Microsoft Corp. today announced that its trademarked HDi™ logo will soon appear on all Toshiba HD DVD players. In addition, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment will include the HDi logo on packaging for HD DVD movie titles beginning in the fourth quarter of this year. HDi technology is Microsoft’s high-performance implementation of the interactivity layer for the HD DVD format, which has taken the movie-viewing experience to an entirely new level with such advanced features as network connectivity and community scenarios. HDi is also a trademark of Microsoft, as recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in its July 2007 notice of allowance for trademark.

As Microsoft’s implementation of the mandatory interactive layer in HD DVD, defined as Advanced Navigation by the DVD Forum, HDi immediately began delivering unprecedented and unique experiences for consumers when it was launched in April 2006. Early movie titles such as “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” “Miami Vice” and “Mission: Impossible III” received immediate acclaim for their interactive HD DVD experiences — from picture-in-picture director’s commentary to graphical interfaces with tailored movie specifications — all available without stopping the movie playback experience.