Call it MSInformation .... or just misinformation

Recently Microsoft and Intel made a joint announcement that they were backing HD-DVD for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, some of those reasons were made on false statements, as Dell and HP have now illustrated:

"Microsoft and Intel's announcement erroneously indicates that HD-DVD has an advantage in a number of areas," they claimed, pointing to the chip and software giants' statement that HD DVD offers a greater storage capacity than BD.

As The Register noted at the time, Intel and MS' claim that HD DVD's 30GB capacity is better than BD's 25GB is nonsense: the two companies conveniently ignored the fact they were talking about dual-layer HD DVD discs and single-layer BDs.

-- Dell, HP slam Intel, MS' 'erroneous' HD DVD claims

The only legitimate problem I've ever read about Sony's Blu-Ray technology is that ... well, it's Sony's and being Sony it's more closed off than your average format. These are the people who brought us things like the Mini-Disc, and the Mini-Disc II: Electric Boogaloo (AKA UMD). However, this industry squabbling is going to result in a direct cost to the user or even more likely a slow adoption rate for technology already doomed to a slow technology rate (how many games are released today on DVD? Exactly ... ).

Course, the PlayStation 3 may change all that. Coming with a BD drive out of the box, there may be a pre-packaged demographic for the format who could care less what Microsoft or Intel lies about.