Toshiba Plans HD DVD Laptop Counter-Offensive

[jed]

Apparently hoping to counter the "PS3-effect" on Blu-ray sales, HD DVD backer Toshiba says it plans to put HD DVD drives in all of its laptops in 2008.

While the manufacturer currently provides optional HD DVD drives for its laptops, Toshiba Senior Vice President Hisatsugu Nonaka said today at a news conference that all Toshiba laptops will come with HD DVD drives next year. "The demand is there; people want to watch their favorite movies in high-definition on the road," explained Nonaka.

Full Story:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/news/show//679

[fireshoes]

Wow, that's some interesting news!

[bear89103]

This makes sense. It's a natural and obvious progression in the war. And you can bet that Sony's going to be doing it too.

[CouchPotato]

Oh great. Now we can go around bickering about attach rates for computer drives.

[Nick Lavigne]

Yeah, then apple, sony, alienware (dell) can start putting Blu-ray drives in all there computers.

[bear89103]

Originally Posted by Nick Lavigne

Yeah, then apple, sony, alienware (dell) can start putting Blu-ray drives in all there computers.

If Apple had a Quad Core that had a Blu-Ray Drive built in... I'd scoop that up faster than a fat kid scooping up ice cream.

[dolphinius_rex]

I wonder if they're going to take a loss to keep laptop prices the same, or if they are going to increase their laptop pricing accordingly? It would probably only add an extra $100-$150 to the manufacturing costs anyways.

Should be interesting to see if this ends up affecting the format war significantly.

[bear89103]

By the way, Toshiba has had HD DVD in some of their high end laptops for a while now. I've had one since a year ago.

[EDIT] In case anyone was curious. It's the Qosmio series.

[Missing360p]

Isn’t it a sign of desperation from Toshiba? A HD-DVD ROM drive in laptops is complete waste, the PQ and AQ would be completely diminished by the small screen size and the generic soundcard of a laptop. No one will be able to tell the difference between HD and SD in those conditions. Forget about hooking it up with a HDTV, I would rather have a stand alone player or a PS3.

This can only be a success if it is a HD-DVD writer with cheap cheap media to boost it sales, otherwise I would rather invest in Blu-ray with the higher capacity and it is already available, and the price is coming down fast to around $500.

[Roshan]

i think laptops will have the lowest attachrates or the littlest impact
people who will use them already have a hd-dvd player or will have the laptop and decide to get into hd-dvd
19inch screen not worth getting in to he hd-dvd war

[rmslives]

Originally Posted by Missing360p

Isn’t it a sign of desperation from Toshiba? A HD-DVD ROM drive in laptops is complete waste, the PQ and AQ would be completely diminished by the small screen size and the generic soundcard of a laptop. No one will be able to tell the difference between HD and SD in those conditions. Forget about hooking it up with a HDTV, I would rather have a stand alone player or a PS3.

This can only be a success if it is a HD-DVD writer with cheap cheap media to boost it sales, otherwise I would rather invest in Blu-ray with the higher capacity and it is already available, and the price is coming down fast to around $500.

Yep - once again a sign of desperation. That seems to be the key word to describe HD DVD - desperation . . . except I saw an ad for a SONY Vaio computer WITH A BD DRIVE IN IT over six months ago.

Let's go now: explain to me why it's desperation for Toshiba to do something SONY did almost right out of the gate.

[CouchPotato]

Originally Posted by rmslives

Yep - once again a sign of desperation. That seems to be the key word to describe HD DVD - desperation . . . except I saw an ad for a SONY Vaio computer WITH A BD DRIVE IN IT over six months ago.

Let's go now: explain to me why it's desperation for Toshiba to do something SONY did almost right out of the gate.

Have you seen the pricetag for a Blu-Ray Vaio?

If the Toshibas remain the same price as they are now, but include a HD DVD drive, then you might call it desperation. If they price these at a premium because of the drive, then it's not.

[cyberlaz]

Originally Posted by Nick Lavigne

Yeah, then apple, sony, alienware (dell) can start putting Blu-ray drives in all there computers.

Too bad Vista won't support it but it will work in Macs I guess.

[bear89103]

Yeah, I don't think it's desperation as much as a natural progression. I have the laptop with HD DVD because it allows me to take HD DVD discs with me on business trips. I am just waiting for Apple for the Blu-Ray one. Then I'll be able to enjoy all my movies while on the road. It's not necessarily for the PQ or AQ as much as I know I'm buying Hi-Def right now, and I would like to be able to enjoy them when I'm on the road. Also at home, its beneficial. if my kids are playing on the 360 in the family room and my gf is watching something in the entertainment room, then I can pull out my laptop and enjoy a movie in the bedroom.

[Missing360p]

Originally Posted by rmslives

Let's go now: explain to me why it's desperation for Toshiba to do something SONY did almost right out of the gate.

Because it is a reactive move in an attempt to boost HD-DVD user base, regardless of whether it benefits the consumer or not. Putting a ROM drive in their laptops clearly does not benefits anyone.. just a nice number increase in their user base chart.

And you are correct; I agree with you also that having a Blu-ray ROM drive in laptop is a waste of time as well.