BenQ to release Blu-ray burner later this year
Consumer electronics company BenQ plans to launch a standalone Blu-ray burner later this year.
Chairman KY Lee said that they have developed a prototype - a half-height drive designed for use in PCs. It will also write standard DVDs and CDs.
Although BenQ have opted for Blu-ray as their first HD drive, they have not ruled out manufacturing both drives, or a hybrid drive, in the future.
Lee said the major cost of the new technology is the read/write head, and predicts that as the price of this component falls, so will the cost of the drives. No price has yet been set for their new drive.
BenQ also unveiled its FP241W computer monitor, which includes an HDMI connector.
