The headlines read: “Sony Says Blu Ray will Conquer Half the Market By 2008.” Until now, you may have never have heard of the Blu Ray disc player before. Don’t be alarmed, as it can be grueling to keep up with all the latest technology! The good news is that you didn’t get suckered into buying an HD DVD player that is now obsolete. Here you will learn all of the basics about this new technology so that you can make up your mind as to whether it’s a trend or a necessity for your household.

Blu Ray (BR) is the new format developed for optimal recording, rewriting, playing and storing of high-definition video. The world first learned about the new technology with the release of Sony’s Playstation 3 in November 2006. To make more advanced games, Sony needed a way to “fit in” more data. While the DVDs in your current collection hold 9 GB of information, the Blu Ray discs are able to hold 25-50 GB, making it five times more efficient! Manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp and JVC (to name a few) are using a different type of laser (blue versus the traditional red) to pack more data with better precision.

Before you get angry about having to retire the old DVD player, you should know about some of the other cool features that Blu Ray can offer. Imagine purchasing a new DVD and then downloading exciting, updated bonus material onto the rewritable storage section of the disc. The interactive nature of the Blu Ray format was a major selling feature for film studios because it allows them more creativity and personalized interaction. The developers are talking about further innovation with music discs and cell phone ring tones. So far, the best way to buy the Blu Ray technology is by purchasing a PlayStation 3, which will allow you to do much more than just watch amazing high-definition movies. You’ll also be able to listen to music, surf the web, store data and play video games (against the computer or another player on the console and online against multiple players). The machine starts at $399 and is the cheapest way to bring the new technology into your home.

So just how popular is the Blu Ray? It’s so popular that market analysts are speculating that Sony may not have the capacity to tackle the demand for the new media!

The demand is said to be around 43 million units worldwide, but factories can only handle production for 38 million, and that’s after an upgrade to their facilities. Therefore, you can expect prices to remain high until the supply side catches up with the demand. Prices on the initial players range from $400 to $1,000 but the subsequent versions are expected to be offered for around $300.