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Short Take: Iomega to unveil sleeker CD-RW drive

Iomega's Predator CD-RW drive will debut at the Comdex trade show next week in Las Vegas and is set for a U.S. release in January. Iomega has discarded the shoe-box dimensions of other CD-RWs and trimmed away bulk and weight. The result is a design with sculpted curves and rounded edges. The drive replaces the motorized front-loading drive tray of most other external drives with a top-loading design similar to that of portable CD players. The drive has a rated performance of 8X write-once, 4X rewrite and 32X read. When the product is fully launched, people will be able to switch among four connection types: USB 1.1, FireWire, PCMCIA, and USB 2.0. The Predator in USB 1.1 configuration is expected in stores in January for $269.95. The Predator with FireWire support will be available in the first quarter for $349.95.

Natalie Weinstein Former Senior Editor / News
I spent a decade as a reporter and editor before joining the CNET News staff as a copy editor in 2000, right before the dot-com bust.
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  • I've been a journalist for more than three decades. I was a finalist in the 2021 Digiday Media Award for Best Newsletter.
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Natalie Weinstein
Iomega's Predator CD-RW drive will debut at the Comdex trade show next week in Las Vegas and is set for a U.S. release in January. Iomega has discarded the shoe-box dimensions of other CD-RWs and trimmed away bulk and weight. The result is a design with sculpted curves and rounded edges. The drive replaces the motorized front-loading drive tray of most other external drives with a top-loading design similar to that of portable CD players. The drive has a rated performance of 8X write-once, 4X rewrite and 32X read. When the product is fully launched, people will be able to switch among four connection types: USB 1.1, FireWire, PCMCIA, and USB 2.0. The Predator in USB 1.1 configuration is expected in stores in January for $269.95. The Predator with FireWire support will be available in the first quarter for $349.95.