03-04-2003, 06:55 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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4 GB Microdrives Coming This Fall
I found this tiny quote in an article about digital cameras:
"Hitachi recently said its Microdrive would jump to 4GB in capacity but isn't expected to ship until fall."
That's the first confirmation I've seen about the Microdrive since IBM sold it to Hitachi. I don't know about you, but 4 GB late this year just doesn't seem like a lot of space...unless it's priced very low. I'm not eager to buy another Microdrive - I paid $650 CND for mine about two years ago, and as amazing as it was at the time, it went flaky on me two months after the warranty expired. It now makes a strange clicking noise when I try to do a sector scan.
I remain convinced that solid-state memory is the future of storage, not spinning platters of metal, especially when it comes to mobile devices.
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03-04-2003, 07:23 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
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Flash memory is the way to go for a PDA. Microdrives are too touchy for hardcore mobile types.
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03-04-2003, 07:38 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 24
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Yes, but it does bring up the discussion of flash memory *format*. Most of the high capacity cards, including the new 4MB Lexar, are CompactFlash. Even though I have a camera that takes CF - the recent price drops, the Compaq/HP decision to go with SD, and the digital camera market adopting XD - makes me think now is not the time to invest much in CF.
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03-04-2003, 07:45 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 433
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for me still the 4 GB cf is the way to go yeah.....
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03-04-2003, 09:27 AM
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Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
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Re: 4 GB Microdrives Coming This Fall
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I remain convinced that solid-state memory is the future of storage, not spinning platters of metal, especially when it comes to mobile devices.
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I don't know. If I could get a 20 GB PC Card drive (basically what's in an iPod) for about $400 ($100 less than the 20 GB iPod), I think that would be pretty compelling.
Of course, I own an iPAQ 3870 and have a dual PC Card sleeve. :-)
Steve
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03-04-2003, 02:34 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 248
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MD
I've had my MD for more than a year with no problems. This time last year 1GB for $225 was a great deal. I'd pay $300 for a 4 gb card. SD is ridiculous right now...well, too high for me anyways. I agree that the future is non-volatile but if you want storage space now then this is the way to go.
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03-04-2003, 02:49 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 300
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The Future
I'd have to 2nd Jason's opinion - I have seen the future, and it's solid-state...
While SD memory (at the large-size end of the scale) is very high-priced now, the high-end is rapidly going up. There are now 512 MB SD cards on the market, and the price for 128 MB cards is pretty reasonable (under $70, and with rebates, as low as $50).
Since SD Cards are already at a half-gigabyte, I have to think that given a year or so, there will be 1 GB SD cards on the market, and the 256 MB cards will be cheap.
At which point.. I start to wonder - just how much data *does* the average person, or even the power-user, need to carry with them? I mean - given that infinite storage space is the ideal, what is a practical size for you? Or, if there's different sizes you'd use for different things, what are they?
For me:
If I had only 64 MB of removable storage, I'd use it to install those apps that I don't want hogging up my main unit, as a space to store a full back up for my main unit, and maybe a few mp3 songs..
If I had 128 - 256 MB (which I do), I'd do all of the above, plus increase the number of songs to about 25, plus put in a few collections of my travel pictures (I have them reduced to 240x320, and use a picture viewer utility to show them off).
If I had 512 MB, I would do all of the above, but double my song collection to maybe 50 or 60 songs, put on a pocket dictionary, pocket encyclopedia, and maybe keep an episode or 2 of a TV show in there (optimized for the screen size) to watch when I was bored. Probably also keep a bunch of Palm OS apps as a library that i could beam to my wife and her sister, who have Palms (I actually have a few on there now, on my 128 MB card)
If I had 4 GB... I would do all the above, PLUS have a few movies (the Matrix, The Graduate, or whatever) all optimized to fit my screen (and thus reducing their file-size). I'm thinking I could probably fit a good 3 to 5 full-length movies at reduced format, along with my library of 70 to 100 MP3 songs, all the photos I scanned/snapped with digicam, etc, and still have room left over.
At which point.. I don't know what I could possibly do with more. Heck, I don't really even want to have a bunch of movies on there that badly. For me, right now, having over 256 MB of storage is basically pointless. I can imagine the uses for it, but practically, would I use it? Probably not.
I know some people keep iPods full of 500 songs or whatever, but since I don't even like that many, for me, the storage issue is already over... :-)
__________________
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03-04-2003, 03:53 PM
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Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
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Re: The Future
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Originally Posted by Kirkaiya
I'd have to 2nd Jason's opinion - I have seen the future, and it's solid-state...
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The problem is that people always want more. Look at your desktop or laptop. My laptop has a 20 GB hard disk that's 85-90% full. Imagine what getting 20 GB of RAM would cost. Now imagine getting 20 GB of Flash RAM. :-)
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kirkaiya
I start to wonder - just how much data *does* the average person, or even the power-user, need to carry with them? I mean - given that infinite storage space is the ideal, what is a practical size for you? Or, if there's different sizes you'd use for different things, what are they?
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Bill Gates said nobody would need more than 640 KB of RAM, too. :-D What seems immense now will seem cramped in the future.
I went from a 256 MB CF card to a 512 MB CF card. My 256 MB card was only used for two things -- MP3s and my GPS software and maps. After a few days, the 512 MB card was full. Why? I put more MP3s on it (and I still have some overflow on my 256 MB SD card), a much larger map for my GPS (Sacramento to San Diego and the coast to Phoenix, instead of Sacramento to Bakersfield and the coast to Yosemite) and the full points-of-interest database for my GPS.
Do I need all of that? Not really, but when I do, it saves me time from having to create a special map just to drive to Phoenix. It also gives me more variety in what I can choose to listen to depending on my mood.
Steve
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03-04-2003, 04:31 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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I agree with Steve for the most part - if flash memory was the only way to go, we'd start putting flash in laptops instead of hard drives. But we don't, because we use more space.
On the other hand, IMO a 4GB Microdrive is too little, too late. The fact that 4GB CF might even hit the market before a 4GB MD kills any prospect of this taking off -- unless it's priced very cheap to start.
--janak
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03-04-2003, 04:37 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 248
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CF
I seem to remember the MD came out at $400 while the 1GB CF came out higher than $800. Moreover, it's Hitachi not IBM. Hitachi certainly proces more agressively than IBM. It's nto dead in the water in that case. The future may be solid state but I'm not shelling out $800 for storage. the 512MB Sd card may be available but it's way too expensive right now. Much of this depends on timing. If you want more space sooner and your wallet isn't thick, then maybe the MD will work for you. It's been rumored that the next gen MD will use less power as well.
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