Toshiba's risky push on HD-DVD
 

Courting Chinese makers has been largely taboo in Japan, where manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic have long tried to delay the transition of their technologies into cheap commodities. Toshiba's decision could have major ramifications in the race for the billions of dollars that are likely to flow from the next generation of DVD technology, which promises enhanced pictures and audio and more disc space.......

To thwart Sony, Toshiba has reached a bargain with Chinese manufacturers. By making its technology available to them, Toshiba hopes to get cheaper HD-DVD players in the stores months ahead of Sony, Panasonic and other Blu-ray companies.

This would help Toshiba outmaneuver Sony much as Panasonic outfoxed Sony over the Betamax machines. Toshiba, industry analysts say, also knows that DVD's became a mass market item in the United States after low-priced models arrived from China and filled big-box retailers like Wal-Mart.

But inviting the Chinese to drive down prices is risky. Toshiba also makes DVD players, so the Chinese machines could undersell Toshiba players.

http://news.com.com/Toshibas+risky+p...l?tag=nefd.top

Risky or not, if Walmart is doing it so well I don't see the risk is any higher than walking across a two-lane Interstate roadway. After all, it is all about business; high risk = high return or get busted :)