Despite months of hype and anticipation, HD-DVD will be practically tiptoeing into stores when the format's first players and discs hit the market April 18.

Good news for HD-DVD fans starving for fresh content to feed their hungry players: Universal has announced to retailers seven new HD-DVD disc announcements, to be released in two waves this May.

Less than a week away from the launch of the first HD-DVD players and discs, Universal has at last officially announced its first next-gen DVD title offerings.

The launch of the first HD-DVD player and discs only a week away, Universal appears poised to announce the release of its first three titles for the format, reports Video Business.

Only days after online retailer IndiePix announced a new pay service that will allow consumers to download independent films and burn them on a DVD, The New York Times reports that Amazon is in advanced negotiations with major studios Warner, Paramount and Universal for a similar, broader, service.

Amazon's move comes at pivotal time for both the studios and online retailers. Both industries are making a mad dash to entice tech-saavy consumers with instant access to their products, amid a dizzying array of new internet and on-demand services and technologies.

Although the studios have been experimenting with video-on-demand services such as MovieBeam and MovieLink, and making select television shows available for download on Apple's iTunes, none offer the ability for consumers to burn purchases to a DVD disc and then play them on any DVD-compatible device.

If talks between Amazon and the studios are successful, the launch of such a service would send shock waves through the industry. With the online retail giant's huge reach -- and a hybrid approach that would allow consumers the instant satisfaction of a download, coupled with the ability to continue to watch movies on DVD -- Amazon could quickly bring movie downloads to the masses.

Blu-Ray may have fired the first salvo in the high-def format war at yesterday's CES 2006, but the HD-DVD camp is not backing down from the fight. Universal, Warner, New Line and HBO unveiled their initial HD-DVD offerings today, which appeared to trump Blu-Ray in terms of diversity, day-and-date with DVD support and speed to market, with the first titles expected by mid-March.

While all of the studios supporting either high-def DVD format unveiled about 10 to 20 titles apiece, initial impressions give HD-DVD the edge. The obvious catalog action blockbusters like 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'Matrix' trilogies are there, but so is comedic fare like 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin.' Combine that with strong same-day-as-DVD titles as 'Superman Reborn' and 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' and it makes for a strong opening blitzkrieg. Having HBO under the Warner umbrella also means TV DVD will be better represented than it has been with Blu-Ray, with HBO pledging such top shows as 'The Sopranos' and 'Deadwood' by year end.

HD-DVD's showing was also boosted by the first genuine surprise of CES 2006: the newly-formed Weinstein Co. announced exclusive HD-DVD support. With an upcoming lineup of titles including 'The Matador,' 'Scary Movie 4,' 'Young Hannibal,' 'The Passion of the Clerks,' that's nothing to scoff at.

However, Blu-Ray has a counterpunch of its own still left for CES 2006. Disney will unveil their exclusive plans for the Sony-backed format with a gala event tonight, which could tip the scales back in the Blu-Ray's favor.