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Smart and Friendly Announces Pocket-Sized CD-RW Solution

The New CD Pocket RW With Rechargeable Battery Power Provides True Portability

CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 1999--Leading the market with the world's first truly portable CD-RW solution, Smart and Friendly® announced today that shipments of the new CD Pocket RW(TM) with rechargeable battery power will begin shipping by the end of this September.

Weighing approximately one pound, the palm-sized CD-RW offers 4x Write, 4x ReWrite and 20x Playback performance without requiring the use of an external power source. The small, but powerful, solution switches quickly and easily from AC power to its rechargeable battery, enabling mobile users to create up to six CDs on a single charge. Equipped with a PCMCIA PC interface, the CD Pocket RW travels effortlessly from the desktop to portable computer.

"CD-RW is a perfect product for mobile computer users, giving them the ability to back up and transfer their data when away from the network," said Martin Reynolds, Vice President for Dataquest, a San Jose, Calif.-based industry research firm.

"However, there is no practical integrated solution -- the drives are too big. An external solution is the perfect transition product to kick-start this market. With almost 7.5 million notebook computers expected to be sold in the US in 2000," Reynolds continued, "and more than twice that many established users, the market for CD-RW upgrades will be significant. Finally, mobile users will be free of the floppy."

The CD Pocket RW is designed to meet the needs of the growing number of road warriors who require removable, ReWritable capability in a universal storage format. According to the Yankee Group, a Boston, Mass.-based consulting firm, the number of notebook users is expected to grow from 2.6 million in 1992 to 36.6 million in 2002, a ten-fold increase. The rapidly expanding demand for notebooks translates to increased demand by users for notebook peripherals, including portable CD-Recorders.

For mobile users, one of the key benefits of having a CD Pocket RW will be the ability to back up their data while on the road. Portable computers store data that is often more time-sensitive than the data stored on office networks. As a result, data backup becomes even more important. The Smart and Friendly CD Pocket RW can create up to six CDs on a single charge, offers a 4x Write speed and an access time of 120msec or less. These features, combined with the convenience of battery operation, make the CD Pocket RW an ideal backup solution.

"The CD Pocket RW expands the capabilities of today's business travelers," said Perry Solomon, President and CEO of Smart and Friendly. "By providing mobile users with a high-performance, removable storage solution that's also compact and easy-to-use, they have virtually unlimited storage capacity. Road warriors also have a low-cost means of immediately exchanging information, and a fast, reliable way of protecting their data," he added.

The CD Pocket RW includes Universal Disc Format (UDF)-compliant packet-writing technology by Adaptec that simplifies the Writing and ReWriting processes. Users can drag and drop, rename, move or delete files on the fly. Files can be saved directly to the CD Pocket RW using the convenient "Save As" command, just like a floppy or hard drive.

To ensure complete functionality in a portable solution, the CD Pocket RW includes the following software:

--   Adaptec Easy CD Creator Standard Edition: Enables users to create
     music, audio, data or mixed-mode CDs. Easy CD Creator runs on
     Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0.
--   Adaptec DirectCD: Users can drag and drop files, rename files,
     delete files, and create new directories right to a CD-RW disc.
     Users can even save files directly from word processing software,
     spreadsheet, or other applications directly to CD-RW.
--   PowerQuest Drive Image: Drive Image is the leading backup and
     disaster recovery software package available on the market today.
     Drive Image enables the user to create bootable CD-R or CD-RW
     discs for disaster recovery or for hard drive upgrades that can
     be run on any CD-ROM drive. Further, PowerQuest Drive Image
     allows the user to back up selected partitions or an entire disk
     to CD-R or CD-RW. For disks larger than the capacity of one CD-R
     disc, backup data can span across multiple CD-R or CD-RW discs.
--   Sonic Foundry CD Architect: Writes studio-quality audio CDs,
     samples audio from compact discs, records from DAT cartridges or
     digitizes material through a Windows-compatible sound card.
     Provides extensive support for PQ editing - including track
     times, adjusting gaps between tracks from 0 to unlimited seconds,
     and printed cue sheets.
--   Sonic Foundry Sound Forge XP: Composes professional-quality
     digital audio files with more than 25 digital audio effects and
     processes. Sound Forge also lets users incorporate audio into web
     page design.
--   Diamond Cut Audio Restoration Tools 32: Cleans up clicks and pops
     from phonograph record source audio; removes hiss from cassette
     and reel to reel tape, and enhances CD audio recordings. Audio
     enhancement capabilities produce excellent audio masters for
     recording to CD.
--   ECI Disc Inspector Pro: A complete utility package ensures that
     your discs are written correctly. Disc Inspector Pro includes
     data compare, lost session recovery, CD Table of Contents
     display, and more.
--   Smart and Friendly CD Consultant: Simplifies the installation
     process. This utility gives users the ability to automatically
     install the included software applications for use with the CD
     Pocket RW.

Less than 1-inch thick and measuring only 5 inches by 6-1/2 inches, the CD Pocket RW (Model SAF768) can easily fit into a briefcase beside a portable computer, or alone in a pocket. This unique portable CD-RW solution will begin shipping by the end of September 1999, and has an ESP (estimated street price) of $599.

About Smart and Friendly: Smart and Friendly, Inc. is recognized as the industry's largest privately held manufacturer of complete optical storage solutions, including CD-Recorders with CD-RW ReWritability, CD-ROMs, network storage, media and accessories. The company was recently named the country's Number One Supplier to Retail of CD-Recorders and CD-ReWritable products by Personal Technology Research (PTR), publishers of the HOT Market Monitor USA. Smart and Friendly President and CEO Perry Solomon was recently named to the Board of Directors of the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) and is Chairman of the Market Development Committee.

Smart and Friendly products are available at leading retail outlets including: American TV, Best Buy, CDW, CompUSA, ComputAbility, Damark, DataVision, Fred Meyer, Fry's Electronics, Insight Direct, J&R Computer World, Micro Center, MicroWarehouse, Nationwide Computers, Nebraska Furniture Mart, NECX, Outpost.com, PC Connection, Staples, Value America and Wal-Mart, and to resellers through D&H, Ingram Micro, Merisel, and Tech Data. Smart and Friendly products are available internationally through a network of in-country distributors and globally through Computer 2000, CHS, Ingram Micro and Tech Data.

For product and sales information, contact Smart and Friendly at 20520 Nordhoff Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311; http://www.smartandfriendly.com.

Phone 800/959-7001 or 818/772-8001, fax 818/772-2888. Smart and Friendly also offers free technical support over a toll-free line.

Note to Editors: Smart and Friendly is a registered trademark and CD Pocket RW is a trademark of Smart and Friendly, Inc. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.



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