Toshiba's high-def DVD player debuts

TOKYO — Toshiba began selling the first players using the next-generation HD DVD video format Friday, beating the rival Blu-ray disc format to market in a high-stakes competition to deliver theatre-quality movies to living rooms. Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. said its HD-XA1, priced at about 110,000 yen ($936 U.S.) is the world's first commercially available HD DVD player. The product, which has no recording function, is being promised for the United States in April at about $799.