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Verbatim Corporation announced today that for the second year in a row it has been named the leading supplier of recordable CD and DVD media worldwide by the Santa Clara Consulting Group (SCCG). The Group's 2005 CD and DVD reports show that Verbatim and its parent company, Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM), not only maintained the Number One position worldwide but also increased global market share of recordable CDs and DVDs. Their worldwide dominance in the DVD media markets was evident in the report's Unit Shipments section, which lists Verbatim/MKM shipments of recordable DVD media in 2005 as 531.249 million—23.3 percent more than its nearest competitor.While I'm a big fan of Verbatim's media, I must admit that I am a little surprised by some of these numbers. I kind of expected Ritek to be top supplier of media as they are one of the largest manufacturers. In any case, Verbatim's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Of the five DVD formats tracked in the report, DVD-R was the most significant DVD format in 2005 with 59 percent of DVD recordable disc sales. Verbatim/MKM leads the global DVD-R market with a 17.01 percent market share for all of 2005.
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Ciba Specialty Chemicals has filed a patent infringement suit in Germany and the Netherlands against RiTEK Corporation and its European subsidiaries Conrexx Technology B.V. (also known as Traxdata), RME Manufacturing GmbH, RiTEK Media Europe, and PrimeDisc Technologies GmbH. Ciba claims that RiTEK and its named subsidiaries import and sell RiTEK-manufactured CD-R which infringe Ciba's patented CD-R dye technology. Ciba IRGAPHOR Ultragreen is globally recognized by the industry as the optical dye of choice for CD-R manufacturing known for high quality and consistency. "We will not tolerate that our technology is illegally copied and counterfeit products are spread in the market. Therefore we are carefully and continuously monitoring the media market. We are prepared to vigorously defend our intellectual property and will not hesitate to take legal action against infringers", a Ciba spokesperson said.It's going to be interesting to see what happens. If you'd like to read more, Ciba's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
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- Flash Memory
The Memorex FlashDisc is available now at Best Buy and cost $19.99 for a pack of three. If you'd like to read more, Memorex's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Memorex, the leading retail provider of digital media in North America, today announced the availability of the world's first shareable, flash-based USB storage media. The Memorex FlashDisc offers a high-capacity alternative to the floppy diskette and low-cost alternative to personal USB flash drives, bringing to market a re-useable storage medium that's simple for anyone to use and affordable enough to share. The versatile FlashDisc combines low-density flash memory chips - encased in lightweight but protective plastic - with a USB connector and protective cap, creating a cost-effective way to share files, photos or music with co-workers, classmates, family and friends.
The USB-compatible Memorex FlashDisc is an easy way to share data between any PC or Mac with a USB port. At 2.3 inches in diameter and 0.3 inches high, the FlashDisc's thin, round design is durable and portable like a floppy diskette, yet delivers more than 10 times the capacity. Each FlashDisc can store up to 400 text documents, 10 presentations, 40 digital photos or 15 minutes of music. Simply plug the Memorex FlashDisc into any computer's USB port to save, delete, rewrite and share files using the easy drag and drop process - without requiring software or a special drive. Unlike USB flash drives, the Memorex FlashDisc is sold in multi-packs that can be purchased for the office, classroom or home. For easy identification of contents, each FlashDisc comes with a write-on adhesive label. Additionally, each package of FlashDiscs sports a mix of color schemes to allow for color-coding of files; combinations include black and red, black and blue, and black and yellow.
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Korea's LG Electronics Inc. said on Tuesday it planned to launch a next-generation DVD player that will bridge the yawning gap between two competing formats by playing both HD DVD and Blu-ray.If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
"LG is a supporter of Blu-ray and is now considering a dual format player for later this year," said John Taylor, a U.S. spokesman for the Korean company.
Both Blu-ray, developed by a Sony Corp -led consortium, and HD DVD, championed by Toshiba Corp , offer more capacity than current DVDs, but the groups' failure to reach a unified front has paved the way for a costly battle in the $24 billion home video market, like the VHS/Betamax war of 25 years ago that caused widespread customer confusion.
Korean LG Electronics last week became the second high-profile Blu-ray supporter after Hewlett-Packard to announce it would also support HD DVD.
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TEAC Corp. said on Wednesday it and electronics maker Pioneer Corp. had agreed to co-develop recordable DVD drives for laptop computers, in the latest move by Japanese electronics makers to counter the tough price competition in the industry.I thought TEAC and Pioneer had signed this agreement months ago, but I guess not. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
TEAC, a maker of floppy disk and CD-ROM drives, said in a statement the two companies will work on the details of the agreement and would also consider expanding their ties to other areas.
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Warner Home Video, the only studio that in January had set a firm date, March 28, for its first high-definition DVD titles to arrive in stores, now says it might not be ready in time because of technical problems.Needless to say, I would not rush out and buy an HD DVD player as it will be a few weeks before you'll be able to buy any movies in the new format. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
"To be honest, the outlook is tenuous -- we're still coming out with an initial slate, but we may be a week or two later; we just don't know," division president Ron Sanders said.
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Verbatim Corporation, the market leader in premium-quality printable media, has announced the immediate availability of their white inkjet printable 16X DVD+/-R media. The discs feature a matte white printable surface and fast drying times with ultra-reliable, high-speed recording technology and broad read compatibility.Verbatim's inkjet printable 16x DVD media is available now in 50 pack spindles for a recommended retail price of $42.95. A 100 pack spindle of DVD+R media will also be available in April for about $79.95. More information can be found here. Add a comment
With the ability to record at about 21 MB/sec, these high speed Verbatim DVD discs can store 4.7GB of video, photos, music or data files in about five minutes. Verbatim has worked closely with verification authorities and leading drive manufacturers to produce this high-performance DVD media, certified for 1-16X DVD writing.
The key component in achieving 16X speed DVD media that delivers optimum performance, superior quality and the broadest compatibility is the proprietary recording layer technology developed by Verbatim, Advanced AZO. By using the proven dye technology incorporated in its 8X DVD media as the platform for the new, more sensitive Advanced AZO technology, Verbatim engineers not only achieved 16X write speed, they ensured that the new media will maintain backward compatibility with existing DVD recorders and 1-8X DVD burners.
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Online Media Technologies Ltd., the owner of the www.AVSMedia.com project proudly announces the release of AVS Disc Creator 2.1 freeware, the first and the only one free CD/DVD/BD-compliant burning software at the today's international market of multimedia solutions. AVS Disc Creator 2.1 freeware now demonstrates the complete support of Blu-ray disc media (BD-R, BD-RE) burning. As a member of BDA (Blu-ray disc Association) Online Media Technologies Ltd. implements the upcoming Blu-ray technologies in AVS Disc Creator freeware and its other software delivering tomorrow's high-tech multimedia.AVS Disc Creator 2.1 can be downloaded here. Otherwise, more information can be found on AVS Media's website. Add a comment
As distinct from other standard burning solutions for its extended list of supported disc types (CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD+/R, Double/Dual Layer), AVS Disc Creator 2.1 now enables you to burn your data on high-capacity BD discs that considerably saves your storage costs and enhances the protection of your important data. So, you can take full advantage of storing your data in the highest possible quality due to the unique BD data capacity of 25 or 50 GB per disc.
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In this review we'll take a look at some of the features found on the SHW-1635S and see how it compares to some of the 16x DVD±RW drives from the competition. Does the SHW-1635S have what it takes? You'll have to read the review to find out.
As usual, the Digital Dolphin has gone the extra mile when it comes to media testing. If you have any comments or questions about this review or the Lite-On SHW-1635S, please post them in the forum by clicking the link below.
Lite-On SHW-1635S 16x DVD±RW
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Verbatim Corporation announced today the availability of its new 4GB and 8GB Store 'n' Go(TM) USB HD Drives, the latest additions to its award-winning family of USB drives. Designed for portability and style, these lightweight drives have the capacity to meet the needs of people who want to carry volumes of digital data, video, and audio with them or for keeping key information such as emails, photos, or personal calendars available at any time.Verbatim's 4GB and 8GB Store 'n' Go USB HD Drives will be available in March for an approximate street price of $129 and $199 respectively. More information can be found here. Add a comment
The new Store 'n' Go HD Drives come pre-loaded with Mobile Launchpad, a utility providing users with the ability to download applications for running directly from the USB HD Drive. Mobile Launchpad also allows users to have complete access to personal files and data without loading the content on a guest system. For quick and immediate access, the drives can also be used in regular drag 'n' drop mode.
