Peripheral maker MCE Technologies LLC is shipping a DVD-R/RW drive compatible with FireWire and Bronze keyboard-equipped PowerBook G3 models, often known by their internal Apple code names, “Pismo” and “Lombard.”
The new kits from MCE include the drive and authoring software that enables users to create both data DVDs and DVD-Video disks, similar to the “SuperDrives” of today’s PowerBook G4 models. The drives occupy the right-hand expansion bay of these earlier PowerBook models.
The drives write to DVD-R and DVD-RW media at 1x speed; CD-Rs are burned at 16x and CD-RWs are burned at 10x. DVD-ROMs can be read at 8x, CD-ROMs at 24x, and DVD-RAM discs at 2x.
What’s more, the MCE Expansion Bay DVD-R/RW drive is compatible with Apple’s own iTunes and Disc Burner and DVD Player software. For maximum flexibility, MCE has also included Roxio’s Toast Lite software. ImageMixer DVD is the software that enables users to burn DVD-Video disks, and MCE notes on its Web site that the initial version shipped with the drives is compatible with Mac OS 9 only — a Mac OS X version is due in early May and will be shipped to customers free of charge once it’s released.
Suggested retail price of the MCE Expansion Bay DVD-R/RW drive is US$449. Please visit the Web site for further details, including more compatibility info.
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