Topic: Toshiba
Category: Audio/Video
Technorati: Linking Blogs

No sign of any actual products yet, but Toshiba and Microsoft had a pretty big announcement today regarding joint development efforts between the two companies. They're apparently working towards incorporating Windows CE in HD DVD players (which in all honesty, will probably just be modified version of Microsoft's XBox 360 software) and that they "plan to strengthen their collaboration on iHD, the DVD Forum’s latest interactivity format." Whatever that means.

Either way, we already know that Microsoft will be supporting HD DVD on Longhorn, which I don't think is due until 2007. Given both Blu-Ray and HD DVD products are supposed to be hitting the market by the end of this year, it seems both organizations will need to work towards getting their technologies supported under Windows XP.

I'm sure Toshiba has made a special effort to try and convince Microsoft to not support Blu-Ray in Longhorn, but frankly, I doubt Microsoft would want to limit the capabilities of "the biggest Windows since 95" (Ballmer said this, IIRC). It will be interesting to see what role Microsoft has to play in the HD DVD vs Blu-Ray war due to their involvement on both the hardware (Xbox 360) and software (Longhorn) ends of things.

Microsoft's official press release on the announcement is right here, in English, so I needn't be bothered translating it.