Stores Listing HD-DVD Players Early

Sites like Amazon and Crutchfield list the player on their sites, but is it too early to be listing a product related to unfinished technology?

Though HD-DVD is almost here, it’s still not 100% finalized and has yet to drop onto US shores. Apparently that still isn’t enough to stop some retailers from listing HD-DVD players on their sites.Amazon has listed the Toshiba HDA1 and HDXA1 HD-DVD players and pitches them as “not yet available”. Toshiba was the first to announce HD-DVD players at CES 2006. Their HDA1 is the cheaper of the twoand packs 720p/1080i, HDMI output, and other features. Its older brother the HDXA1 has all the features and then some like a luxury motion-sensitive remote.

But Amazon.com isn’t the only culprit listing these players early. Electronics retailer Crutchfield.com also lists the two Toshiba players as available but “Out of Stock”. Well, of course you’re outof stock when the player hasn’t even been released yet. Get with the program Crutchfield. Both companies are offering free shipping and some assorted deals with the player, so make your pre-maturedecision wisely and be sure to pick up some high quality cables to go with the player. Oh, and don’t forget Blu-ray is coming to town also. So don’t jump the gun yet.