Verbatim announced that it will begin shipping 8x-speed DataLifePlus(R) 4.7GB DVD+R media this month as higher-speed DVD multi-format burners become widely available.

Verbatim 8x DVD+R media has been tested and approved by major original equipment manufacturers of 8x burners such as BenQ DW800A, LiteOn LDW-841S, NEC ND-2100A and Plextor PX-708A, as well as the 8x DVD+R burners announced by HP, Philips and Dell.

The key component in achieving 8x speed DVD+R media is Metal Azo recording dye, a proprietary technology developed by Verbatim's parent company, Mitsubishi(R) Kagaku Media (MKM).

For higher reliability, the new 8x DVD+R media is manufactured utilizing Verbatim's proprietary Ultra-Precise Molding (UPM) technology. With UPM, the deflection or tilt of the substrate is minimized so the media spins smoothly at high speeds, regardless of the type of drive. Stable rotation at high-speeds is critical to eliminate the possibility of data errors during the read/write processes.

The demand for DVD media is being driven by increased availability of recordable drives. Industry analysts project that worldwide recordable DVD media sales will climb from 75 million discs in 2002 to more than 300 million in 2003. Since making its debut in 2002, DVD+R continues to claim a growing share of the DVD media market. With the dramatic increase in the production of low-cost DVD burners and the availability of high-speed 8x DVD+R media, that share is expected to increase significantly.

Price, Availability

Verbatim DataLifePlus 8x DVD+R media has an estimated street price of $3.99 and will be available through authorized resellers and the Verbatim web site in November. The new media is packaged in jewel cases, multi-packs and spindles. Blank inkjet printable surface discs will also be available. Verbatim backs the quality of its complete line of DataLifePlus DVD media with a lifetime warranty.