FREMONT, CA (Jan. 31, 2001) -- Addonics Technologies today announced a new 8x4x24 CD-RW storage device for PCs or Apple Macintosh users that's barely larger than a standard Compact Disc case.

Addonics Pocket CD-RW enables users to record their own drive CDROM data at 8x speed as well as read CD-R, CD-RW disc, video CDs, music CDs, and Photo CDs at 24x speed. The recorded CD-RW media can also be played in a DVD player or multimedia CD-ROM player.

The Pocket CD-RW is available with a choice of one interface cable (USB, Firewire, or CardBus) with each version. Designed with the Addonics Universal Storage Interface Bus (USIB standard), the drive will be upgradeable to USB 2.0 when the interface is released later this year. The Firewire version can be powered from the Firewire port, making the drive a true portable device and ideal for PC notebook or Mac PowerBook users.

List price of the Pocket CD-RW is $459 for the USB or CardBus version or $499 for the Firewire model. Each drive includes Adaptec's Easy CD Creator and Deluxe CD mastering software.

The Pocket CD-RW measures 5.62" x 5.31" x .8" and weighs just 14 ounces, making it one of the lightest and most compact CDRW drives available.

The drive works with CD-R and CD-RW media discs. Each disc can hold about 74 minutes of audio or about 650MB of data. The Pocket CDRW is suited for many personal and business uses such as: archiving data; making backup copy of CD software or music CDs, software distribution; recording or playing personalized CD-audio discs or running CD-ROM applications. By writing data in the UDF (Universal Disk Format), the CD-R or CD-RW media can be read by other CD ROM drives. With this data compatibility, the CD-RW becomes a viable replacement for floppy drives and a very attractive large capacity removable storage alternative.

System requirements are Windows 95/98/NT/2000 or Mac OS 9.0, 32MBs RAM, 50MBs hard drive space and USB, Firewire or CardBus port.

The Pocket CD-RW drive will be available through major catalog companies, resellers, VARs and distributors, including PC Connection, CDW, Buy.com, Insight, Egghead, Ingram Micro, and D&H.

Addonics Technologies Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets a broad line of external storage products. Addonics is headquartered at 48434 Milmont Drive, Fremont, CA 94538. Visit Addonics at addonics.com.