While Toshiba originally intended to launch their HD DVD players in time for the holiday season, they were delayed due to some copy protection issues. If things go as planned, they will now hit the US market in March of 2006.
Toshiba Corporation today marked a major milestone in the history of the consumer electronics industry and the world of home entertainment with the announcement of the March 2006 commercial launch of the industry's first HD DVD players in the USA.
The new HD DVD players, HD-XA1 and HD-A1, take advantage of a wide range of advanced capabilities offered the HD DVD format, the next-generation DVD format defined by the DVD Forum. Both models offer superior high definition images, crystal clear audio, and the enhanced functionality delivered by such features as Advanced Navigation using "iHD."
Toshiba also plans to introduce a HD DVD-ROM equipped notebook computer in the Q1 of this year. If you'd like to read more, their entire press release can be found here.