Lite-On announces today that their next generation of external slim DVD-writers will be equipped with a smart USB power detection feature.

The eSAU108 external DVD-writer from Lite-On is a USB powered drive. Users don’t need a power adapter to operate the drive, as it will get its power directly from the computer through a USB cable. Most notebooks deliver enough power to operate the drive through a single USB port, but for some notebooks an extra USB port is needed to get sufficient power.

Smart USB power detection is a feature that helps users to determine whether they need one or two USB ports to operate the drive. After plugging in the main USB connector in the computer’s USB port and the mini USB connector into the drive’s port, a LED indicator on the drive will light up. BLUE means that the drive is ready to operate, while RED means that a second USB connector is needed. As the drive is equipped with a USB Y-cable, a cable with two USB connectors and one mini USB connector, a second USB connector can be plugged into the computer very easily.

Pioneer Japan sent out a press release this morning, announcing its new slim, portable DVD writer, the DVR-XD08. This USB bus powered drive is capable of 8x DVD±R, 6x DVD±R DL, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW and 5x DVD-RAM writing speeds and a maximum DVD read speed of 8x. The DVR-XD08 also includes features like Pioneer's PowerRead and PURE READ technologies as well as a software bundle from CyberLink. The DVR-XD08 is scheduled to ship in early May and is expected to cost about 15,000 Yen ($153US).

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and computer components, today unveiled the Z-Drive, a PCI-Express based SSD solution designed to meet the stringent demands of enthusiast computing environments and high-end workstations. First debuted at Cebit 2009 in Germany, the Z-Drive is the latest premium solid state storage solution from OCZ.

“It is our goal to deliver tailored SSD solutions for the complete spectrum of high performance applications,” said Eugene Chang, Vice President of Product Management at the OCZ Technology Group. “Designed for ultra high performance consumers, the Z-Drive takes the SATA bottleneck out of the equation by employing the ultra fast PCI-Express architecture with a RAID controller and four Vertex controllers configured in four-way RAID 0 within an all-in-one product, making this solution ideal for applications that put a premium on both storage performance and maximum capacity.”

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Warner Home Video has launched a new program that will let HD DVD fans trade in their movies for the Blu-ray version. To do so, send in the cover art to Warner's processing center, pay a small $4.95 upgrade fee (as well as $6.95/$8.95 for shipping) and in 4-5 weeks, you'll receive the Blu-ray version of the same title. While you are limited to one copy of each movie and a total of 25 titles total per household, most people will probably be more than happy to rid themselves of the defunct format. Full details can be found at Red2Blu.com.