TechFodder

After the whole HD DVD/Blu-ray fiasco, Toshiba was adamant about not adopting the winning technology. Millions of dollars into a failed investment will do that to someone. Over a year later, the wounds have apparently healed -- enough for Toshiba to start cashing in on the high-def format.

PC World says that the company has announced plans to finally produce a Blu-ray player. However, just because they are producing, does that mean anyone's buying?

We'll soon see. If all goes well, Toshiba should have something ready for shoppers by the end of the year. -- Rachel Cericola

Fans frothing for more of the original Star Trek are in luck.

CBS and Paramount just announced that they will soon offer additional content to those that shelled out the money for Star Trek: The Original Series Season One on Blu-ray. The content will come via BD Live.

Big Picture Big Sound has a list of what you can download. Both companies say you can also get a gander at what will be coming on the season two set if you pop in your discs and check back in the coming weeks. -- Rachel Cericola

Somewhere over the rainbow lies a 4-disc set of The Wizard of Oz. Warner Bros. just announced that they plan to celebrate the classic's 70th birthday with a Blu-ray blowout -- releasing the movie for the first time in high-def.

The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition will include 16 hours of extras, including some never-before-seen stuff. Where have they been hiding that??

The release will be remastered, using 8K resolution. It's also getting the Dolby TrueHD audio treatment. Expect the set to come with a few collectibles, including a copy of the original 1939 campaign book, a 70th anniversary Oz wristwatch, a 52-page commemorative book, and a copy of the 1939 film budget. Big Picture Big Sound has other specs and a listing of disc features.

The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition will hit shelves on September 29. -- Rachel Cericola

In case you still have a few HD DVDs lying around, stop resting your drinks on them and get them to Warner Bros.

The studio just announced that it will take back any Warner HD DVDs and swap them for the Blu-ray version. Just go to the RED2BLU site, choose your titles, and pop the original cover art into the mail with shipping/handling costs. It will cost you around $5 per disc. Big Picture Big Sound says that multi-disc sets will be a bit higher. Still, that's cheaper than you'll find them new anywhere else.

Warner is limiting the trade to one per title, with a max of 25 per household. Once everything ships, you can expect the new discs to arrive within four to five weeks. -- Rachel Cericola

It was fun while it lasted. Now Netflix wants to increase prices for Blu-ray rentals.

For a while, you could get the high-def difference for an extra buck per month. Those days are gone -- or will be very soon. Starting April 27, Netflix says that they will raises all subscription prices 20 percent for Blu-ray renters.

Reuters says that 10 percent of Netflix's 10 million subscribers are getting Blu-ray rentals. They currently stock over 1,300 high-def titles. In case you stink at math, here's the new pricing structure:

1 DVD out at-a-time (2 DVDs a month): Monthly plan cost: $4.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $1; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $5.99

1 DVD out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $8.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $2; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $10.99

2 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $13.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $3; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $16.99

3 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited):

4 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $23.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $5; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $28.99

5 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $29.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $6; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $35.99

6 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $35.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $7; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $42.99

7 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $41.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $8; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $49.99

8 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited): Monthly plan cost: $47.99; additional monthly charge for Blu-ray access on this plan: $9; monthly plan cost with Blu-ray access: $56.99

If you rent standard-def discs, don't worry. For now, there are no plans to raise those fees. -- Rachel Cericola

Too nerdy to function? CBS and Paramount want to stuff your social calendar with seven discs of Star Trek goodness.

Star Trek: The Original Series was first released on HD DVD in late 2007. Now, perhaps to get you even more pumped up about the upcoming JJ Abrams incarnation, the two companies are putting out the original on Blu-ray.

The 7-disc set will include all 29 episodes from the show's first season, as well as a ton of special features. One nifty option is the ability to watch original broadcast episodes (versus remastered ones), and tune into mono sound. Big Picture Big Sound has a complete listing of all of the set's episodes and extras.

Star Trek: The Original Series should start selling for $118 on April 28. Order your copy on Amazon now for $77.99. -- Rachel Cericola

If you've got a few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket and a hankering for a Rambo marathon, swing by Amazon.com. The site has launched a massive Blu-ray sale.

We say massive, because there's supposedly 379 titles up for grabs. Count if you must, but no matter how many titles they have, most of them are going for $15 to $20. It's cheap-ish, but those purchases can add up pretty quickly. Still, there are a few impulse buys (did we mention Rambo?) available for $9.99. Here are other favorites, at sample prices...

• The Departed: $17.49
• Iron Man: $16.99
• Lost - The Complete Fourth Season: $43.99
• Mad Men - Season One: $24.49
• Ratatouille: $19.49
• Sleeping Beauty: $22.49
• Transformers: $19.49
• Tropic Thunder: $16.99
• Wall-E: $19.49

High-Def Digest says that the sale ends March 22, so you'd better get shopping. -- Rachel Cericola

You want a copy of Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories. However, the store only has Blu-ray. What to do? You could complain to a blank-faced clerk or just suck it up and go for the high-def.

Disney is hoping consumers will do the latter, so they are planning to put titles out on Blu-ray two full days before the standard-def DVD. Crunch Gear says the plan is part of an initiative to increase Blu-ray sales. Mmmkay...

I would think that if you want Blu-ray, you'll buy Blu-ray. If you want to save $10+ and don't have a Blu-ray player, you'll just camp out on the couch until your appropriate format is available. Seems like a shoddy plan at best. Releasing the Blu-ray packaged with a standard-def DVD version seems like a much better sales tactic.

However, we shall see when the animated adventure Bolt hits Blu-ray on March 22. Bedtime Stories will follow suit on April 5. -- Rachel Cericola

[Bolt photo: © WDSHE. All Rights Reserved.]