bill Gates' Has Got 'Em" Department :]

[colour=blue]From the "Big Brass Spheres of Audacity--Bill Gates' Has Got 'Em" Department :[/colour]

Starting Tuesday, February 19, 2008, Microsoft started carrying advertisements on its XBox Live client to the effect that they are now lowering the price on their remaining stock of HD-DVD players for the XBox 360 to $129.  (Click here for more)  Up until yesterday, the going price was around $170. Apparently completely unburdened with anything even remotely resembling a conscience, they see no problem with offloading newly orphaned add-ons at what is still a pretty stiff kick to the nethers, especially considering their standard no-frills XBox 360 is still selling for right around $350!
 
Not to be outdone, there were unconfirmed reports around the great big interweb on Feb. 19 that Microsoft may be offering a Blu-Ray device for the XBox 360 perhaps as soon as May 2008!  The body of HD-DVD is still warm, but that doesn't mean they can't make yet another killing in the market selling yet another over-priced add-on (hey, at least this one theoretically has some legs!)  Needless to say, the XBox Forums are buzzing, and the forum mods are busier than a one legged man at a butt-kicking contest trying to lock all the threads down.

Here's a couple articles to chew on:
1 Yahoo Tech "Microsoft Already Prepping Blu-Ray Move"
2 SmartHouse "Blue-Ray Xbox 360 Planned by Microsoft"

Been thinking about this and I think that M$ is "nicer" to their customers than Apple is to theirs!

Don't get me started. <g>