Seconds out, round one

Electronics companies love to hold pointless battles over standards at the
consumer’s expense. The latest concerns recordable DVD, which will let you store
nearly 5 gigabytes of PC data or video footage. A new alliance means there is
now a straight fight between two systems. In one corner is DVD Multi, from a new
alliance of Pioneer, Panasonic and Hitachi. And in the other is DVD+RW from
Philips. Philips seems to have the upper hand: DVD+RW recordings will play back
on existing DVD players—90 million have already been sold worldwide. But
DVD Multi discs will only record…