Toshiba unveils laptop with HD DVD drive

Japanese technology firm Toshiba on Wednesday unveiled the first high-definition laptop computer with an HD DVD optical drive for the new generation of DVD discs and a high-resolution display.

The portable computer, introduced at the CeBIT electronics trade fair in Hanover, is the latest model under Toshiba's Qosmio range of high-end audio-video computers.

The computer will retail for around £2,000 and will be available in all countries within a few weeks, said Oscar Koenders, European computer marketing manager at Toshiba.

The computer is another weapon in the emerging multibillion-pound battle for the next DVD standard.

The fight is between Blu-ray, backed by electronics giants such as Sony, Samsung, Philips and Panasonic, and HD DVD, championed by Toshiba and NEC.

Both formats offer more storage capacity than the current DVD format. This is needed to store high-definition movies, whose superior picture detail means they contain four to five times more digital bits of information.

Blu-ray claims it offers higher capacity, up to 50GB for a dual-layer disc, which is not yet offered, while HD DVD claims it offers a cheaper system that is compatible with the current DVD standard, which was set in 1995.

"We think we can offer a player at €499 (£340). To me it looks like we're a year ahead," Koenders said.

The first Blu-ray machines, announced by Samsung, Philips and Sony, will be roughly two to three times more expensive and most producers expect commercial introductions in the second half of the year. Samsung plans to sell its first player in May.

Blu-ray discs with pre-recorded movies will start selling in May at a price 20 per cent above current DVD new release prices.

Failure of the Blu-ray and HD DVD camps to reach a unified standard has set the stage for a format war akin to the VHS versus Betamax battle of the 1980s. Each side hopes to reignite the sagging $24bn home video market.

Support of the Hollywood studios is important, but the studios have told Toshiba that they in turn look to see which format gets the support from the computer industry.

"DVD picked up once the personal computer industry adopted it," Koenders said.

Computer maker Dell supports Blu-ray, but number two Hewlett-Packard recently decided to also support HD DVD, whereas it earlier backed only Blu-ray.

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