Toshiba Builds HD-DVD Enabled PC

Hot off the heels of news that Microsoft and Intel are throwing their support behind HD-DVD, Toshiba says it has developed the first PC with an integrated drive capable of reading the new high-definition DVD format. The PC will launch in Japan early next year, but a U.S. debut has not been scheduled.

The slim HD-DVD drive was developed jointly with Samsung, and will additionally support reading and writing of CDs and traditional DVDs. Although the drive is an important first step for bringing the new format to market, HD-DVD and competitor Blu-ray have a long road ahead before consumers are ready to adopt the technology, analysts say.