In their press conference this morning, Toshiba spent a few minutes presenting on HD DVD, and most of their time talking about next year’s lineup of REGZA HDTVs which feature smaller bezels, and some that upconvert. These are actually pretty interesting displays, but I’m sure HD DVD was more on everybody’s minds.

Engadget and Gizmodo were live blogging from the press conference, and Jodi Sally, VP of Marketing for Toshiba’s Digital A/V Group mainly only reiterated the press release statements from Friday regarding HD DVD sales. She was quoted as saying, “It is difficult for me to read all the pundits declaring HD DVD dead. Clearly, the events of the last few days have led many of you to that conclusion. But, we have been declared dead before,” and those of us who’ve been involved with HD DVD stuff can certainly attest to that.

Later in the day, Bill Gates made his last keynote address for Microsoft, as he’s stepping down into semi-retirement in July to take over full-time at his philanthropic ventures. Many speculated that there might be news about HD DVD in this talk, but it didn’t happen. I never bought into the Xbox 360 “Ultimate” rumors, and sure enough, there was no mention of a new model with a built-in HD DVD drive, or any other features for that matter. This is not because Microsoft doesn’t believe in HD DVD, but more because it’s irrelevant to making the 360 a great gaming system and media extender. Microsoft is not a consumer electronics manufacturer, and they’re more about working on the software that goes into those devices instead (and making sure all of it is somehow linked to Windows).

Back to the Toshiba event, since the third-generation players only came out a couple of months ago, there wasn’t any fourth-gen action to demo. Toshiba did show (though not at the press conference) a Qosmio laptop with an HD DVD-R/RW drive, which would be a first for the US market. A little later in the day, there was a press release from Verbatim announcing they’re coming out with 2X HD DVD-R discs. I saw one mention of a new external HD DVD/Blu-ray combo drive from LG, but I expect more details this week.

Later in the evening, the North American HD DVD Promotional Group put out a press release in lieu of the big shindig that had originally been planned. Here are some of the points they made:

• There are now more than 400 HD DVD titles available in the US and more than 1,000 available worldwide.
• During the key five-week holiday selling period, HD DVD software sales grew at nearly twice the rate of Blu-ray, which was consistent with increased player growth.
• Among all high-definition formats, HD DVD still maintains the highest attach rates — more than twice the rate of Blu-ray.
• Toshiba’s HD DVD players received several Editor’s Choice and Product of the Year awards from respected media outlets, including Sound & Vision, Electronic House, E-Gear, and Ultimate AV.
• HD DVD-enabled PCs represented more than 80% of all high definition-capable PCs in 2007. The HD DVD companies expect notebook PCs in particular to be the variable that helps keep quality high, but prices low, by driving down manufacturing costs for drives across all HD DVD players.
• In 2007, HD DVD went from being supported by 41 studios and distributors worldwide to 65.
• In 2007, HD DVD led the way with never-before-seen interactive experiences that have changed how consumers interact with their favorite movies:
• HD DVD was first to offer true picture-in-picture director’s commentary with Warner’s 300. This feature was not included in the Blu-ray version, and showcases a key HD DVD feature that caters directly to the fan community. Universal’s Heroes and Paramount’s Transformers also included picture-in-picture features that enhance the experience for fans.
• HD DVD was also the first to deliver web-connected content, offering bonus material on titles such as The Bourne Ultimatum, Heroes: Season 1, and Transformers — all offering downloadable content that’s continually updated so fans can return for new features.

The press release also quotes Ken Graffeo, executive VP of strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group:

“The HD DVD camp has always stuck to a simple set of principles. Give consumers who buy into HD DVD what they paid for. In fact, give them more than they expected. Show them that quality and value go hand in hand with HD DVD. Show them what advanced interactivity really means and how it can enrich your favorite movies that you watch over and over.”

You can read much more in the press release here.

As reporters start roaming around the CES show this week, there will be lots more to report on. Stay tuned!