Xbox 360 Blu-ray Drive Already On Trial at Microsoft, Could Be Released in May

Whilst rumours circulating around the net today concerning an
announcement by Toshiba that it was acting to drop their much
beleaguered HD DVD format have proven somewhat unfounded (Toshiba have
merely stated that they are considering its future - when, in all
honesty, few would argue that its future is that it simply doesn't have
one) according to one online source Microsoft, who, as we previously
reported, have already acted to cut the price of its Xbox 360 HD DVD
players, apparently already have an Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive in trails and
could be set to release the drive in as little as three months.

Whilst hardly a shock revelation - having backed the failing HD DVD
format MS now have little option but to see the error of their ways -
what may surprise some (not us) is that, according to SmartHouse, 'MS
insiders' have been so willing to blab about the apparent Xbox 360
Blu-ray unit when it's clear that MS are desperate to clear as many of
their stockpiled HD DVD units as possible.

It's good to know, then, that whilst MS are happy to drop the price of
their Xbox 360 HD DVD drives by a mere $50 in order to shift as many of
the soon to be obsolete players as possible they are not quite as
willing to bring a little transparency to proceedings and admit that
their Xbox 360 HD DVD drives are somewhat less of a bargain than the
uninformed may otherwise think (not that we've exactly seen queues of
consumers battling to get their hands on them of late).

Microsoft really need to get real. If they want to clear components
featuring technology even they purportedly no longer believe in then
they need to drop the price of their Xbox HD DVD players by rather more
than $50 (though, let's be honest here, few would seriously consider
parting with the cash to avail themselves of one when even Toshiba are
so publicly coming to terms with HD DVD's demise).

Update: Microsoft have now officially announced that their Xbox 360 HD
DVD player is dead.