Looks like both the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats will be made compatible for reading AND burning by a single drive after all, at least based on a new technology by Ricoh which involves a "diffraction plate" this seems to be the case. I had a feeling this would happen eventually. A *BIG* thumbs up to Ricoh.

EETimes has the full scoop.

TOKYO - Trying to bridge the gap between next-generation optical disk formats, Ricoh said it has developed an optical component that reads and writes all disk formats-Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD, as well as DVD and CD-with one pickup and one objective lens.

Ricoh will show the optical device at the International Optoelectronics Exhibition '06 outside Tokyo on July 12-14. The company intends to offer the device to OEMs by year's end.