Plextor has been doing some work on revamping slim-line DVD burners, and has recently announced that they now have the smallest DVD writer on the market. Using a USB interface, it does have a fairly small profile and very low power demand, something good for a laptop and the bag you carry it in:

Plextor's PX-608CU powers itself from USB 2.0 and does not require any external power supply which usually takes additional space in the bag. The device measures by 137(W) x 143(D) x 16mm(H) and weighs about 250 grams, which is typical for devices of the kind. Nevertheless, the new PX-608CU comes with a rounded corner, which makes it look and feel a little smaller compared to rivals.

Not terribly impressive this late in the game, but interesting nevertheless. As far as laptop burners go it is fairly run of the mill in terms of performance, ranging from 4x to 8x burns on DVDs and up to 24x for CDs.