Ricoh Company, Ltd, a co-technology developer of the CD-RW and DVD+RW rewritable formats, announced its next generation DVD/CD writable drives and media products. The new internal 4x speed DVD/CD drive boasts the highest DVD recording speed and allows 4.7GB of data to be burned onto a 4x DVD+R disc and a 4x DVD+RW disc in less than 15-minutes. Ricoh also announced its entry into the notebook computer market with an industry first low-powered, slim-line drive. Ricoh has scheduled to ship drives and media during 1Q of 2003. "The new 4x internal DVD+RW/+R drive and 2.4x DVD+RW/+R notebook drive will support Mt. Rainier specifications of CD-RW/DVD+RW allowing users to write to DVD by using simple drag & drop operation with the next generation of Windows OS (Longhorn)," says Steve Van Vorst, Ricoh's U.S. National Sales and Marketing Manager.

"DVD+RW/+R format can meet demands of various applications from video recording to data storage. Especially with the DVD+RW Video Recording format (DVD+VR format), users can record video on a DVD+RW disk in real time and can add video or delete and edit video content retaining playback compatibility with almost all DVD movie players."

Today's computer and consumer electronics applications look to use one, cost-effective medium for home entertainment and PC applications. With Ricoh's core technology, DVD+RW/+R products bridge CD and DVD writing with the convergence of consumer video recording and business storage requirements. Computer users can customize and edit home movies from tape to DVD discs and then view them in nearly all DVD-ROM drive and DVD movie players. Similarly, DVD+RW consumer recorders are available to record broadcasts that can be edited on a computer with a DVD+RW drive. As a result of the convergence, industry analysts expect writable DVD drive sales to surpass 30 million drives by 2005. Ricoh is the technology leader in the development of DVD+RW/+R technology for both the desktop and notebook computer market and continues to support the leading software vendors.

Software Compatibility of DVD+RW/+R drive

Ricoh maintains its relationship with the leading third party software vendors. Here is a partial list of the vendors who support Ricoh DVD+RW/+R products:

-- Ahead Nero - Allows users to create data disc or DVD for playback
- Arcsoft ShowBiz / Video Impression - Allows users to create home movies and presentations using personal collections of photos, video clips and audio
- BHA B's Recorder Gold - Allows users to create data disc or DVD for playback
- BHA B's DVD - Allows users to create, author and record to DVD by drag-n-drop of video file clips stored to hard disk, or captured in real-time directly from a digital video (DV) camcorder
- BHA B's CLiP - Allows users to write to a CD/DVD by file, much like a floppy or Zip disk
- Dantz Retrospect - Allows users to back up their personal computers or network servers
- Gear PRO - Allows users to create a pre-master of a DVD that can be used for one-off master or sent to a duplication house
- Mediostream NeoDVD - Allows users to create videos on DVD with DVD+VR format
- Roxio Easy CD Creator / Direct CD - Allows users to create and share photos, videos, music, and data on DVD
- Sonic Solutions MyDVD - Allows users to transfer home videos to DVD
- ULead DVD MovieWriter - Allows users to transfer home videos to DVD with DVD+VR format
- ULead DVD PictureShow - Allows users to create a photo album or slide show of photos
- ULead DVD Workshop - Allows users to create a pre-master of a DVD
- Veritas RecordNow - Allows users to copy CDs and DVD-ROMs and create custom CDs and DVDs
- VOB Instant CD/DVD - Allows users to create and share photos, videos, music, and data on DVD DVD+RW

DVD+R Features

- One DVD+RW or DVD+R disc is equivalent to 7 CDs
- DVD can store 5000's of photos (when using Ricoh 3.2M pixel digital camera, JPEG format), up to four hours of video, or 4.7GB of data
- Write once for data permanence using DVD+R disc
- ReWritable for flexible use of DVD+RW disc
- World fastest 4x speed DVD+RW and DVD+R writing
- Can be played back on almost all DVD players and DVD-ROM drives.
- Loss less linking feature allows users to add or edit data and video at anytime retaining playback compatibility
- Allows users prompt writing of data with DVD+RW background format function