Toshiba Halves HD DVD Prices

You've really got to give it to Toshiba. Even when the odds are stacked against the company responsible for HD DVD high definition movies, it still manages to capture the public's attention with drastically slashed prices. As Warner Brothers readies the release of all future flicks under rival Blu-ray, it's hard to completely dismiss any HD option that will be regularly priced for less than most DVD recorders.

As a result of Toshiba's aggressive attempt to win back consumer approval, most HD DVD players will now be available for boxing-day blowout prices. Entry-level devices will retail for about $150, way down from their previous $300. That's about $250 less than the cheapest Blu-ray option (the best really being Sony's PlayStation 3 video game console). (Source: reuters.com)

According to analyst Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates, Toshiba might still have a shot. If it can "populate the world with HD DVD players," there's the chance Toshiba could still "maybe win back the studios." (Source: usatoday.com)

And yet, other experts believe all of this infighting only marginalizes the relevance of HD movie formats when it comes to the ever-important opinion of Joe Public. "Every day the Blu-ray and HD DVD camps spend prosecuting this standards war represents a day lost in their race to remain relevant," says iSuppli researcher Krysta Chander. "Amid the rise of exciting new digital media offerings like YouTube, iTunes and on-demand services, the window of lucrative opportunity is closing for both standards."

They once said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. Clearly, someone at Toshiba believes the way to a techie's heart is through their wallet. $150 for an HD DVD player bundled with five free flicks? I'd say that's a formula for one romantic evening.