Fundamentals of Business

Author's further contribution

The battle between Toshiba HD and Sony's Blu Blu Ray
Extracts from R Reuters

Blockbuster favours Blu Blu ray DVDs to HD DVD
By Mayumi Negishi and Franklin Paul June 19, 2007
U.S. video rental chain Blockbuster Inc. has come out in favour of the Blu-ray DVD format disc, tipping the balance against the rival HD DVD in the battle over next generation discs.

In an industry wide standards war reminiscent of VHS and Betamax, Blockbuster's move is a blow to the HD DVD camp, backed by Toshiba Corp. and Microsoft Corp. and presses forward Blu ray's advantage in the home video arena.
But it is still too early for the Blu ray camp, backed Sony Corp. to celebrate, said Mizuho Securities analyst Koichi Hariya. "Blu-ray is a step closer to becoming the de facto standard in the home video market, but HD DVD is well positioned in PCs", he said. "It's no longer a winner take all fight".

Blockbuster, the largest U.S. provider of home movie entertainment, plans to line its shelves with Blu-ray DVDs for rent at 1,700 corporate owned stores, up from 250, by mid July.

Blu ray rentals are "significantly outpacing HD DVD rentals", Blockbuster said in a statement on Monday. The statement comes after Toshiba slashed its 2007 North American sales target last week to 1 million from 1.8 million, on disappointing U.S. sales.

Wal Wal Mart picks Blu ray in HD DVD dis disaster aster
By Franklin Paul Feb 16,2008
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal Mart Stores Inc on Friday abandoned the flailing HD DVD format, potentially ending a war over next generation DVDs as it joined Best Buy and Netflix in supporting rival Blu ray technology.
The format war between Toshiba Corp backed HD DVD and Sony Corp's Blu ray, often compared to the Betamax VHS battle in the 1980s, has slowed the development of what is expected to be a multibillion dollar high definition DVD industry.

How the PS3 led Blu ray's triumph
By Will Smale
Business reporter, BBC News Tuesday, 19 February 2008, 12:11 GMT
The next next-generation DVD format war is over, and the future is Blu ray.
Ever since the two rival high definition DVD systems were launched in 2006 - Sony's Blu ray and Toshiba's HD DVD - there could only be one winner. In a re-run of the VHS and Betamax video cassette battle of the early 1980s, each raced to win over both the home consumer and the big Hollywood film studios.
Toshiba's announcement that it is to stop production of HD DVD players leaves the way clear for Blu ray to become the industry standard.