In late February 2007, Toshiba will release (in Japan) the first notebook with support for the write-once HD DVD-R optical disc format. The G30/97A notebook is an upgrade of Toshiba"s hefty Qosmio G30 entertainment notebook. A few of the current models already include an HD DVD reader and are available worldwide.
The computer is powered by an Intel 2-GHz Core 2 Duo processor and has a 17-inch wide-screen display with 1920 by 1280 pixel resolution (HD movies are a go). The 10.6-pound machine will be running Windows Vista Home Premium and features a 320GB hard drive, digital TV tuner and HDMI output.
International launch plans and pricing have yet to be announced. Hitachi Maxell will begin selling HD DVD-R media on January 25, priced at around $12 for a single-side 15GB disc.