Sony promises Blu-ray laptop in June

Sony promises Blu-ray laptop in June


One month behind rival HD-DVD system

Sony will launch the first laptop featuring a Blu-ray DVD drive in June, one month behind Toshiba's rival laptop that includes a HD-DVD drive.

The Sony Vaio laptop will launch in Japan and the company expects to sell it for Y400,000 (£1,930).

The announcement is the latest in a battle that sees the two competing formats trying to win dominance in the market.

While Sony is again late to market with its product compared to the HD-DVD camp, it is at least offering the Blu-ray Vaio at a similar price to Toshiba's laptops featuring the rival technology.

Yoshihisa Ishida, the head of Sony's PC division, said at a news conference that the PC market will become increasingly polarised.

"Customers will focus on such basic functions as internet and email on one end, with users that seek added value on the other, and the latter, of course, is where Vaio is headed."