Samsung announces an external 3D Blu-ray combo drive

KOREAN ELECTRONICS GIANT Samsung has announced a slim external 3D Blu-ray combo drive that will be available for PCs in April with a price tag of $150.

The SE-406A optical disk drive comes with Cyberlink Truetheater software and will play Blu-ray and 3D content, if the PC it's plugged into supports these formats. It also reads and writes CDs and DVDs and is USB powered.

An interesting feature is the ability for the drive to transform 2D DVD movies into 3D ones. It is not clear how it does this and how good or convincing the finished product is, but it might tempt a number of people interested in seeing their old DVD collection look more realistic.

The drive provides various speeds for different data types, including 6X BD-R, 4X BD-R Dual Layer, 24X CD-ROM, 24X CD-RW, 8X DVD±R recording, 8X DVD-RAM recording, 6X DVD+R Dual Layer recording, 6X DVD-R Dual Layer recording, 8X DVD+RW recording and 6X DVD-RW recording. Buffer Under Run technology will help prevent drive errors when the maximum speeds are exceeded.

Samsung says the device is also environmentally friendly, thanks to its low power consumption, lead-free soldering method and compliance with regulations regarding hazardous materials.

Cosmetically it features a sleek design and anti-fingerprint surface, according to Samsung. µ