New Combo Drives Offer Both PC Card and USB 2.0 Interfaces for a Range of Connectivity

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 2001--Sony Electronics today expanded its desktop storage portfolio with the introduction of two stylish ultra-slim portable CD-RW and DVD-ROM Combo drives. The new combo drives can connect easily to a notebook, PC or Macintosh® computer for high performance CD-R/RW recording and CD-R/RW and DVD-ROM playback.

Available with both PC Card and USB 2.0 interfaces, as well as easy to use PC and Mac software suites, Sony's new drives offer users a range of options for adding a portable combo drive to their notebook, PC or Mac. Both combo drives are the first to support a 20X maximum write speed and are equipped with Sony's Power-Burn(TM) technology. Designed to prevent buffer under-run and writing errors due to mechanical shocks, Power-Burn ensures more reliable recordings.

"The ultra slim and lightweight design of Sony's new portable combo drives is ideal for mobile computer users who need to back up files, record CDs, and playback DVD-ROMs on the road," said Toshi Naito, vice president of data storage for Sony Electronics' Core Technology Solutions Company. "The drives are also a great option for those looking for an all-in-one solution for CD recording and DVD-ROM playback."

Sony CD-RW Software Suite

The Sony CD-RW drives include a software suite that offers feature-intensive applications for Macintosh and Windows® platforms. The software suite also comes with an integrated product installer that provides users the ability to choose the software they prefer. Sony's software bundle includes:

• CyberLink PowerDVD(TM) (Windows), provides users with DVD-Video decoder software for playing back DVDs;
• B's Recorder Gold (Macintosh and Windows), lets users create back-up copies of CDs as well as customized video, music and data CDs from various file formats;
• B's Clip (Windows), allows users to drag and drop files and folders to a CD-RW disc as easily as to a floppy disk or hard drive;
• Dantz Development's Retrospect® Express (Macintosh and Windows), provides users with full-featured unattended backup and disaster recovery capability;
• ArcSoft PhotoBase(TM) (Macintosh and Windows), allows users to create image, video and audio albums for easy management; share files in the form of slide shows, Web presentations or video postcards; and to store multimedia files on CDs;
• ArcSoft PhotoStudio(TM) 2000 (Macintosh and Windows), lets users edit digital images with a wide selection of special effects and enhancements;
• ArcSoft VideoImpression(TM) (Macintosh and Windows), offers a quick and easy way to create and edit videos and image files, as well as make desktop video productions for home, office or the Internet; and
• MUSICMATCH® Jukebox(TM) (Windows), offers users a complete personal system to play, record, organize and discover new music with a guide to thousands of streams of personalized programming through MUSICMATCH Radio(TM).

The CRX85A/A1 model will include Windows only software, while the CRX85U/A2 model will include both Macintosh and Windows software.

Availability, Pricing and Warranty

The Sony Portable CD-RW and DVD-ROM Combo drive with the PCMIA Card (CRX85A/A1) will be available next month, while the USB 2.0 version (CRX85U/A2) will be available in the U.S. in December for an estimated price of $329. Sony CD-RW drives are available through resellers and retailers nationwide, mail order catalogs, and online shopping sites including SonyStyle.com.

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Key Specifications

  Sony Portable CD-RW and            Sony Portable CD-RW and
 DVD-ROM Combo Drive with            DVD-ROM Combo Drive with
PC Card Interface CRX85A/A1         USB 2.0 Interface CRX85U/A2

-- PC Card Interface                -- USB 2.0 External Interface

                                    -- USB 1.1 compatible with
                                       sustained read speed of up
                                       to 8X and write speed up to 6X

-- 20X Z-CLV recording (CD-R),      -- 20X Z-CLV recording (CD-R),
   8X recording (CD-RW),               8X recording (CD-RW),
   24X (max.) reading (CD-ROM),        24X (max.) reading (CD-ROM),
   8X (max) reading (DVD-ROM)          8X (max) reading (DVD-ROM)

-- Drive dimensions:                -- Drive dimensions:
   5.1 x 0.7 x 5.3 inches              5.1 x 0.7 x 5.3 inches
   (W x H x L)                         (W x H x L)

-- Platform support:                -- Platform support:
   Windows98SE/2000/Me and soon        Windows 98SE/2000/Me and
   Windows XP operating system         Windows XP operating system
                                       OR Mac OS 9.0.4, 9.1, 9.2.1

-- Sustained Data Transfer Rates:   -- Sustained Data Transfer Rates:
   3.6MB/s max read,                   3.6MB/s max read,
   3MB/s max write                     3MB/s max write

-- Burst data transfer rate:        -- Burst data transfer rate:
   16.7MB/s max                        480Mbit/s max

-- Random access time:              -- Random access time:
   160 ms (ave.)                       160 ms (ave.)

-- Buffer memory: 8MB               -- Buffer memory: 8MB

-- Recording method:                -- Recording method:
   disc at once, track at once,        disc at once, track at once,
   session at once, fixed and          session at once, fixed and
   variable packet writing             variable packet writing

-- Compatible disc format:          -- Compatible disc format:
   CD-DA, Video CD, Photo CD           CD-DA, Video CD, Photo CD
   (multisession), CD TEXT,            (multisession), CD TEXT,
   CD Extra, CD-ROM, CD-ROM XA,        CD Extra, CD-ROM, CD-ROM XA,
   CD-I, Enhanced CD, UDF and          CD-I, Enhanced CD, UDF and
   Karaoke CD                          Karaoke CD

-- Availability - November 2001     -- Availability - December 2001

-- ESP - $329                       -- ESP -  $329

Sony Electronics Inc. Background: Based in San Jose, the Desktop Storage Product Division of Sony Electronics' Core Technology Solutions Company markets storage solutions through commercial distribution, industrial distribution, VARs, retail and reseller channels. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2001, Sony Electronics had record sales approaching $14 billion. For additional information about Sony CD-RW products, call 800/352-7669, or visit Sony's World Wide Web site at http://www.sony.com/news or http://www.storagebysony.com.