Plextor Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance CD-related equipment and software, today announced the immediate release of the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U optical disk drive with Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface. The new PlexCombo drive offers four different functions in one ultra-portable package: 8X CD-Recording, 8X CD-Rewriting, 24X-max CD-ROM playback, and 8X-max DVD-ROM playback.

The PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U is lightweight, compact - almost pocketsize -and housed in a highly stylish yet durable graphite-and-gold enclosure. The ultra-portable drive measures just 5.55-inches by .87-inches by 6.73-inches and weighs only 1.1 lbs. Mobile professionals and other users-on-the-go benefit from the ease-of-use and versatility of having CD-RW and DVD-ROM drives combined into a single portable device.

The drive connects via Universal Serial Bus (Hi-Speed USB 2.0 or USB 1.1) to any laptop or desktop computer (PC or Mac). The new PlexCombo is also Plug & Play compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP for easy setup. Users can typically begin recording custom CDs or watching DVD movies within minutes of opening the box.

"The new PlexCombo gives customers everything they want in an optical disk drive - Hi-Speed USB 2.0 data transfer rates, unparalleled reliability, extreme portability, and design flair," said Howard Wing, vice president of sales and marketing for Plextor. "This second-generation product expands our family of ultra-portable drives, adding DVD capability for the mobile warrior."