Toshiba took a licking in the latest format wars. The company put up a good fight with HD-DVD, but ultimately it just couldn't stand up to Sony's Blu-ray barrage. That fight seems like ancient history now, yet in all that time the company still hasn't seen fit to swallow its pride and introduce a Blu-ray player of its own. If report are to be believed, however, Toshiba is set to take its first stab in the space by the end of the year with the BD 18.

Samsung started producing Blu-ray players back in January 2006 via Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea (TSST Korea)--a partnership between the electronic giants. Toshiba gave up the HD-DVD fight in February 2008. Analysts expect the company to embrace Sony's technology while there's still space left in the market.