Iomega Corp. announced a new Mac-compatible low-profile CD rewritable drive that will be available in its first USB configuration in January at a retail price of US$270.

The Predator CD-RW drive will begin shipping in late December bundled with a USB 1.1 adapter offering 4X4X6X performance, and in early 2001 the drive will be bundled with a FireWire adapter offering 8X4X32X performance. With additional options planned for release in 2001, users will be able to switch among any of four hot-swappable connection types: USB 1.1, FireWire, PCMCIA, and USB 2.0.

Software included with the drive are Adaptec Toast, MusicMatch Jukebox Plus, MGI PhotoSuite, and a demo of Iomega Quik Sync 2. Also included in the package are two CD-R discs and one pre-formatted CD-RW disc, audio cables, data cable, external power supply and a third-party bonus software offer.

Iomega has discarded the shoe-box dimensions of typical CD-RW products and trimmed away the excess bulk and weight. The Predator drive's case is finished in a textured cobalt-blue with silver accents. The drive also replaces the motorized front-loading drive tray of most other external drives with a top-loading design similar to that of portable CD players. The new design is quieter, mechanically simpler and treats CDs more gently than front-loading players, which can pinch an improperly inserted disc.

The Iomega Predator external CD-RW drive in USB 1.1 configuration is expected in U.S. stores in January of 2001 for $269.95. The Predator drive with FireWire support will be available in U.S. stores in the first quarter of 2001 for $349.95.