Confirming earlier rumors that the company will finally embrace the Blu-ray high-def disc format, Toshiba has applied for membership in the Blu-ray Disc Association, saying that it expects to offer Blu-ray players and notebook PCs with Blu-ray drives later this year.

Toshiba, of course, was the primary backer of the now-defunct Blu-ray rival, HD DVD, a split that resulted in a format war that many believe delayed the acceptance of a successor to standard DVDs. That battle ended in February 2008, when Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD after losing the support of Warner Bros., a key Hollywood HD DVD backer, and the decision by several major retail chains, including Best Buy and Walmart, to carry Blu-ray players and titles exclusively.

The company says it will release more information about its product plans in the near future. —James K. Willcox