Is VMD the Next Blu-ray?
The discs and players are much cheaper to produce than either Blu-ray or HD-DVD because it uses the same red lasers that standard DVD players use. Red lasers are cheaper and easier to produce than the blue lasers used in the other high-def disc formats.
According to an article in today's New York Times, VMD players are sold directly through the NME Web site and will be available on Amazon in about five weeks for about $200, though Michael Jay Solomon, the chairman of New Medium, seems to think prices could quickly drop to $90 a player.
Low prices, however, didn't save HD-DVD, and with the lackluster selection of VMD movies (only 17 titles available stateside), the upstart disc format is going to have a tough time even carving out a small niche for itself.
Whatever. All these next-gen disc formats are doomed, since HD-downloading on devices such as Apple TV and Vudu are only going to grow.
From the New York Times
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