CDRLabs finishes up the week with a review of Pioneer's first Qflix enabled DVD writer, the DVR-2920Q. With this new drive, consumers can purchase and download movies from CinemaNow and then burn a permanent copy that can be played back on a standard DVD player. The DVR-2920Q also offers 20x DVD±R, 12x DVD±R DL and 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds as well as support for Pioneer's Optimum Write Speed technology.

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Freecom, an award-winning manufacturer of external hard drives and portable storage devices, launched the 'ToughDrive Sport', a durable, shock-resistant, 2.5" external hard drive designed to endure even the toughest conditions. This latest addition to the ToughDrive family is perfect for heavy duty users that want to carry their data on the move, from backpacking around the world to cycling up mountains.

The ToughDrive Sport features a handy loop in one corner enabling easy attachment to bags or belts - allowing people to carry their data hands-free. The drive can also withstand falls of up to two metres and is fully protected against adverse weather conditions associated with outdoor pursuits.

The ToughDrive Sport has an outdoor sports design and an integrated USB cable designed to look and feel like a climbing rope - this makes the drive extremely portable as no external power adapter is required for charging. Ideal for mobile use given its size and robustness, the internal anti-shock mechanism insulates the hard drive against unforeseen shocks that could cause damage and result in the loss of masses of data.

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Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB), announced today that it is enabling and supporting consumer electronics makers in China to develop Blu-ray Disc™ products. Three digital entertainment companies in China—TCL Technoly Electronics (Huizhou) Co., Limited (TCL), MIT Technology Co., Limited (MIT Technology), and Lite-On IT Corporation (Lite-On IT)—have agreed to license Dolby® TrueHD, a lossless compression technology, and Dolby Digital Plus, which delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound for future Blu-ray Disc products.

The world’s leading studios and content creators have embraced Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus to enhance the experience delivered from Blu-ray Discs. Nearly 70 home audio systems and 50 Blu-ray Disc players from 30 companies around the world use Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, or both. Today’s announcement demonstrates Dolby’s continuing commitment to help expand the market for high-definition entertainment and support the efforts of digital entertainment companies in China.

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The NPD Group released its annual Digital Music Study this week. According to their research, the number of people purchasing music online climbed from 28 million in 2007 to 36 million in 2008. As a result, purchases of digital downloads increased by 29% and now account for 33% of all music sales. Their research also found that there were 17 million fewer CD buyers in 2008 which led to a 19% decline in CD sales.

According to The NPD Group, the leader in market research for the entertainment industry, the number of Internet users paying for digital music increased by just over 8 million in 2008 to 36 million Internet users. Purchases of online digital music downloads increased by 29 percent since last year; they now account for 33 percent of all music tracks purchased in the U.S. NPD’s Digital Music Study, an annual tracking study covering the music industry, also revealed that there were nearly 17 million fewer CD buyers in 2008 compared to the prior year.

The decline in CD buyers cuts across all demographic groups, but was particularly focused on teens and consumers age 50 and older. “Rising incidence of paid downloads is a positive development for the industry, but not all lost CD buyers are turning to digital music,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for The NPD Group.

NPD also reported that there were 13 million fewer music buyers in the U.S. last year, compared to the prior year. The decline in music purchasing was led by a 19 percent drop in CD sales. Only 58 percent of Internet users reported purchasing CDs or digital music downloads last year, versus 65 percent in 2007.

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