Other World Computing has introduced its new OWC Mercury SuperDrive - compatible with most MacBook models (except for the late 2008 "Unibody" SKUs). The drive is capable of burning even dual-layer 8.7GB discs, being compatible with iDVD, iTunes, DiscBurn, Apple DVD Player, and more OS X apps.

According to the folks at OWC, “this is the exact same type of SuperDrive that Apple uses!” Apple's unibody MacBook Pro boasts an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW). Now, owners of older MacBooks (such as the 1.83GHz MacBook 13.3" ) can also benefit from industry standard optical capabilities.

Customers can install the new drive themselves, the company claims, as it ships with detailed, step-by-step instructions. Videos on optical drive installations are also available. OWC itself can provide support as well, should you not trust yourself with a screwdriver. So, let' see some specs, shall we? First off, Read/Write speeds are:

DVD-RAM (4.7GB) Write 3X;
DVD-R (4.7GB) Write 8X;
DVD-R DL (8.5GB) Write 2X;
DVD-RW (4.7GB) Write 4X;
DVD+R (4.7GB) Write 8X;
DVD+R DL (8.5GB) Write 2.4X;
DVD+RW (4.7GB) Write 4X;
CD-R Write 24X;
CD-RW Write 10X;
DVD-ROM Read 8X;
CD-ROM Read 24X.

As far as software compatibility is concerned, OWC can confirm full support for Mac OS X. However, Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later is highly recommended! Compatibility with older OS versions may be achieved by using Christian Moeller's PatchBurn. PatchBurn is a free tool to patch existing CD/DVD-drivers (under Mac-OS X 10.2.x), or to generate and install new device profiles (under Mac-OS 10.3.x and later). It allows many, otherwise unsupported burners to be used directly with Mac-OS X, iTunes and DiscBurner.

The OWC Mercury SuperDrive also supports OS X apps, including iDVD, iTunes, DiscBurn, Apple DVD Player, Roxio Toast, EMC Retrospect and CharisMac Discribe. The device can be bundled with a software and media package that includes NTI DragonBurn, EMC Retrospect backup software, and ten DVD-R discs. The SuperDrive is immediately available for purchase from OWC's site for $160. The bundled option is just 15 bucks pricier.