Toshiba has announced the world's first slim HD DVD-RW drive for mobile PCs

The new drive can read, write and rewrite to HD DVD-RW discs, as well as read and write to HD DVD-R discs and standard DVD and CD discs.

Toshiba's SD-L912A enables mobile PCs to replace larger desktop systems in the home with this additional high-definition functionality. The drive allows backup of large-capacity PC hard disk drives to the reusable format of HD DVD-RW discs and provides capabilities to store data-rich, high-definition digital content. HD DVD-RW functionality also opens the door to a wide range of applications involving storage and rewriting of large volumes of data.

Scheduled for sample shipments in July, the SD-L912A supports high-speed read and write for standard DVD and CD discs, including the complete library of DVD and CD formats. The new drive is compliant with the EU RoHS directive on environmentally hazardous substances, which came into effect in July 2006.