TDK IS THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE FOR CD BURNERS IN THE U.S.

-- Performance, Reliability and Value Make TDK veloCD ReWriters The
Best-Selling CD-RW Drives at Retail --


GARDEN CITY, NY, March 11, 2002 - TDK Electronics Corp. today
announced that its veloCD ReWriters were the number one selling CD-RW
drives at retail in January 2002 according to NPDTechworld, the
definitive online source for essential market information. Combined
sales of all internal and external veloCD models placed TDK as the top
seller of CD burners for the month; with the 24X internal veloCD as
the single best-selling burner overall.

Kuni Matsui, TDK President commented on the significance of this
achievement: "With the introduction of our first veloCD burners in
1999, TDK set out to become the market leader in this growing
category. It gives us great satisfaction to report that we have
achieved our goal-thanks to a line of CD burners that are clearly
superior in performance and value. And our veloCD ReWriters are
receiving top rankings by the press as well. In fact, PC World has
rated our 24X internal veloCD as a 'Best Buy' for the last four months
in a row."


Matsui continued: "The success of the veloCD line truly validates our
mission to become a leading supplier of digital recording and playback
solutions, and exemplifies our commitment to offer end users the
ultimate solutions for their recording needs as we continue to expand
our hardware and blank media product lineup."

TDK veloCD: America's Most Popular CD Burners
TDK's veloCD burners for 2002 offer consumers faster, easier and more
flexible solutions for enjoying all the benefits of CD burning. The
company' s expanded CD burner line includes internal ATAPI, external
IEEE-1394 (FireWire) and external USB 2.0 models. Designed as
all-in-one solutions for CD music and multimedia recording, all veloCD
models come complete with TDK's CD Blender software suite, consisting
of TDK Digital Mixmaster music management and recording software, plus
NeroTM 5.5 CD recording software, InCDTM drag-and-drop packet writing
software and other useful utilities.

The TDK line of veloCD burners consists of the following models:

Model AI-321040 - 32X internal drive, available now, ESP $179.99 Model
AI-241040 - 24X internal drive, available now, ESP $149.99 Model
FE-241040 - 24X external drive with FireWire connectivity, ESP $299.99
Model UE-241040 - 24X external drive with USB 2.0 connectivity, ESP
$199.99

GEAR announces availability of GEAR PRO UNIX for DVD and CD Recording
GEAR Software, Inc. has announced the release of GEAR PRO UNIX 4.11 for DVD/CD-RW/Tape, a data storage solution for DVD and CD recording on UNIX operating systems. Enabling the creation of DVD volumes in ISO 9660 and Rock Ridge formats, GEAR PRO UNIX supports both DVD and CD recorders, tape drives, and jukeboxes under SUN Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, SGI and Digital UNIX. GEAR PRO UNIX 4.11 is compatible with IDE and SCSI drives irrespective of the Unix O/S and gives users access to DVD+RW/-RW and DVD-RAM data storage options. The software creates cross platform-compatible discs with uninterrupted writing of the disc image using CD-ROM ISO9660, Rockridge, CD-ROM XA, CD Audio and Mixed-mode formats. Users can also generate log files to create batch files and backup large data sets. With cross-platform RockRidge file naming for up to 256 characters and directory nesting up to 24 levels, GEAR PRO UNIX also supports links, pipes, and device-specific files. There are permission and group handling options as well. GEAR PRO UNIX offers both a versatile GUI and command-line control for data extraction, editing, formatting and building virtual images. Jukeboxes can be utilized for unattended replication. www.gearsoftware.com

Ahead debuts Nero Express, emphasizing ease-of-use
Ahead Software Inc. has introduced its most user-friendly endeavor to date, Nero Express. Nero Express combines the recording capabilities of the CD recording software, Nero, with a new wizard that simplifies the CD and DVD recording process with the use of "mouse over direction." Nero Express is designed for all skill levels of user. Nero Express supports nearly every CD-R/RW and writable DVD drive and is compatible with new DVD standards. Nero's patent-pending Ultra-Buffer technology provides a high level of software buffer protection and stability. Utilizing this technology, Nero Express allows multi-tasking on older PC's where before it was virtually impossible without a system freeze or ruined disc. Nero Express lessens the complexity of settings and formats making it easy for users to burn audio CDs or video discs and even DVDs. This software allows the user to burn MP3 or mp3PRO files on-the-fly to standard audio CDs or turning captured (or downloaded) video files into DVD-player friendly Super VideoCDs. In addition. Nero Express also comes equipped with a speedy, high quality MPEG-1 encoder, converting video files on-the-fly to VCD format and allows users to create interactive menus. An MPEG-2/SVCD encoder plug-in is available as an optional extra. Nero Express will be included in the Nero Burning ROM retail package and will be available for free for all Nero 5.5 users at Nero's website. It is expected to hit the OEM market in Q2/02
www.nero.com

DivXNetworks chooses Protexis for launch of DivX Pro 5.0 Video Compression Technology
Protexis Inc., a provider of software license transaction services, has announced that DivXNetworks has chosen the state-of-the-art Protexis nTitles system for the release of its DivX Pro 5.0 video compression software. Early transaction volumes on the Protexis nTitles system and DivXNetworks download servers have been higher than anticipated. The Protexis nTitles system is a sophisticated license transaction system that combines product activation and registration with integrated commerce capability. The nTitles system makes software purchasing easy while preventing unauthorized copying. Protexis solutions have satisfied global requirements. The DivX Pro 5.0 product is the first software release from DivXNetworks designed specifically for video professionals. DivXNetworks is the company that created the patent-pending DivX video compression technology, often called the "MP3 of video." DivX video technology enables the distribution of full-screen, DVD-quality video over standard broadband networks. The new DivX Pro 5.0 release achieves double real- time encoding speeds, with dramatically improved playback performance and visual quality.

www.divxnetworks.com

Oak Technology Debuts Industry's First 48X CD-R/RW Controller

Constant Angular Velocity Provides For Faster Write Times and Industry-leading Performance

SUNNYVALE, CA - March 4, 2002 - Oak Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: OAKT), today announced the availability of the industry's first 48X Compact Disc - Recordable/ReWritable (CD-R/RW) optical storage controller, for deployment in the rapidly expanding CD-RW drive market.

The OTI-9797T controller is capable of 48X CD-R as well as 24X CD-RW write speeds, and is pin-compatible with Oak's 32X OTI-9797S controller to provide an easy upgrade path and a fast time-to-market for OEMs. The OTI-9797T is suitable for use in PC-based or consumer audio CD-R/RW applications with IDE interfaces. Supporting Constant Angular Velocity (CAV), an advanced writing technique that achieves 20 percent faster write times than Zoned Constant Linear Velocity (Z-CLV)-enabled drives, the OTI-9797T will enable drives to record a full 650 Megabyte compact disc in just over two minutes.

"The ability for consumers to capture and store music, data, and video applications on CD-RW media is growing at an exceptional pace, and not surprisingly, consumers are demanding faster recording speeds," said Clark Foy, vice president, product marketing, for Oak's Optical Storage Group. "As drive speed continues to migrate upward, Oak is aggressively advancing CD-RW technology and delivering to that demand."

Oak's OTI-9797T controller employs advanced features to achieve the fastest overall recording times while still maintaining high reliability and buffer underrun protection. By supporting CAV at the platform level, the OTI-9797T simplifies integration of this feature for drive OEMs with no previous CAV writing experience, and enables faster write access times for packet writing to CD-RW media. For best performance, the new controller also incorporates support for the Mt. Rainier standard, which allows OEMs the ability to offer drag-and-drop CD rewriting and on-the-fly formatting of the disc. Integrating Oak's patent pending ExacLink™ buffer underrun protection, the OTI-9797T is one of the most reliable CD-R/RW controllers on the market.

CAV Improves Recording Quality
CAV write offers faster overall write speeds as well as an ability to complete the entire write process without pausing the data transfer for zone changes, eliminating the need to invoke the buffer overflow link. With CAV, the drive is not required to change the disc spin rate when tracking from one area of the disc to another, thereby reducing seek times and power disipation. The OTI-9797T employs partial and full CAV write and audio DAC/filter circuits that offer the best performance in the industry, as well as dyanamic write strategy, which allows for a high degree of programability and flexibility in the implementation of CD-R and CD-RW write strategies.

Compatibility with Mt. Rainier Standard
The Mt. Rainier standard enables native OS support of data storage on CD-RW. This makes the technology far easier to use and allows the replacement of the floppy. The Mount Rainier open standard is promoted by Compaq, Microsoft, Philips, and Sony and is supported by 38 industry leaders. Oak Technology has been involved in the development of the specification and is one of the supporting members.

Maximum Integration
In addition to a highly automated block decoder/encoder, the OTI-9797T integrates a 48X CD-DSP that uses a proprietary slicing technique and digital symmetry control to offer increased frequencies and gain programmability. The OTI-9797T digital CD servo provides highly accurate and advanced track counting, enabling the unit to jump an exact number of tracks - up to 2047 tracks - to substantially reduce seek time. The CD wobble servo block supports speeds up to 48X and allows CD encoding at all legacy speeds from 1X to 48X. The controller provides a high level of integration that also includes an Ultra DMA IDE/ATAPI controller and USB1.1 interface. Power management is also provided to reduce power consumption and increase power efficiency.

Availability
Oak's OTI-9797T controller is available now, in 208 pin LQFP package, is priced at $15 each in sample quantities, and under $10 each in production quantities of 10,000. MORE

Nine companies announce 27GB "Blu-ray Disc"
Tuesday, 19 February 2002

Nine leading companies today announced that they have jointly established the basic specifications for a next generation large capacity optical disc video recording format called "Blu-ray Disc". The Blu-ray Disc enables the recording, rewriting and play back of up to 27 gigabytes (GB) of data on a single sided single layer 12cm CD/DVD size disc using a 405nm blue-violet laser.
The companies that established the basic specifications for the Blu-ray Disc are: Hitachi Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Pioneer Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, and Thomson Multimedia.

In addition to actively promoting the new format throughout the Industry, the nine companies listed above plan to begin licensing the new format as soon as specifications are completed. Licensing is expected to start around spring 2002.

By employing a short wavelength blue violet laser, the Blu-ray Disc successfully minimizes its beam spot size by making the numerical aperture (NA) on a field lens that converges the laser 0.85. In addition, by using a disc structure with a 0.1mm optical transmittance protection layer, the Blu-ray Disc diminishes aberration caused by disc tilt. This also allows for disc better readout and an increased recording density. The Blu-ray Disc's tracking pitch is reduced to 0.32um, almost half of that of a regular DVD, achieving up to 27 GB high-density recording on a single sided disc.

Because the Blu-ray Disc utilizes global standard "MPEG-2 Transport Stream" compression technology highly compatible with digital broadcasting for video recording, a wide range of content can be recorded. It is possible for the Blu-ray Disc to record digital high definition broadcasting while maintaining high quality and other data simultaneously with video data if they are received together. In addition, the adoption of a unique ID written on a Blu-ray Disc realizes high quality copyright protection functions.

The Blu-ray Disc is a technology platform that can store sound and video while maintaining high quality and also access the stored content in an easy-to-use way. This will be important in the coming broadband era as content distribution becomes increasingly diversified. The nine companies involved in the announcement will respectively develop products that take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc's large capacity and high-speed data transfer rate. They are also aiming to further enhance the appeal of the new format through developing a larger capacity, such as over 30GB on a single sided single layer disc and over 50GB on a single sided double layer disc. Adoption of the Blu-ray Disc in a variety of applications including PC data storage and high definition video software is being considered.

"Blu-ray Disc" Key Characteristics

1) Large recording capacity up to 27GB:

By adopting a 405nm blue-violet semiconductor laser, with a 0.85NA field lens and a 0.1mm optical transmittance protection disc layer structure, it can record up to 27GB video data on a single sided 12cm phase change disc. It can record over 2 hours of digital high definition video and more than 13 hours of standard TV broadcasting (VHS/standard definition picture quality, 3.8Mbps)

2) High-speed data transfer rate 36Mbps:

It is possible for the Blu-ray Disc to record digital high definition broadcasts or high definition images from a digital video camera while maintaining the original picture quality. In addition, by fully utilizing an optical disc's random accessing functions, it is possible to easily edit video data captured on a video camera or play back pre-recorded video on the disc while simultaneously recording images being broadcast on TV.

3) Easy to use disc cartridge:

An easy to use optical disc cartridge protects the optical disc's recording and playback phase from dust and fingerprints.

Main Specifications

Recording capacity: 23.3GB/25GB/27GB
Laser wavelength: 405nm (blue-violet laser)
Lens numerical aperture (NA): 0.85
Data transfer rate: 36Mbps
Disc diameter: 120mm
Disc thickness: 1.2mm (optical transmittance protection layer: 0.1mm)
Recording format: Phase change recording
Tracking format: Groove recording
Tracking pitch: 0.32um
Shortest pit length: 0.160/0.149/0.138um
Recording phase density: 16.8/18.0/19.5Gbit/inch2
Video recording format: MPEG2 video Audio recording format: AC3, MPEG1, Layer2, etc.
Video and audio multiplexing format: MPEG2 transport stream
Cartridge dimension: Approximately 129 x 131 x 7mm

Elantec Releases New Laser Diode Driver for 32X CD-R and 20X CD-R/W Optical Disk Drives
The EL6218C offers lower power consumption and higher current output for more compact, higher speed CD-R/RW drives
MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2002-- Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELNT - news), a leader in high-performance analog ICs, is now shipping a new high speed laser driver IC designed to meet the demand for faster CD read/write (R/W) speeds and smaller form-factor slim line disk drive designs.

The EL6218C has an integrated fast-settling I/V amplifier and one 250mA output current write channel to enable driving the higher power 780 nanometer lasers required to achieve 32X-and-greater CD-R speeds.

Along with the three current channels needed for compliance with the Orange Specification Standard for CD-R and CD-R/W write strategy formats, the EL6218C integrates an automatic power control (APC) amplifier and a high frequency modulator (HFM) oscillator. Integrating the HFM oscillator helps to reduce laser read noise, thus eliminating the need for an external oscillator-enable signal. This minimizes signal routing and component count, thereby lowering costs. The resultant savings in design time and board space facilitates the design of the more compact optical pick-up unit (OPU) needed in slim-line CD-R/W drive designs.

Stephen Sacarisen, Director of Strategic Marketing, Optical Products Group, said, ``The CD-R/RW drive is rapidly becoming the industry standard in both the PC desktop and notebook segments. The higher output current of the EL6218C enables the design of even faster CD-R drives, in this case, greater than 32X-speed. The lower power consumption enables design of slim-line, small form-factor drives for both PC desktop and PC notebook computers.'' He added, ``The EL6218C, pin-compatible and functionally compatible with Elantec's EL6248C, continues our legacy of providing leading-edge optical storage products with direct upgrade paths from our industry-standard pin-outs. This results in products with longer lifecycles and provides OEMs an extremely cost-effective solution for introducing higher CD-R ''X`` speed drives to meet market demands.''

The price for the EL6218C in a 24-pin QSOP package is $2.50 each for quantities of 10,000-units or more. Samples are available now with production lead times of eight to ten weeks.

To receive further information, please visit our web site at www.elantec.com, or contact Stephen Sacarisen at Elantec's Corporate Headquarters in Milpitas, Calif. at 408/945-1323 Ext. 345.

Quanta Storage hopes to double slim-type drive shipments in 2002

Quanta Storage aims to double its slim-type optical disc drive shipments in 2002 to four million units. It is also aiming to replace CD-RW drives with combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drives as one of its three major shipments this year. Slim-type CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and combo drives will account for a respective 25%, 50% and 25% of total shipments in 2002.

Before the traditional slow season turned out to be unusually strong, Quanta projected 2002 shipments of three million units. With global notebook shipments expected to reach 28 million units in 2002, Quanta could claim a 15% share of the market, up from 8% last year.

Quanta shipped about 200,000 slim-type optical disc drives in January. The Chinese New Year holidays will reduce the number of working days in February. First-quarter shipments are expected to reach only 600,000 units. About 40% of full-year shipments will go out in the first half and 60% in the second half.

Although Taiwan is the world’s largest producer of notebook computers, it has been unable to seize a major share of the slim-type optical disc drive market because of the high technical threshold. Japan-based TEAC, Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics (MKE) and Toshiba still have a firm grip on the market.

MKE, Toshiba, Sony and Quanta are the only companies capable of producing slim-type combo drives. In the second half of 2001, the FOB (free-on-board) price for a slim-type combo drive averaged US$170. This has already dropped to US$130. Now the production cost for this type of drive is just US$30-40 more than for a slim-type CD-RW drive. With the introduction of new notebooks with higher performance levels (at a lower cost), combo drives are bound to become the standard optical disc drive on this market.

TTR SAYS SAFEAUDIO COPY PROTECTION READY FOR PRIME TIME

TTR Technologies (New York, NY) said the SafeAudio copy protection system it developed with Macrovision (Sunnyvale, CA) is ready for a commercial launch, citing support from CD mastering and testing companies Toolex Data Handling, Eclipse Data Technologies, DCA and Datarius Technologies. TTR said the system is currently being evaluated by major and independent music labels.

SafeAudio, which is applied by replicators during the glass-mastering process, is designed to prevent unauthorized copying (or MP3 "ripping") of music CDs. The manufacturing process is based in software and requires no additional hardware components, TTR said.

"Our strategy ... has been to build the worldwide infrastructure to support rapid deployment of SafeAudio as soon as the labels and publishers give the green light," said Brian McPhail, vice president and general manager of Macrovision's consumer software division. There was no indication last week of what the first commercial SafeAudio release might be.

Disc Optical Media Solutions fights software piracy through digital print technology
Wednesday, 6 February 2002

Now Disc Optical Media Solutions (Now Disc)and Kammann Machines today announced a partnership that addresses the ever increasing costs of software piracy. Through the utilization of breakthrough technologies in full-color, offset quality digital printing, the companies have combined their resources to apply variable images directly onto optical disc media.
The result of this collaboration is Identity Disc(TM), a new printing application offered exclusively by Now Disc which makes it possible to security print, personalize, and serialize optical media on the face of the media, giving security and control back to intellectual property rights owners.

"For the first time in the history of the optical media market, intellectual property rights owners are able to trace and authenticate their media with security ink and serialization printed directly on the face of the media," said Brian Powell, President, Now Disc Optical Media Solutions. "Traditionally, the value of media has been in the content. While this remains true, we are now able to thwart piracy and provide additional value within the artwork of the media. Identity Disc makes it possible for software manufacturers, OEM's and a host of other markets to overtly trace and authenticate their intellectual property with serialization and security inking."

"With any new technology there is a learning curve," Powell continued. "Our goal is to educate the optical media market on the many uses of Identity Disc and to assist them in its application. While speed and quality are givens in our business, Identity Disc represents a compelling means of addressing the high costs of software piracy. As more industries embrace this technology as a way of protecting intellectual property they will also realize the inherent benefits in duplication efficiency, new graphic capabilities, and the reduction of packaging costs."

Identity Disc combines proven technologies from two industry leaders, Kammann Machine's unique disc processing capabilities and Now Disc's first-to-market business model, and positions Now Disc uniquely within the optical media market. Since Identity Disc eliminates films, plates, press set-up and off-line proofing, Now Disc has the distinction of being able to receive an order via electronic data file and producing it in the same manner. Orders will be processed faster and more efficiently, maintaining a seamless electronic tracking system throughout the process.

Steve Agler, President, North American Operations, Kammann Machines, Inc., agrees with Powell in that "The technology produced by the Kammann Digital Print Machine represents a viable solution in the thwarting of software and intellectual property piracy. This technology goes beyond meeting expectations of flexibility, quick changeover, and excellent print quality. Identity Disc supports the position that digital printing complements current processes of screen printing and offset and challenges the optical disc market to utilize printing for more than simply a label, but for creation of one of a kind, market specific, functional printing that for the first time offers a value-added component to optical disc media." MORE

CD-RW in overdrive – traditional slow season a memory

Intensifying demand is keeping Taiwanese CD-RW manufacturers busy during what is normally their slow season. Most companies are anticipating strong growth in the first quarter, though a shortage of pick-up heads (PUHs) has made for some uncertainty.

Lite-On IT reported December shipments of close to 1.5 million CD-RW drives, nearing volumes reported by Hitachi LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Samsung. The company expects even greater shipments in the first quarter, but is unwilling to give an estimate until it is certain of sufficient PUH supply.

Benq (formerly Acer Communications & Multimedia, ACM) shipped 5.5 million optical disc drives in the fourth quarter, with significant growth in DVD-ROM drives for the Xbox game console and CD-RW drives. Much like Lite-On IT, Benq cannot guarantee that first-quarter CD-RW shipments will be greater than the fourth but is certain that sales will be much better than in traditional slow seasons. It is hoping total shipments will grow 20% quarter-on-quarter.

Fourth-quarter CD-RW shipments from AOpen and Ultima Electronics (Artec) also may have hit record highs. Ultima’s output was far behind its competitors’ until it picked up Ricoh’s total CD-RW solution. The company is hoping for greater figures in the first quarter. AOpen plans to increase its CD-RW drive output from 35% to 50% or more of its total output in the first quarter.

According to the Photonics Industry & Technology Association (PIDA), global shipments of CD-RW drives will grow 14.6% to 55 million units in 2002. Taiwanese company shipments are expected to grow 21% to 17.64 million units. Taiwan’s global market share for CD-RW drives could easily jump to 31% from 21% in 2001.

CD-RW pick-up heads in short supply

CD-RW drive manufacturers are short of pick-up heads, as demand is growing and models with faster reading speeds are hitting the market too fast for component suppliers to react. According to sources, supply from Sanyo is running the lowest of all suppliers. Taiwan CD-RW concerns are procuring the majority of pick-up heads from Sanyo, Ricoh, Sony, Hitachi, Philips and Mitsumi.

The mainstream CD-RW drive is still 24x speed, but many manufacturers already moved up to 32x speed drives at the end of 2001 and are preparing to launch 40x speed drives in the first quarter of 2002. However, Japan’s pick-up head manufacturers are not willing to risk hasty expansion to satisfy this new demand.

Taiwan’s disc drive manufacturers are shipping CD-RW drives in much greater numbers, while growth in DVD-ROM and CD-ROM drives is slowing down. Lite-On IT, Benq (formerly Acer Communications & Multimedia, ACM) and Behavior Tech Computer (BTC) reported the fastest growth in CD-RW shipments in December. Lite-On IT moved more than two million units. These major players are all supplied by Sanyo, which has been unable to keep up with demand. Mid-size companies like AOpen and Ultima Electronics (Artec) are buying pick-up heads from Ricoh and have not reported such a severe shortage.

Despite the shortage, pick-up head prices have remained steady.

Iomega and ValuSoft Release Burn & Go Gold, CD Burning Software
New PC Program Features Iomega's HotBurn Software for CD Recording, Offers A Simplified Solution For Complex CD Burning
MINNEAPOLIS--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2002-- Iomega Corporation (NYSE:IOM - news), a global leader in reliable portable data storage, and ValuSoft, a leading global publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and productivity software, have teamed up to introduce Burn & Go Gold(TM), the newest CD burning software for PC.

The sequel to Burn & Go(TM), ValuSoft's highly successful debut CD-Recording program, Burn & Go Gold features HotBurn from Iomega. This powerful new program combines what were once time-consuming CD recording functions into one powerful and customizable interface.

Perfect for backing up hard drives, creating custom music CDs, burning MP3s and organizing digital photos, Burn & Go Gold offers a full suite of features including:

Simple Two Step Process--Simply select the files you want to record and select Create CD.
Drag `n' Drop Burning--Easily move and burn selected media with the click of a mouse.
Direct CD-to-CD Copy--Copy from a source CD directly to a CD-R/RW drive.
Multi-platform Capabilities--Create data CDs that are readable on most available Operating Systems.
Mix Hot Audio CDs--Burn & Go Gold technology automatically translates MP3 files to standard audio format so users can take their favorite music from their computer to their car, stereo or portable CD player.
Read and Write Tests--Non-interactive read tests allow users to test the throughput of their CD-ROM drives, while simulated write tests tell users the maximum write speed of their system.
Prevent Burning Errors--Support for BURN-Proof(TM) and other technologies help minimize costly burning errors caused by buffer under runs.
``HotBurn has consistently performed faster than industry leading products in usability testing,'' says Germaine Ward, Vice President of Sales for Iomega. ``In four out of five tasks measured, users were able to set up and complete CD projects quicker using our technology. Burn & Go Gold offers consumers a more powerful and robust solution in this highly competitive category.''

Burn & Go Gold's technology extends beyond burning CDs. Integrated label technology imports file and track information for quicker label and jewel case cover creation. Users can create their own disk art using label templates, or select from 10,000+ cool clipart images. Burn & Go Gold also includes 20 CD labels and a labeling system for users to affix their custom CD labels onto their newly burned CDs.

``We are pleased to have partnered with Iomega,'' states Scott Zerby, President of ValuSoft. ``They have made the overwhelmingly complex task of CD burning fast, easy and fun for everyone--whether a novice or experienced user. They have set a new standard for the CD-Recording software category.''

Burn & Go Gold will be available for $19.99 SRP at most computer software retailers and mass merchants in January.

CREATING PROFESSIONAL LOOKING CD/DVD LABELS JUST GOT BETTER WITH STOMP, INC.'S NEW "CLICK 'N DESIGN 3D" SOFTWARE

The revolutionary software enables users to create distinctively innovative and professional labels for CDs and DVDs in a matter of minutes

COSTA MESA, California (January 8, 2002)-Now that practically the whole world is burning CDs and DVDs from their personal computer, Stomp, Inc. is making the process of labeling those CDs and DVDs a snap with its Click 'N Design 3D labeling software. Available in both PC and Macintosh versions, this new labeling software allows computer users to design and print their own custom CD/DVD labels, jewel case covers, and CD business cards.
Click 'N Design's impressive features include easy to use 3D text for an impressive look and feel, an intuitive easy start label wizard for instant results, dynamic circular text editing, and multiple options for graphic effects. In addition, users can import multiple file formats or draw from over 5000 background clip art images. Click 'N Design 3D produces flawless professional results on virtually any inkjet or laser printer.

"We know that computer users are very sophisticated and are always looking for something to satisfy their creative appetite. We think Click N' Design 3D fulfills that need with its groundbreaking features, and it's fun ease of use", said Mike Hummell, President of Stomp, Inc. "Click 'N Design 3D will turn any label into a work of art."
The Click 'N Design 3D retails for $19.99 and is available at retail outlets nationwide and online at www.clickndesign3d.com.

Stomp Goes Platinum with RecordNow MAX

CD/DVD Recording Software Provides Unparalleled Burning Capabilities

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2002 - Stomp, Inc., creator of the acclaimed CD Stomper CD/DVD labeling system, today announced RecordNow MAX Platinum, a comprehensive suite of CD/DVD recording applications designed to optimize the capabilities of CD and DVD recorders and empower users to create profession al-quality music, photo, video, and even data backup discs. Featuring the new RecordNow MAX CD/DVD mastering application, the Platinum suite also includes applications for DVD and Video CD authoring, music recording/edit ing, system backup, drive letter recording (packet writing), and complete CD/DVD label and jewelcase design creation.

"The RecordNow MAX product line offers users choices when looking for a recording solution," said Mike Hummell, president of Stomp, Inc. "The light recording software included in most PCs and aftermarket CD and DVD burners does not provide the features users demand. RecordNow MAX delivers a powerful, easy-to-use toolset that meets these demands, and the Platinum suite takes that one step further."

The RecordNow MAX CD/DVD mastering software enables users to burn and share their own music CDs, automatically converting songs from MP3, WAV and WMA to standard music CDs to save time and hard disk space while creating custom music collections that can be played on any audio CD player. They can also copy CDs and DVDs, create data CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs, and even burn to up to 64 CD burners, or up to 16 DVD burners simultaneously.
And with the included Drive Letter Access, users can drag and drop files onto their CD-RW and DVD+RW discs just as easily as they do with their floppy disks.

In addition to the RecordNow MAX mastering software, the Platinum suite also includes neoDVDstandard, which empowers digital camcorder users to easily capture, edit, author and burn their videos onto DVD video or Video CD discs. The bundled Click'N Design 3D PRO application creates high quality CD/DVD labels and jewelcase inserts with 3D and circular text, barcodes, interesting effects, and over 5,000 pieces of clip art and background s. Users can also record and edit their music files with the included Click'N Edit Sound LE to change volume levels, trim sound, add effects, remove unwanted noise from sound files, and more.

Since savvy computer users always keep a backup of their important files, the RecordNow MAX Platinum suite also includes backup and restore software with disaster recovery. Users can backup selected files, or their entire computer, compressing their files to half their size using the built-in software compression to maximize drive space, and even span across multiple discs.

RecordNow MAX and the Platinum suite both run on PCs running Windows XP Home or Professional, 2000, ME, NT 4 with SP4 or higher, or 98SE, and a supported CD Recordable or DVD Recordable drive. RecordNow MAX is available now for a suggested retail price of $49 and the Platinum suite is now available for a suggested retail price of $79. Stomp offers a free, downloadab le 30-day trial version of RecordNow MAX from its Web at http://www.stompinc.com/trial. Full versions are available directly from the Stomp Web site at http://www.stompinc.com.

Memorex Pocket CD-R Line Grows With New 'Cool' Colors and Accessories
-Memorex 210MB/24Min Pocket CD-R Media Become Available in 'Cool' Colors With Matching Slim Cases
-Memorex 'Cool' Dyed Colored Disc Substrates Offer Media in Black, Purple, Orange, Red and Blue
-Memorex Pocket CD-R Accessories Include a LabelMaker, Label Refills, Slim Jewel Cases and Car CD/DVD Player Adapter
SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Memorex, the world's leading brand of digital media products, announced today that it is expanding its offerings in the 210MB ``Pocket'' CD-R/CD-RW category. Memorex has enjoyed tremendous response for Pocket CD-R evidenced by the recent integration of portable 8cm CD burners in MP3 players and digital cameras. The Pocket CD format fits in most CD/DVD home players and computer drives and can store 210MB of data, 24 minutes of CD quality audio or 160 high-resolution digital photos.

The 1-24x write speed discs will now be available in ``Cool'' colors of black, purple, orange, red and blue with matching slim jewel cases. Memorex colored CD substrates are infused with permanent dyes during manufacture rather than sprayed with a coat of paint. The top surface of the CD-R is also silk-screened to match the disc's color. Cool Pocket CD-R Jewel packs will be available in stores by February 2002 in 5- and 10-packs with a suggested retail price of $6.99 and $9.99 respectively.

``Pocket CD-R has become the new fashion in removable storage,'' stated Michael Golacinski, president of Memorex. ``Portable MP3 recorders and digital cameras that integrate an 8cm CD 'burner' were the rage this holiday season. Kids are calling them 'Shirt' Pocket CDs. I think you'll see millions of our 'Cool' colored Pocket CD-Rs this year at spring break. To take this new trend even farther, we're offering them in colors and supporting them with their own accessories. Who wouldn't love something that's small, cool and affordable?'' continued Golacinski.

Adding to the current rewritable 10-disc pack is a pegable blister 5-pack of Pocket CD-RW/210MB discs and slim jewel cases which will ship in February 2002 with a SRP of $8.99.

In the popular Pocket CD-R write once format, a new 210MB/24min 5-pack for a SRP of $5.99 rounds out the currently shipping 10- and 50-spindle packs. MORE

RITEK Exhibits Its Full Range of Products in US Largest Consumer Electronic Products Show, 2002 CES
US largest consumer electronic products show – 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) becomes the focal exhibition that attracted the attention of international manufacturers, visitors, and media after the close of the September 11 Attacks. RITEK will exhibit its full range of storage media products. Besides the newly introduced 32x CD-R and 12x CD-RW, RITEK will launch a complete DVD product line including DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. Given that the DVD business will see a significant growth in 2002 and the conservative estimate of DVD-R global shipping volume will be about 100 million pieces, RITEK is very optimistic about the DVD market development and in turn pays a lot of attention to the DVD product line.

24x CD-R is recently mass-produced and launched to the market. RITEK already took the lead in completing the R&D of 32x CD-R not long ago and passed the labs accreditation testing. With the introduction of 32x CD-R, users will be able to correctly store data at a higher speed. Likewise, 12x CD-RW, which is also recently introduced by RITEK, allows users to repeatedly read and write data for over 1000 times at a 12x high speed. The two latest versions will be the focuses of RITEK’s exhibition in the show.

Believing that the future will move into the age of DVD, RITEK has started to spare no efforts on DVD product lines since last year, including all-purpose DVD-Recordable products for DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. DVD-R Discs made by RITEK are in two specifications: one is 3.95GB and 4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring, and the other 4.7GB DVD-R for General exclusive for family DVD players. For DVD-RW, RITEK stays close to the major specification setter – Pioneer and has rapidly launched the latest Version 1.1 4.7GB DVD-RW. DVD-RAMs by RITEK, including 2.6GB, 4.7GB, 5.2GB, and 9.4GB, are all in mass production. Hence, the product lines are very complete.

RITEK will also present IA (Information Appliance) products such as Copy Tower, Digital Photo Printer, and 8cm MP3 in CES 2002. For storage media products, RITEK will present CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM/RW, DVD+RW, MD, MO, and portable storage media including CompactFlash Card, SmartMedia Card and MultiMedia Card. Other items to be exhibited include OLED displays for mobile phone and PDA, photonics products like DWDM Thin Film Filter and Transceiver. MORE

Lawmaker promises changes to online copyright law

WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. congressman said on Monday he intended to change a controversial copyright law to allow consumers to override technologies that prevent them from making digital copies of music, movies, and software.

Virginia Democratic Rep. Rick Boucher said he planned to introduce a bill that would eliminate the ``anti-circumvention'' clause of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a 1998 law that updated copyright laws for the digital era.

Intended to discourage piracy, the clause has come under increasing fire over the past year by users who say it imposes severe limits on the rights of consumers to make personal backup copies or otherwise control music they have purchased.

The clause has inspired high-profile court battles and made a minor celebrity out of Dmitri Sklyarov, the Russian programmer jailed for writing a program that defeated a copy-protection measure in Adobe Systems Inc.'s (NasdaqNM:ADBE - news) eBook software.

Boucher told an audience of musicians, lawyers, and music industry officials at the Future of Music policy summit that his bill would modify section 1201 of the DMCA to allow consumers to defeat copy-protection measures for legitimate personal uses, but would still outlaw circumvention efforts for piracy.

``I'm very concerned about the DMCA,'' Boucher said. ``There's an increasing number of instances in which unjust results are reached.''

LEGITIMATE USES

Boucher pointed out that Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group will soon release its new CDs in copy-protected form, making them impossible to play on personal computers and some CD systems as well.

Consumers should be able to use computer programs to defeat that copy protection, he said.

``What do you say to the guy who only wants to use that code so the CD he bought will play on his computer,'' Boucher asked reporters after his speech. ``That's harmless activity, yet under section 1201 he's guilty of a crime.''

Boucher said he did not know when he would introduce the bill in Congress, as he was still lining up support. The bill will face heated opposition, he acknowledged, as the recording and movie industries see section 1201 as a key measure in their battle against online piracy.

However, Boucher did predict success for other digital copyright reforms introduced in his Music Online Competition Act (MOCA) last August.

``Major elements of MOCA almost certainly will be passed by the House, and by Congress, and signed into law,'' he said. The House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings in February or March, he said.

One measure Boucher believes likely to pass would exempt music services from paying royalties on ``buffer'' copies stored in server computers. Another proposal that he sees enjoying widespread support would allow consumers to make backup copies of downloaded music they purchased.

That provision could require structural changes to MusicNet and Pressplay, two new industry-supported online music services that impose limits on how the music may be used, Boucher acknowledged.

Another measure will likely encounter stiffer resistance, he said.

It would would require recording companies to make their music available to independent Internet companies like Napster and Listen.com on terms equal to those of its own services.

The music industry says that the law will not be necessary as online offerings mature and become more comprehensive.

Boucher said MusicNet and Pressplay were a good start, but that there was no guarantee the industry would not freeze out independent sites.

``We think that's essential for competition to thrive,'' he said. MORE

Data Storage is More Fun and Easy to Use with Fujifilm's Glow-In-The-Dark CDs
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2002--Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today introduced a luminous addition to its data storage product line - Glow Discs(TM).

The new discs are an expansion of Fujifilm's existing choice of CD-Recordable media products. Offering the same reliability and quality of the original 80-minute 700-MB capacity and the 1X to 32X write speed discs, the Glow Discs offer an eye-catching alternative to storing your favorite MP3s or digital photos.

``Consumers are changing the way they view storage products,'' said Scott McNulty, Director of Marketing, Computer Products Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. ``CD-Rs and CD-RWs have gone from an accessory for early adopter techno-enthusiasts to a lifestyle product for the mass market. The introduction of the Glow Discs is a demonstration of Fujifilm's continued commitment to making technology more fun and convenient for the consumer. For example, Fujifilm was one of the first manufacturers to offer different color floppy disks for easy identification. These kinds of enhancements give consumers a wider choice of products that better meet their lifestyle demands.''

The Glow Discs will be available in packages of 10 at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $9.99 per pack. The product is expected to be available in the first quarter 2002.

For more information about Glow Discs or Fujifilm's full line of data storage products, please access Fujifilm at the Computer Products Division's Web site at www.fujifilmediasource.com or call 800-488-3854.
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TTR Technologies CEO says "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My CDs"
Tuesday, 1 January 2002

TTR Technologies CEO gave an interesting interview in which explains how SafeAudio supposed to work: "...By the middle of next year, the music industry will have put the controversy of BMG's bungled attempt to prevent Natalie Imbruglia's While Lilies Island CD from being copied behind it and will have thoroughly embraced copy-protection technology. Major labels and independents alike will embrace products like Macrovision's SAFEAUDIO and use them to control how fans listen to new songs..."
They needn't worry about audio quality, says Tokayer. Their listening pleasure won't be compromised, he claims, and, thanks to the enhancements made to SAFEAUDIO in the light of the California test, nor will PC users' desire to maintain archives of songs on their computers, whether they're played back straight off the hard drive or downloaded to portable players. Only those who seek to distribute or copy what they haven't paid for need worry, he believes.

That feature, incorporated into SAFEAUDIO's most recent version, 3.0, will let "honest" PC users make personal copies of their CDs and transfer them to their MP3 players. Like the issue of disk labelling, Tokayer is happy to leave the decision of what music buyers should be allowed to do with their discs to the recording companies. Just because SAFEAUDIO can permit users to make personal copies doesn't mean the record companies will enable that feature

But it's not just the freedom to make personal copies that worries CD buyers. Since SafeAudio intentionally corrupts the music data stored on an encrypted CD, surely that reduces the lifespan of the disc? CD players incorporate sophisticated error correction algorithms to eliminate the noise introduced by scratches and muck on a disc's surface. But beyond a certain level of noise, such mechanisms cease to work. Adding noise, as SafeAudio does, would seem to bring that point closer.

Tokayer claims not. SafeAudio changes the music data at the bit level, flipping a fraction of a disc's billions of 1s and to 0s. That "very subtle" degree of data corruption, while enough to block an attempt to copy a track onto a hard drive, won't affect the quality of the playback or affect the disc's physical playability. The noise induced by dirt and scratched easily drowns out the noise inherent in the copy-protected data.

And he's quick to point out that the number of discs taken back to stores during last summer's testing in California was no higher than labels would expect from unprotected CDs. That said, no one knew which discs were protected, and behind Tokayer's comment that some listeners tend to hear non-existent audio artefacts and so reject discs they know have copy-protection there's a real sense that it might be better to keep users in the dark. That may not be Tokayer's view, but it's not hard to imagine his customers coming to that conclusion.

Double bypass

If they do, a legion of hackers will attempt to bypass their restrictions. That's already happening. As we've reported before, some users have utilised CD drives' Raw mode, which permits pure bit-by-bit copying of the data on a disc. SafeAudio ensures that files copied this way still contain the data corruption, which then prevents them being copied again - back to a CD-R, say.

But there's little the technology can do to scupper the efforts of apps like CloneCD, which is said to copy a track to memory using Raw mode, then convert it to WAV format. That conversion may contain the corrupt data, leading to a file that can be copied by contains sufficient hiss or clicks to render it not worth copying, but it can only be a matter of time before the conversion process incorporates noise elimination algorithms.

There are, after all, some clever coders out there, as the cracking of the DVD copy-protection method, the Content Scrambling System (CSS), proved. Not surprisingly, work leveraging the technology enshrined in SafeAudio to protect DVDs is already underway at TTR. Tokayer says the company has its eye on the music download business too.

This work is designed to take advantage of content industries' desire to block illicit duplication at source. Tokayer, the CEO of a business that takes a 25-30 per cent cut every time Macrovision sells SafeAudio to a record label, admits that the music industry hasn't embraced copy protection as quickly as he would have hoped - it's a conservative business, he says - but he claims there is a real interest in the technology, particularly in Europe, where the labels seem far more bothered by copying than their US counterparts appear. Perhaps that's because CDs are rather more expensive over here, we suggest.

Right now there's a lot of testing going on, and for every Natalie Imbruglia CD there must be many more out there that are slipping by unnoticed, preventing anyone ripping them but not spoiling the listening. Then one day, they'll all be made this way. And, if Tokayer's right, we won't have long to wait.