I understand your concern but I still don't think there will be a problem with respect to DVD-RAM given the long term relationship ECD has with Panasonic, however if royalties don't start increasing within this quarter or the next than I suppose there would be a need to be concerned.
Pinnacle Micro Introduces 5.2 GB Flex Drive;Versatile New Storage Product Also Reads CDs, DVDs
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinnacle Micro, Inc. today introduced Flex, a new storage device that reads and writes to 5.2 Gigabyte discs, and reads 8 different CD and DVD formats. Each double-sided cartridge holds up to 2.6 GB of data, audio, or video per side on a single, low-cost DVD-RAM cartridge. Files can be added, deleted, and edited just like a floppy disc. Flex provides an ideal solution for backup and archiving, or the distribution of large amounts of data in an inexpensive, rewritable format.
In addition to writing and reading 5.2 GB cartridges, Flex does double duty as a CD/DVD reader. The drive reads most CD and DVD discs, including CD-ROM, CD-DA (audio), CD-R, CD-RW, CD-I, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and DVD-R. Even DVD Video discs can be played on the drive with the addition of an MPEG-2 decoder card.
"The versatility of the Flex drive makes it an excellent solution for a wide range of applications," said William F. Blum, Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Micro. "We have seen an increasing demand from our customer base for low-cost rewritable storage. Flex not only fulfills this need, but allows users to read their existing CD and DVD disks."
Flex is available in internal and external versions and supports PC (Windows 95/98 and NT) and Macintosh computers. Flex will ship in production quantities in January, 1999. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is US$ 699 for the internal model, and US$ 799 for the external model. Formatting software, device driver software, cables, and one 5.2 GB DVD-RAM cartridge are included. Additional 5.2 GB DVD-RAM cartridges are available from Pinnacle Micro at a suggested retail price of US$ 39. The drive is covered by a one-year warranty.
Matsushita unit to supply DVD-RAM drives to Apple
TOKYO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Panasonic Industrial Co will supply computer drives to Apple Computer Inc <AAPL.O> on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis, parent firm Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd <6752.T> said on Thursday.
Panasonic Industrial, Matsushita's U.S. sales unit for industrial clients, will supply Apple with DVD-RAM (digital video disk random-access memory) computer drives, a Matsushita spokesman said.
Apple will offer Panasonic's LF-D101 DVD-RAM drives as an option for its new Power Macintosh G3 desktop personal computer series, which made its U.S. debut on Tuesday, Matsushita said in a statement.
The Japanese-made drives, which Matsushita launched in April 1998, can read data stored in several formats, including CD-ROM, CD-R (compact disc-recordable), CD-RW (CD-rewritable), CD Audio, video CD, PD (phase-change dual), DVD-ROM, DVD video, and DVD-R discs, it said.
"Panasonic's DVD-RAM drive is a great build-to-order option for our customers adding to the new G3," Philip Schiller, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in the statement.
Matsushita did not disclosed a sales estimate for the drives.
21:23 01-06-99 |
