Apple may be preparing to support not only Blu-ray Disc but also HD DVD, it has emerged. The next major relase of the Mac OS X operating system, 'Leopard' may allow users to play and burn both types of high-definition media it has be claimed.

While we've got our eye on that new Xbox HD DVD drive that's about to drop next month, one thing we didn't know is that it'll be able to connect to your regular ol' PC via USB -- so that basically means you can get a sweet external HD DVD drive for £200.

Launch titles for the PlayStation 3 are already "getting up close" to the 25GB limit on current Blu-Ray discs, according to Sony's worldwide studios boss Phil Harrison, who was responding to criticism of the PS3's adoption of Blu-Ray.

Contract-manufacturing quotes for slim-type DVD burners dropped 20% in the third quarter due to fierce competition among Taiwan, Korea and Japan makers, according industry sources.

Apple have admitted that some Video iPods purchased after September 12, may carry a Windows virus called "RavMonE.exe".

RipIt4Me takes up where DVD Decrypter bit the dust. The latest version can be coupled with some burning software or even DVD Shrink to easily create backups of your movies.

Creative has apparently bowed to RIAA pressure, issuing a firmware update for two of its players that removes the FM recording feature. In the past, the music industry has argued that recording from radio broadcasts hurt music sales, and has most recently attempted to stop satellite radio services from implementing similar features.

CDs and DVDs have been around for a while. Nevertheless, American-Israeli company Aladdin think it can breathe new life into these formats by creating a disc that combines optical storage capacity with an embedded electronic smart card chip.

Microsoft has spent the last decade trying to crack the TV market with billion-dollar investments in cable and telecom companies, numerous attempts at moving into the set-top box with limited success and an acquisition of WebTV, a service to allow people to browse the Internet through a TV set.

The International Federation for the Phonograph Industry has issued a new round of lawsuits against peer-to-peer file sharers across the globe, suing 8,000 individuals in 17 countries. This includes the first cases filed in Brazil, Mexico and Poland.

Most Japanese hardware vendors consider recording an essential function for Japanese consumers. Unlike western markets, where DVD players have driven most of today's DVD hardware sales, the Japanese market has focused more on the sales of DVD recorders.

Philips has had no new takers for its new Veeza licensing system for CD-R disc patents in Taiwan since Ritek was the first to join the program late last month.

Maxell has announced that it will stop making DVD recordable media in its current plant in Japan, moving the production to other countries.

Ozzie optoelectronics manufacturer Arasor and laser specialist Novalux have unveiled a working laser TV prototype in Sydney, a modified 52-inch Mitsubishi WD-52627 using Arasor's optical chips and lasers to drive the display.

The DVD Forum plans to draw up a blue-laser HD DVD-ROM format specifically for and only available in the China market.

In North America and Japan, Sony's best-selling regions in global terms, the company has as of now ceased to market monitors and at the end of the year the Japanese group will also terminate its monitor business in Europe - which at 30 percent is also an important market for the company.

LG.Philips LCD has announced that it has forged a strategic alliance with Toshiba to jointly develop their positions in the growing European LCD TV market.

News has come across from Taiwan that there are increasing cases of 8x and 4x DVD+R/-R discs being passed off as 16x and 8x, respectively.

A partnership between Sonic Solutions and Macrovision may help pave the way for people to be able to walk into a store, order a movie and have it burned onto a DVD in 10 minutes.

Giving the Keynote address at Mipcom, Disney co-chair Anne Sweeney has broken with studio convention and recognised piracy as a business model to compete with, as opposed to simply an illegal threat to be battled.