DVD-RAM Format Gathers Strength in Computer Space With Launch of World's Fastest Rewriteable DVD Drives and Discs New Faster DVD MULTI Drives and DVD-RAM Discs Highlight Format's Potential NEW YORK, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of the DVD-RAM recordable DVD format continues to brighten, according to the RAM Promotion Group (RAMPRG), as RAMPRG member companies today announced plans for the next generation DVD MULTI drives and DVD-RAM discs. Among this week's announcements were plans by Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. and Panasonic Industrial Company to introduce DVD MULTI drives which feature 5x DVD-RAM recording. The new drives will make the DVD-RAM format the fastest rewriteable DVD format on the market. Complimenting these hardware announcements, Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., Maxell Corporation of America, and Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company unveiled plans for new 5x DVD-RAM discs, in both cartridge and non-cartridge configurations. "As the market for recordable DVD products grows, OEM manufacturers and consumers alike are looking for DVD computer drives which marry speed with flexibility," said John P. Burnham, Executive Marketing Director of the RAMPRG and Director of Panasonic's Strategic Alliance & Business Development Group. "The new DVD MULTI drives not only offer the industry's fastest recording speed with 5x DVD-RAM writing capability, but they provide users with the flexibility to read and write all DVD Forum approved formats, as well as CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM discs." The Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. 5x SUPER MULTI drive will be available in June, while Panasonic's SW-9573-C drive will be available later this year. The Maxell brand 5x DVD-RAM discs will be available in June, and the Panasonic 4.7GB and 9.4 GB 5x DVD-RAM discs will begin shipping in August of this year. About the RAM Promotion Group (RAMPRG): The nine companies making up the RAM Promotion Group -- Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc., Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., TEAC Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) -- are dedicated to promoting the DVD-RAM format and popularizing DVD-RAM related products on an international basis. The RAMPRG collaborates with the Recordable DVD Council (RDVDC), and all of the founding members of the RAMPRG are also members of the RDVDC. For additional information on the RAMPRG and the DVD-RAM format, please visit the organization's dedicated Web site at http://www.ramprg.com/ Recordable DVD Council (RDVDC) The Recordable DVD Council (RDVDC) was established in April 2001 as an international association of companies whose objective is to encourage the use of products based upon recordable DVD formats developed by the DVD Forum (DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW) and expand the global markets for these products. The conference is headed by Chairman Bon-Guk Koo (Advisor of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.). With 94 members as of July 31, 2003 (56 companies from Japan, 17 from the rest of Asia, 17 from North America and 4 from Europe), the Council is the largest international organization in the recordable DVD industry. It has been energetically engaged in a variety of activities, such as seminars and exhibitions, throughout the world, in order to spread and promote recordable DVD products and applications. DATASOURCE: RAM Promotion Group CONTACT: Inquiries - North America - Tony Jasionowski, +1-201-348-7777, , Europe - Terry Shimada, +49-6103-766-121, , Japan - +81-6-6905-4118, ; Editorial - Sara Whitman, Peppercom, +1-212-931-6121, , for RAM Promotion Group Web site: http://www.ramprg.com/

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