08-26-2003, 01:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Hitachi Microdrive Nearing Release
"HITACHI Global Storage, which now owns IBM's hard drive business, said it has started sampling 4GB microdrives aimed at the consumer market. The drive, said Hitachi, weighs 16 grams, is the size of a regular book of matches, and is already being sampled by Sony, Kodak, Minolta, Pentax and Sigma. Hitachi also claims the data transfer rate is 70 times more than its previous microdrive. Interestingly, even when used in a digital camera, that camera must support a FAT32 file system."
It appears that the 4GB Microdrive will finally appear in stores in November... for $500. 8O That's pretty expensive, and I don't think it's going to be popular in PDAs this time around; instead, by claiming the performance metrics, I suspect it'll primarily be used by increasingly-high-megapixel professional digital cameras where its high write speeds can be best utilized. They also mention a 2GB version; I wonder how that will be priced.
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08-26-2003, 01:38 AM
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08-26-2003, 01:44 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Yes, but we're still talking at least 3 months away, and it's not clear if it'll be available in volume quantities then. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 
--janak
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08-26-2003, 01:48 AM
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2000 Posts And This is All I Get?
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,017
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But 4 gigs is awesome. Imagine being able to put 1600-2000 fivemegapixels images on one device. Yeah you are right, this will go popular on the digital photography world.
I cannot (yet) imagine myself spending $500 for a storage device.
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08-26-2003, 02:17 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 42
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Hello,
It is a shame...they rested on their laurels too long. When the Microdrive first came out, nobody else could touch them. Now, they are still the price leader - but that will probably erode all too soon. The speed claims are nice - but what I really care about are the energy requirements. They will need to pump-up the GB numbers pretty quick to stay ahead.
In the end, though, this is good for competition. I love the way the cost/MB keeps falling.
Julio
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08-26-2003, 02:23 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 434
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Due to the costs of miniaturization at these capacities I will be surprised if we see 4 gb of memory at anywhere near that price for over a year. MicroDrives have always been a lot cheaper than memory because they are cheaper to manufacture in volume.
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08-26-2003, 02:50 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 59
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4gb, not all that great for photographers really.
4gb = 455 images on my D100 (using RAW). This would be great. But still... for photographers, we are clammering for the storage devices which that alot 20-60gb for the same price.
Give me a PDA with USB host & CF, Pocket Loupe and a 30gb ultra small Hard Drive.
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08-26-2003, 07:53 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 566
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Re: 4gb, not all that great for photographers really.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by mjhamson
Give me a PDA with USB host & CF, Pocket Loupe and a 30gb ultra small Hard Drive.
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:!: :!: :!: AMEN! :!: :!: :!:
__________________
-= Sass =-
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08-26-2003, 01:16 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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4 gig. I would never be able to fill up 4 gig on a PDA. 256 MB is all anyone would ever need on a PDA......yes, I'm just joking. :mrgreen:
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08-26-2003, 02:13 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 248
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price
if i needed 4 gb desperately i woudl def opt for this over a $1500 CF Card. Since this is no longer IBM I wouldn;t be surprised to see the price drop a bit either. I'd certainly pay $300-350 for it. I currently ahve a 1 GB MD and have been happy with it for 18 months.
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