Addonics Mobile CD-RW comes in two models: 2 x 2 x 6, or 4 x 4 x 16 drives. The 2 x 2 x 6 drive is priced at $349, while the 4 x 4 x 16 drive offers mobile users one of the fastest record/write solutions at $459. Price includes the Adaptec's Easy CD Creator and Deluxe CD software, which has a retail value of $89. Optional USB cable to connect to desktop computers and the Apple iMAC is available for $49.
The drives work with CD-R and CD-RW media discs. Each disc can hold about 74 minutes of audio or about 650MB of data. The drives are suited for many personal and business uses such as: archiving data; 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.
Addonics spokesperson Len Fernandes told the Mac Observer that the drives would be ship in the early part of June. We originally reported that the product would ship with a Mac version of Easy CD Creator. This is not the case as there is not a Mac version of this software. The company is working on a licensing agreement with Adaptec to bundle Toast, their Mac mastering software. Mr. Fernandes told us he hopes to have the licensing on agreement for Toast set up by the time the product ships, but it is possible that the product will initially ship without Mac software.