LaCie today announced a combination FireWire DVD-RAM/R drive that will sell for US$689. Using 4.7GB DVD-R media, the drive provides a transfer rate of up to 11Mbps, while with 4.7GB DVD-RAM media, the drive can transfer data at up to 22Mbps. The press release (not available online) notes a July availability, although it’s unclear if this means July 2001 or 2002, or if it is a typo. [Updated (19:00) – A LaCie spokesperson has informed MacMinute that the drive has just begun shipping; it was originally slated to ship this past July, but the software was not ready at the time.]