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Optical Storage

27 November 2007

Lite-On recently unveiled their latest EZ-DUB compatible drive, the DX-20A4PU. The drive has been given a facelift and now features two “touch sensitive” buttons which glow neon blue when in operation. The DX-20A4PU also offers 20x DVD±R writing speeds and is one of the first drives to support double layer DVD±RW media.

Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS) USA, world leaders in optical storage solutions, announced today it has redesigned the exterior of its best-selling EZ-DUB optical drive to create a compact, more elegant appearance while maintaining all the features and functions that have made it a favorite among consumers and business professionals alike.

The new Lite-On DX-20A4PU EZ-DUB model distinguishes itself from other DVD writers with two new, and very distinct, “touch sensitive” buttons on the top of the unit marked “DUB” and “FILE.” These buttons, which glow neon blue when in operation, can be used as shortcuts to the most commonly used functions with most optical drives: DUB for duplicating a disc and FILE for backing up files from a computer.

No word yet on pricing or availability. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, Lite-On's entire press release can be found here.

Update: The DX-20A4PU will be available in mid-October for a suggested list price of $99. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

27 November 2007

Plextor Europe has announced the launch of their new PC-to-TV media player, the PX-MPE500U. Using this device, consumers can take the photos, music and video stored on their PC and play them back on their TV at resolutions up to 720p.

Plextor launches its latest personal storage device - the PX-MPE500U - a PC-to-TV consumer multimedia player to enable PC files to be played back on your TV or hi-fi, including audio, video & photo files. With video upscaling to 720P (HD Ready) , it is a high performance drive with the ability to play a wide variety of file types.

Plextor, well known for manufacturing high quality/high reliability optical drives and portable hard disks, is extending its product range into this exciting and growing area of media transfer. Comprising a spacious 500GB hard disk, it comes with wide compatibility with all popular file types for every occasion - including DVD folder, DivX, Xvid, MPEG-1/2, MP3 and JPEG.

No word on price yet. However, the PX-MPE500U will be available in Europe starting in January. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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Other

27 November 2007

TDK sent out a press release today, announcing that they have deployed a U.S.-based operation dedicated to supporting the expansion of the company’s OEM business in the Americas and Europe.

TDK Electronics Corporation, a world leader in advanced recording media technology, today announced new steps to maximize its initiative as a top-tier OEM supplier of high-performance recording media solutions and technologies. With the deployment of a U.S.-based operation dedicated solely to supporting the expansion of the company’s OEM business in the Americas and Europe, TDK is reinforcing its drive to forge new relationships with OEM customers that are seeking a competitive advantage.

“As a recording technology leader for more than 70 years, TDK has mastered the art of developing and manufacturing media solutions that outperform competitors,” noted Paul Roberts, Manager of TDK OEM Recording Media Business, USA and Europe. “Our OEM customers can harness the quality that’s synonymous with TDK to realize a meaningful competitive advantage in the marketplace. Partnering with TDK ensures our OEM customers will always have direct access to the highest quality, cutting-edge recording media technologies and proprietary formulations that are the foundation of all TDK media products.”

If you'd like to read more, TDK's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

27 November 2007

While HD DVD is doing quite well in the set-top player market, its still lagging behind Blu-ray in regards to movie sales. In Europe, Blu-ray has sold more than one million units and has accounted for 73% of of the high-def discs sold this year.

Total Blu-ray Disc movie sales across Europe have topped one million units, it was announced today by the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee. Of the High Definition movie discs bought by consumers year-to-date in Europe, 73% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27% were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.

The only High Definition packaged media universally supported by the film, music, gaming and computer industries, BD is the #1 selling High Definition packaged media. The one million unit milestone relates to movies only. If BD game disc production is added into the equation, then total number of discs produced for sale in Europe already exceeds 21 million units. The so-called ‘PlayStation effect’ is important since it is creating major economies of scale and makes BD disc replication cost effective.

Blu-ray Disc movie sales experienced their highest weekly sales since the inception of the format, in week 44, topping 66,000 units. This is due to the launch of new release titles such as 300, Spider-Man 3, Die Hard 4.0 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.

While selling a million discs is a commendable feat, its still a drop in the bucket compared to the number of standard DVD's being sold. If you'd like to read more, the Blu-ray Disc Association's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

27 November 2007

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group announced today that that the sales of dedicated HD DVD players has exceeded the 750,000 mark. These sales numbers include standalone set-top players as well as the Xbox 360 HD DVD player.

Following landmark Black Fridaypromotions through major retail chains, the North American HD DVDPromotional Group today announced that sales of dedicated HD DVD playersexceeded the 750,000 mark. The data is based on retailer reports and otherpoint of sale data, and includes standalone set-top players as well as theXbox 360 HD DVD player.

"HD DVD continues to gain momentum and market share with consumers,"said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing forUniversal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVDPromotional Group. "With more than four weeks left for holiday shopping, HDDVD is turning out to be a perfect consumer electronics gift."

The latest round of promotions and price cuts have apparently paid off. Nevertheless, Toshiba and other HD DVD backers still have a way to go if they want to catch up with the Playstation 3, which has already sold millions of units. If you'd like to read more, the HD DVD Promotional Group's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Other

26 November 2007

Albatron Blue Ray Decoder Card @TweakTown
ASUS GeForce 8800GT 512MB Graphics Card @TweakTown
ATI FireGL V7600 512MB @HotHardware.com
CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000 Enclosure @Virtual-Hideout
Corsair TX750 750W @Phoronix
Hiper HPU-4M630 Power Supply @HardwareLogic
Nanoxia Silent Case Fans @Tweaknews.net
Radeon HD2900XT 1GB vs GeForce 8800 Ultra @ChileHardwa re
Silverstone Kublai Series KL01 Case @ThinkComputers.org
Thermaltake Xaser VI Super Tower Chassis @TweakTown
Ultra m998 Case @BCCHardware
XFX 8800GT 512MB Alpha Dog XXX Edition @Metku.net

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Software

26 November 2007

Corel announced today that Samsung has chosen to bundle Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5SE with their new high-definition digital movie camera, the Xacti DMX-HD1000. Here's part of their press release:

Corel Corporation (NASDAQ:CREL) (TSX: CRE), a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today announced that Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5SE will be bundled with the world's smallest and lightest high-definition digital movie camera, Xacti DMX-HD1000 from SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO). With Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5SE, users can import, edit and convert their HD movies and store their memories as creative DVD projects.

Based on Corel's award-winning Ulead DVD MovieFactory authoring software, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5SE for the SANYO Xacti DMX-HD1000 enables users to import and edit full HD (1920 x 1080) MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 movies taken with DMX-HD1000. Users can output their edited movies to MPEG2-HD format and burn to DVDs, or copy their movie files to their PCs and use Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5SE to edit and save them as they wish. With the added flexibility Corel’s software provides, users can easily share their projects with family and friends, viewing their creations on their television screen or creating HD-quality slideshows including high-resolution photos taken with the Xacti DMX-HD1000 and export them as MPEG2-HD files at 1440 x 1080 or 1920 x 1080 resolutions.

If you'd like to read more, Corel's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Other

23 November 2007

Akasa ZEN ATX Case @TweakPC
AMD & PowerColor HD 3850 @InsideHW.com
iStar S-9-H34 Elegant Storm Case @HardwareLogic
M-Audio Studiophile AV40 Desktop Speaker System @Futurelooks
OCZ Vanquisher CPU Cooler @BCCHardware
Samsung YP-T9 Slim Portable 4GB Multimedia Player @Futurelooks
Thermaltake DH-101 VF7001BNS @VelocityReviews.com
Yidsun SP-788 Bluetooth Stereo Headset @TweakTown
Zalman 850W Heatpipe Cooled PSU @BCCHardware
Zalman ZM850-HP Power Supply @Virtual-Hideout

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Other

22 November 2007

On behalf of the staff here at CDRLabs, I just wanted to wish all of our American readers a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

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