Blue-Laser Disc Players And Recorders WHO: Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and others are developing the Blu-Ray format. Toshiba and NEC are working on the competing HD DVD
WHY: Today's DVDs may look good, but they're not true high definition. An HD movie would fill up three or four DVDs. HD DVD and Blu-Ray have far greater data-storage capacity.
HOW IT WORKS: Employing a blue laser instead of a red one, these disc players can read and write data that are more finely packed onto a multi-layered optical disc.
APPLICATIONS: The new formats can hold full-length feature films with a resolution six times as sharp as today's DVDs, plus goodies such as uncompressed surround sound.
HOW MUCH: Due in the U.S. by late 2005 or early '06, the first models may cost more than $1,000.
