Influenced by the release of NEC's 24x SOC chip, optical drive maker Lite-On announced the upcoming release of three faster internal DVD writers. Capable of recording compatible blank DVD±R media at up to 24x speeds, the new models will be offered in both PATA/SATA interfaces, and with all of Lite-On's latest technologies. All drives will include Lite-On's new SmartErase technology that permanently erases all the sensitive and confidential data on discs.
The entry-level iHAS324 24x burner has a SATA interface and will be available in mid-March. The iHAP424 has a PATA interface and adds LightScribe labeling capabilities. It is also slated to ship in March. Last but not least, the iHAS624 returns to SATA and has the LabelTag capability in addition to LightScribe. With LabelTag users can create label tags on the data side of any blank recordable media. The remaining and not labeled space of the disc can still be written with data. The iHAS624 is expected to ship in mid-May.