CD-ROM technology takes off

As businesses demand more low-cost storage and more PCs infiltrate the home market, sales of CD-ROM drives are rising. Worldwide sales of CD-ROM readers are expected to reach $50 million by the end of 1995, according to Infotech, a multimedia research firm. Infotech reports that sales last year were $27 million. Worldwide unit shipments of CD-ROM drives grew from nearly 7 million units in 1993 to 17.6 million in 1994, according to market researcher Dataquest in San Jose/spl acute/, California. To ensure that CD-ROM better competes with other forms of storage, several initiatives are underway. Manufacturers are preparing to deliver six-speed drives and higher-density products to support the continued merging of audio, video, and other multimedia technologies.<
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