Even after it was clear that Blu-ray would win the DVD format race, Microsoft continued to stand behind the rival HD DVD. In his new book, "Burning the Ships," Marshall Phelps, a top Microsoft lawyer, and co-author David Kline suggest that Microsoft had already decided to back HD DVD, but that the company redoubled its support as part of its effort to woo Toshiba to become the first big Japanese firm to take a cross-license to Microsoft's patents.

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