"..This is not to say that portable CD-RWs are mere commodities and should be chosen by price alone. For example, if you want to use it on the road, the Smart and Friendly CD Pocket RW and the CT&R Compro SlimLine 4420 provide battery power. Alternatively, the parallel interface on the HP CD-Writer M820e and the USB interface on the Compro SlimLine give you the flexibility to use them at home with a desktop PC.

The backpack bantam cd-rewriter is the only unit with a built-in speaker. The HP CD-Writer and the Panasonic unit are top-loaders, an arrangement that can be more convenient because you don't need as much desk space to access the drive. The drawback is that you must manually open the drive door; the front-loaders automatically eject the disk when recording is finished.

Although the competition was close, our top choice is the Smart and Friendly CD Pocket RW. It's the only drive that comes with an integrated, rechargeable battery and extra software. Besides, it looks great. The only thing missing is a USB interface. The Compro SlimLine was a close second with its USB interface, but its external battery pack made the drive a little larger, heavier, and more unwieldy than the CD Pocket RW..."