Microsoft, Intel throw weight behind HD DVD standard
SEATTLE, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. on Monday threw their weight behind the next-generation HD DVD format being promoted by Toshiba Corp. in a blow to Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray format.
The world's largest software maker and the world's largest microchip maker announced that their products would support Toshiba's HD DVD format. They said the HD DVD format would make it easier for consumers to copy high-definition movies to computer hard drives.
Next-generation DVD discs, designed to store movies and other content with much more detail and clarity, have sparked a three-year battle between Toshiba and Sony, over what is expected to be a multi-billion-dollar market for next-generation DVD players, PC drives and optical discs.
"We wanted to choose the format that has the highest probability of this market taking off," said Stephen Balogh, director of optical media standards and technologies at Intel.
The announcement from Intel and Microsoft, which together supply the technology behind at least 9 out of every 10 personal computers sold worldwide, came as no surprise, since Microsoft said in June that it would work with Toshiba to develop technology for the HD DVD format.
