Much has been made of the format wars between HD DVD and Blu-ray, but most of it has been relegated to mere talk. Not anymore. Toshiba is the first out of the gate, with its HD-A1 HD DVD player. The HD-A1 offers a perfect example of an ideal early-adopter product. It's got well-hyped bling (six times the detail of DVDs means gorgeous video!), a clunky feel (ever spend a minute waiting for a consumer electronics device to boot?), technical limitations (no 1080p output), minimal software support (20 titles by the end of May, hundreds, in theory, by year's end), and a relatively stiff price tag. Then again, HD DVD's competition, players using the Sony-led Blu-ray technology, won't ship until mid-June at the earliest, and even then they're expected to sell for around $1,000. That makes the $500 HD-A1, as well as its pricier sibling, the $800 HD-XA1, seem like a bargain. Still, there is plenty of reason for buyers to be cautious.