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Microsoft: “We’ll support Blu-ray”
Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 03:00 PM ETTags: Microsoft (all tags)
Amid rumors that Microsoft is in talks to add Blu-ray support to its Xbox 360 game console, CEO Steve Ballmer has indicated the company’s intention to support the remaining high-def format.
As reported by The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took part in an onstage conversation at the company’s Mix08 Internet conference in Las Vegas Thursday, where the topics discussed included Microsoft’s high-def plans following the discontinuation of Toshiba’s HD DVD format.
Without offering specifics, Ballmer said the company will work to support Blu-ray.
“We've already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support for Blu-ray drives and the like,” Ballmer stated. “I think the world moves on. Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense.”
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Ballmer lets out his inner Monkey at Mix08 event [Seattle PI]
Microsoft Bids Farewell to HD DVD
Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 08:00 AM ETTags: Microsoft, Xbox 360 (all tags)
To the surprise of no one, Microsoft officially announced Monday that it would withdraw from HD DVD, ceasing production of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on, effective immediately.
One of the format's key technology backers, Microsoft played a leading role in evangelizing HD DVD to the early adopter community from the format's earliest days. It also famously launched the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on in late 2006 in an effort to help combat Sony's Blu-ray enabled PS3.
In a statement issued Monday, the software giant said it would continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market. The company also dropped the MSRP on its remaining stock to a record-low of $49.99.
The full text of Microsoft's statement follows below:
As a result of recent decisions made by Toshiba, Hollywood studios, and retailers, Microsoft plans to withdraw from HD DVD. Xbox will no longer manufacture new HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, but we will continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market. As we stated earlier, we do not believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Xbox 360 HD DVD Player [Xbox.com]
Microsoft Addresses HD DVD Reports
Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 08:41 PM ETTags: Microsoft, Toshiba (all tags)
Responding to reports that Toshiba will soon discontinue the HD DVD format, Microsoft says such a move would not hurt sales of Xbox 360.
The company went on to say that it would wait to hear from Toshiba before discussing its plans for the Xbox 360 HD DVD player.
The full text of Microsoft's statement follows below:
"We do not believe the recent reports about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. As we've long stated, we believe it is games that sell consoles and Xbox 360 continues to have the largest next-gen games library with the most exclusives and best selling games in the industry. We will wait until we hear from Toshiba before announcing any specific plans around the Xbox 360 HD DVD player. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room along with playback of the DVD movies they already own."
The unusual statement from Microsoft (a company reknowned for not addressing rumors or speculation) would seem to be yet another indication that Toshiba is on the verge of conceding defeat to the Sony-backed Blu-ray format.
Toshiba has reportedly scheduled a press conference for 5pm Tuesday in Japan (that's midnight tonight Pacific Time). Needless to say, we'll keep you up to date on any developments.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Microsoft Not Worried About HD DVD [Kotaku.com]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Toshiba: Still Backing HD DVD -- For Now (Feb 18, 2008)
Microsoft Drops Price for Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On (UPDATED)
Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 01:18 PM ETTags: Microsoft, Xbox 360, High-Def Retailing, Amazon (all tags)
UPDATE: (5:35pm ET, 2/06/08) FormatWarCentral points out that Best Buy is now offering the Xbox 360 HD DVD player for $119.
Playing catch-up with a series of price drops on HD DVD players from Toshiba, Microsoft has shaved another $50 off the MSRP for its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on.
That brings the new suggested retail price on the Xbox 360 HD DVD player in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to $129.99. (As we've previously reported, last August Microsoft dropped the price on the player to $179.)
Today's price drop from Microsoft (which is already reflected on the official Xbox site) comes on the same day that Amazon briefly offered the add-on for a mere $79.99. The web retailer promptly sold out of units at that price, and is currently selling the add-on via one of its partners for $155.67.
Purchases of the Xbox 360 add-on include a free HD DVD copy of of 'King Kong' inside the box, and qualify for an additional five free discs by mail as part of the HD DVD camp's "Perfect Offer" program.
(Thanks to Michael P. for the tip!)
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Xbox 360 HD DVD Player [Xbox.com]
- Perfect Offer -- Five Free HD DVDs (PDF) [Xbox.com]
- Amazon: $80 Xbox 360 HD DVD player with 6 free HD DVDs and shipping [Engadget]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Microsoft Reduces Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Price (Jul 26, 2007)
Microsoft Denies Xbox HD DVD Rumors
Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 04:16 PM ETTags: Microsoft, Xbox 360 (all tags)
That rumored "Entertainment Xbox" with a built-in HD DVD hard drive? Microsoft says its a no-go.
Speaking with Home Media Magazine, the computer giant denied persistent rumors that it had teamed up with Toshiba to develop a new version of its gaming console with an internal HD DVD hard drive.
The trade magazine quotes Kevin Collins, Microsoft's director of HD DVD evangelism, as saying the company did not and will not bundle an HD DVD drive in its popular gaming console because Microsoft believes that gamers are first and foremost gamers.
"Microsoft knew if we put in an HD DVD drive that we would have to raise costs and disenfranchise our customers (that are primarily gamers) as the unit would become too expensive," explained Collins.
The exec's comments on the rumored Xbox came as part of a response to accusations that Microsoft's support of HD DVD was designed to perpetuate the format war in hopes that consumers will sit it out entirely, and instead buy their entertainment online. Collins called the accusations baseless, stating that the company had "over 100 people working on HD DVD interactivity and we believe that HD DVD is the next-generation optical format."
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Microsoft Exec Says Company Isn't Trying to Fuel HD Format War [Home Media Magazine]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Microsoft Silent on New Xbox HD DVD Rumors (Oct 22, 2007)
Free 'Heroes' HD DVD Bundled With Xbox 360 Add-On
Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 03:04 PM ETTags: Bundles, Xbox 360, Microsoft, Universal, Best Buy, Amazon (all tags)
Universal and Microsoft have teamed up to offer the 'Heroes: Season One' HD DVD box set free with sales of the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on.
The promo kicked off yesterday and is set to run for 1-2 weeks at select retailers. (So far, it has been spotted at Buy.com and at Best Buy.)
Combined with Microsoft's existing "Five Free Discs" offer and the free in-box 'King Kong' HD DVD (on select models), this latest incentive brings the value of all bundled HD DVD discs included with the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on to roughly $220 -- that's forty dollars more than the total list price for the add-on itself.
Meanwhile, in a separate 'Heroes'-related Xbox 360 promo, Amazon.com is giving away 90 'Heroes' themed Xbox 360 game systems over the next 30 days. Sweepstakes winners will receive a special 'Heroes' decorated 20GB Xbox 360 Console with matching HD DVD add-on, plus a copy of 'Heroes: Season 1 on HD-DVD'. Click here for complete details.
To see what members of our forums area are saying about these and other similar HD DVD promos, be sure to visit the HD DVD bargains area of our forums.
- Related links:
- Free 'Heroes' HD DVD With Purchase of Xbox 360 HD DVD Player [BestBuy.com]
- Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player [Buy.com]
- Xbox 360 'Heroes' Sweepstakes [Amazon.com]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Heroes: Season One (HD DVD)
- King Kong (2005) (HD DVD)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Microsoft Reduces Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Price; Adds Five Free HD DVDs (Jul 26, 2007)
- Microsoft to Bundle 'King Kong' with Xbox 360 HD DVD Player (Sep 27, 2006)
Microsoft Silent on New Xbox HD DVD Rumors
Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 01:16 PM ETTags: Microsoft, Toshiba (all tags)
With reports proliferating that Microsoft and Toshiba have teamed up to develop an "Entertainment Xbox" with an internal HD DVD hard drive, Microsoft isn't commenting.
Although the PC giant has squashed similar rumors in the past, they've resurfaced several times over the last year and a half.
The latest round stems from remarks attributed to an unnamed senior Toshiba executive in Australia, who told Aussie tech site Smarthouse that "An Xbox with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. (Microsoft) and we are working on it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognise(s) this. A version of the device may also be sold under the Toshiba brand name."
Smarthouse goes on to state that the new device is planned for release in 2008 or at the 2009 CES show in Las Vegas.
Given the reported timing and the vagaries of the high-def format war, it's no surprise Microsoft isn't commenting. But the prospect of an HD DVD-enabled game console that would go head-to-head with Sony's PS3 certainly has early adopters talking.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox [Smarthouse]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Microsoft Says No to Xbox 360 Internal HD DVD (Jul 06, 2006)
Microsoft Reduces Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Price; Adds Five Free HD DVDs
Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:26 PM ETTags: Microsoft, Xbox 360 (all tags)
Kicking off the week's news from Comic-Con, Microsoft this morning announced a series of new incentives designed to woo more Xbox 360 owners to buy its HD DVD add-on player.
Beginning August 1, the software giant will drop the price of the add-on player by twenty dollars to $179, and for a period of two months consumers will also receive five free HD DVD movies with purchase.
On its previous $199 price tag alone, the add-on was already the lowest priced playback solution for high-def discs. Add to that over $140 in effective savings, and Microsoft seems to hoping that this promo will prove to be an irresitable deal for Xbox 360 owners who haven't yet made the leap to HD DVD.
While the add-on player has come bundled with a single HD DVD disc in the past, this new five disc promotion extends the HD DVD camp's "Perfect Offer," which was previously exclusive to consumers buying Toshiba HD DVD players. The program allows consumers to choose five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 popular titles through a mail-in offer.
Microsoft also announced two upcoming Xbox LIVE offerings said to be designed to help promote the HD DVD releases of '300' and 'Heroes: Season One.' Beginning August 14, '300' will be available on demand in HD via LIVE, while at an unspecified later date the pilot episode of 'Heroes' will also be offered in high-def, along with trailers, teaser scenes and other promotional materials highlighting the show's upcoming HD DVD box set.
This announcement from Micosoft is the first major announcement to emerge from this week's Comic-Con gathering San Diego, which kicks off with various press activities today. As we've previously reported, both high-def disc formats promise to be well-represented at Comic-Con this year, with fans being treated to a first look at several high-profile titles hitting HD DVD and Blu-ray in the coming months.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Moves to $179, Adds Five Free HD DVDs [Press Release]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- 300 (HD DVD)
- Heroes: Season One (HD DVD)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- HD DVD and Blu-ray Titles to Take Center Stage at Comic-Con 2007 (Jul 10, 2007)
Amazon, Microsoft to Help Bring Indie Films to HD DVD
Mon Jul 02, 2007 at 08:55 AM ETTags: Amazon, CustomFlix, Microsoft (all tags)
Amazon and Microsoft have announced that they are joining forces to subsidize the authoring of up to 1000 independent films to the HD DVD format.
The unique promotion, dubbed "The 1000 HD DVD Indies Project," will see Microsoft provide free HD DVD authoring services to qualifying independent filmmakers, which Amazon will then package and make available for sale on its website, with royalities flowing back to the filmmaker for each disc sold.
This new HD DVD program is the latest addition to Amazon's CustomFlix CD and DVD service, which produces and ships discs only as they are ordered, eliminating the need for costly inventory. Filmmakers can then set the sale price, and earn royalties for each disc sold.
While CustomFlix has also released select titles on Blu-ray in the past (including the 'Living Landscapes' series), this Microsoft-sponsored promotion is HD DVD specific, as are the accompanying promotional materials.
In quote from the press release announcing the program, Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix had this to say about HD DVD: "From a technical standpoint, we found that the HD DVD format fits our business model perfectly."
Filmmakers interested in more information about the "1000 Indies" program can visit the CustomFlix website for complete details.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Amazon.com and Microsoft Team Up to Help Indie Filmmakers Jump Into HD DVD [Press Release]
- The 1000 HD DVD Indies Project [CustomFlix.com]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Living Landscapes: The World's Most Beautiful Places (Blu-ray)
New Disc Bundle Offered For Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On
Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 08:15 AM ETTags: Xbox 360, Microsoft, High-Def Retailing, High-Def Gaming (all tags)
The latest in a seemingly endless parade of discounts and promos for HD DVD and Blu-ray over the past few weeks, both Best Buy and Circuit City are offering a new free disc bundle with purchase of the Xbox 360 HD DVD player add-on.
Now through June 16th, consumers who buy Microsoft's add-on player at either big box retailer will receive not only the free 'King Kong' HD DVD (which has long come bundled with the player), but also an additional two free HD DVD discs.
The two deals seem to differ slightly in terms of the two additional free HD DVDs: while Circuit City is allowing consumers to choose any two HD DVDs up to a $59.98 value, it appears that Best Buy has pre-selected 'The Bourne Supremacy' and 'Breach' as their two additional discs, at least for online sales.
Both retailers are selling the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on for its list price of $199.99.
This bundle deal is the latest in a series of price cuts and promotions to hit HD DVD and Blu-ray in the weeks leading up to Father's Day. On the hardware side, Toshiba and Sony have both dropped prices for their respective next-gen disc players, with Sony launching its BDP-S300 Blu-ray player at a record-low $499, and Toshiba offering a limited time $100 rebate program for its line of HD DVD players. On the software side, price cuts on high-def discs have been spotted at various retailers, including (most recently) Amazon.com, which is offering up to 42% off list price for a selection of HD DVD and Blu-ray titles
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Weekly Ad [Circuit City]
- 2 Free HD Movies Offer [Best Buy]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- King Kong (2005) (HD DVD)
- Breach (HD DVD)
- The Bourne Supremacy (HD DVD)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Amazon Drops Prices on Select Blu-ray, HD DVD Discs to 42 Percent Off List (Jun 12, 2007)
- Sony Launches BDP-S300 Blu-ray Player, Drops Price to $499 (Jun 04, 2007)
- Toshiba Offers $100 Rebate on New HD DVD Players (May 16, 2007)
- Microsoft to Bundle 'King Kong' with Xbox 360 HD DVD Player (Sep 27, 2006)
MORE HD DVD NEWS TAGGED "MICROSOFT":
- 'Children of Men' HD DVD Hits Xbox 360 Playback Snag? Mar 29, 2007
- Online Interactivity to Spearhead Universal's 2007 HD DVD Assault Mar 19, 2007
- Microsoft, Comedy Central Team Up for 'South Park' Xbox 360 HD DVD Exclusive Mar 06, 2007
- High-Def Penetration Explodes with Strong PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Add-On Sales Nov 20, 2006
- Xbox 360 Revs Up For High-Def Downloads Nov 08, 2006
- Microsoft to Bundle 'King Kong' with Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Sep 27, 2006
- Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-on Pricing, Availability in Japan Sep 21, 2006
- No HDMI for Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On? Sep 20, 2006
- Xbox 360 with Built-In HD DVD Coming After All? Sep 13, 2006
- Microsoft Unveils Xbox 360 HD DVD Drive; Hints at Pricing Aug 08, 2006
- Microsoft Says No to Xbox 360 Internal HD DVD Jul 06, 2006
- Amazon, Microsoft Team Up to Bring HD DVD to Indie Filmmakers Jul 02, 2006
- Microsoft Hints at Xbox 360 HD-DVD Add-On Price? May 10, 2006
- Microsoft Unveils New Details on Xbox 360 HD-DVD Add-On May 08, 2006
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