Found this while surfing around and thought I'd share . . .

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4999196.html

LOS ANGELES — Target Corp., the nation's second-largest retailer, will start selling a Sony Blu-ray high-definition DVD player during the critical holiday shopping period and feature the player along with Blu-ray discs in store displays, dealing a potential blow to the rival HD DVD format.

The move, which the companies will formally announce Thursday, is another step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Target said it will sell the Sony BDP-S300 for $499 in October and display it along with Blu-ray DVDs from three studios, including Sony Corp. and The Walt Disney Co., at the ends of store aisles.

The Target announcement comes five weeks after a decision by video rental chain Blockbuster Inc. to offer only Blu-ray titles when it expands its high-def offerings this fall.

Blu-ray is backed by Sony, which developed it. Most Hollywood studios are releasing films either exclusively in Blu-ray or together with the rival HD DVD format, which is backed by its developer, Toshiba Corp.

Only Universal Studios, a unit of General Electric Corp., is releasing films exclusively in HD DVD.

Both formats offer a high-definition picture that is crisper and brighter than standard DVDs, as well as more storage that allows interactive features and games to be packaged with movies.

Consumers have been slow to embrace either format, worried they might get stuck with a losing technology.

Target does not sell high-def DVD players in its stores, although it does sell a Toshiba HD DVD player for $299 on its Web site.

Target stores do sell an HD DVD add-on for the Microsoft Xbox 360. They also sell Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3, which comes with a Blu-ray player built in.

Target would not say why it decided to sell only Blu-ray players in stores. Sony is paying a fee to have its products featured in the end-of-aisle display, called an endcap, although Sony executives said the retailer contacted them about the decision.

"We are not proclaiming one format vs. the other as the preferred consumer technology, and software will continue to be available to our guests in both the Blu-ray and HD DVD format," Target spokeswoman Brie Heath said.

Target will track customer feedback and adjust offerings as necessary, Heath said.

The HD DVD camp was not fazed by the Target decision, pointing out that HD DVD players continue to outsell Blu-ray players, which cost at least twice as much. They also point out that HD DVD players and DVDs are featured in endcap displays in Circuit City Stores Inc. and Best Buy Co. locations.

HD DVD promoters also contend that consumers are more influenced by price than product selection.

"HD DVD players are the most affordable," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the North American HD DVD Promotional Group. "It's one thing to have a player featured, but it's another if it doesn't sell."

While more titles are available in the Blu-ray format, this fall should provide a head-to-head contest between the two formats.

Two blockbuster films _ "Spider-Man 3" from Sony and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" from Disney _ will be available exclusively on Blu-ray.

The HD DVD camp will be counting on sales of the blockbuster film "300" from Warner Bros., which will be released in both formats, and the first season of the popular sci-fi TV show "Heroes," which will be available exclusively on HD DVD.

I've seen this posted a few places, and still have yet to understand why it's news of any sort. Target has decided to sell a stand alone Blu-ray player, and Sony is paying them for endcap space. Wowie.

Sony's sure pulling out all the stops to kill a "dead format."

I am wondering if its about time to start boycotting stores are accepting bribes from the blu-ray Empire and are supporting one format only. I know it seems kinda silly and boycotts rarely work, but it might be something that gets noticed.

Well, they do have to you know...keep selling Blu-Ray also...it's not like they wouldn't need to do stuff like this if HD-DVD didn't exist.

In fairness, paying for prominent shelf space isn't unusual at all.

I know it's not unusual, but I will still file it away with some of Sony/Blu-Ray Empires shady tactics.

I would love to know what else was in the agreement (that they not sell stand-alone HD players while Sony is paying up maybe?), and how much they are paying for each endcap.

I didn't think that Target shoppers could afford $500 Blu-Ray players. In all my visits to Target, I have never seen anyone purchase a BD/HD DVD while I was in the electronics section!

I am waiting for an announcement that Wal-Mart will have endcaps featuring $99 HD-DVD players from China during the holiday shopping season. If it happens, the Wal-Mart $99 endcaps will outsell the Target $500 endcaps by 10 to 1 is my prediction!

Trust me.
I know MANY people who make major coin who shop at Target. My sister owns her own ad company, makes ALOT of $, and shops at Target.
Come visit the one just at the tip of Berkeley and look at the cars in the parking lot.

I think it's news. Target is the one who contacted Sony about carrying the player, not the other way around. I don't see any articles mentioning Target asking Toshiba to carry their standalone player.

How does this news help HD DVD?

Target is not Big Lots. They sell Sony LCDs and other electronic items, just like Best Buy. At least around here, most of the shoppers certainly appear like they could afford a Blu-ray player.

So, can we expect some clearance on HD-DVDs at Target?

Sigh. Read this earlier. Without starting the usual debate, I wish Toshiba, Universal, Microsoft, or someone would do something for HD. It seems lately every week Blu-ray has a major announcement, while HD seems to be spinning wheels.

*edit. Ok just read about the 360 Add-on price cut

Maybe they did and Toshiba didn't meet their price.

They won't be carrying HD-DVD standalones in their stores, so this is certainly big news for Blu-ray at least.

So will Target still sell HD-DVDs?

I hope so. It's the only B&M store I buy my HD-DVD and BR discs from.

I think they would still carry HD DVDs, since they'll still be carrying the 360 add-on. But I think we could see the BD section expand, due to the standalone being sold. I hope so. My Target has done a good job lately of getting new titles, but I would like to see a larger section.

I could see Walmart doing something to counter this.

Walmart already carries the Sony BDP-S300 in stores for $488 + 2 free movies packed in. What type of countering are you referring to?

I was wondering about a HD push. When I worked at Walmart, Target was enemy #1. Target sells only Blu standalone, Walmart do the same with HD. They are cheaper

You have to give the BDA credit for being aggressive from a marketing and shelfspace standpoint. At this point, it's all about mindshare and furthering the perception of who's winning.

But do they buy electronics there?

Which makes me wonder why the HD DVD group isn't doing the same. Other than arriving on the market first and there being an add-on for the 360, there hasn't been any major moves by the HD DVD camp.

Exactly. Thats what bothers me most. Blu seems to be doing something every week, while HD is sitting

Blu-ray's sole mission is to destory HD DVD and win the format war. They are doing everything to win the war (paying off studios, stores, and web sites).

HD DVD does not even seem to know that they are in a war.