4GB Microdrive Shipping November 20 - $489

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.memorysuppliers.com/hi4gbmi4cofl.html">http://www.memorysuppliers.com/hi4gbmi4cofl.html</a><br /><br />A few months ago <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17119">we told you about</a> the new 4GB microdrive that was nearing completion. It is almost ready to ship now.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2003/20031110-4gbmicrodrive.gif" /><br /><br />"Hitachi's new 4GB Microdrive is designed to the Compact Flash Type II industry standard and is compatible with a wide variety of devices that accept CF+ Type II media." Not sure what CF+ Type II is. The <a href="http://?">2GB microdrive</a> will be ready on November 19 for $339.

[ricksfiona]

I think what would stop most people from purchasing this is the power drain on the system. $489 is not TOO bad.

[AZMark]

Type II is the larger form factor. the CF+ refers to the extra power requirements needed over the CF spec.

[mulekiller]

I recently got the Magicstor 2.2 Gig off of iocombo.com, and it defintely drains power. No rev up issues though. I had paid $230 in total for the 2.2, so the price isn't bad at all for the 4 gig. Plus it's better than >$1000 for the 6 gig CF card. My 2.2 gb is starting to feel quite limited all of the sudden. :?

[Archie]

Santa, I have been a good boy this year....

Power drain is not a good thing though. Right now I must be happy with my 512 Mb CF card.

[Ed Hansberry]

Type II is the larger form factor. the CF+ refers to the extra power requirements needed over the CF spec.
Thanks. I was hoping it wasn't that goofy hump that HP dreamed up with the CF Ie in the Jornada 565, which, as far as know, was never developed.

[dh]

Yet another reason for PPC manufacturers to stop keep taking our CF slots away.

[Boxster S]

Yet another reason for PPC manufacturers to stop keep taking our CF slots away.
Why, so we can have increased battery drain from these monsters? I would never buy a Microdrive due to the power issues. Leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.

[Kaber]

My 340MB microdrive has performed flawlessly since i purchased it 2 years ago. I don't have any power drain issues, but I use it in a dual PC Card jacket which has its own battery.

However, shouldn't these things be getting a lot cheaper per megabyte?

[The PocketTV Team]

Yet another reason for PPC manufacturers to stop keep taking our CF slots away.
Why, so we can have increased battery drain from these monsters? I would never buy a Microdrive due to the power issues. Leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.
Power issues are not a problem with the 1GB if you don't cause the disk to spin continuously.

I would expect the 4GB to use same or less power than the 1GB, but we need to check that. The 340MB Microdrive uses much more power than the 1GB, by the way...

If you use the Microdrive to play video (or music), make sure to use an application that can buffer from the Microdrive and does not spin it continuously.

PocketTV and PocketMVP both have those buffering options. I believe WMP does not so it will cause the disk to spin continuously and drain power fast.

Another big market for those Microdrives is digital cameras. Even the latest Sony DSC-F828 (8 MegaPixel) supports the Microdrive - in fact that the first Sony digital camera ever that has a CF slot! All the others just take Sony memory sticks.

[griph]

Why, so we can have increased battery drain from these monsters? I would never buy a Microdrive due to the power issues. Leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.

Seems a bit extreme - I have the 1GB microdrive and use it for MP3's when travelling too/from work (the joys of commuting) when not doing that I can always remove it to save power drain - I have cradles at work and home so recharge is never an issue. With the screen toggled off I recon I can get atleast 4 hours continuous MP3 play through the headphones - and the replaceable battery on these 2210's is a god send!
If I want more than that - I would buy a 30GB iPod - but at the price of a PDA ...... perhaps not.

[arebelspy]

2 GB Microdrive for $339? Why? What makes this one better than the current ones?

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&krd=1&from=R8&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=magicstor

-arebelspy

[Kaber]

Shouldn't a 1GB microdrive be $99 by now?

[The PocketTV Team]

2 GB Microdrive for $339? Why? What makes this one better than the current ones?

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&krd=1&from=R8&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=magicstor

-arebelspy
Indeed a new 2.2GB for about $200 seems pretty cheap.

I never heard of MagicStor Microdrive, but yes they are cheap. Are they building the same Microdrive developed by IBM, and selling it under a different brand ?

[dh]

Yet another reason for PPC manufacturers to stop keep taking our CF slots away.
Why, so we can have increased battery drain from these monsters? I would never buy a Microdrive due to the power issues. Leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.
Power issues aside, I'm sure we wull see multiple GB CF cards long before the same in SD.
I would like to have an internal HD like the Ipod as well. Come to that, I'd like to see some advances in battery technology to make all these things practical.
In the meantime, I'm still waiting for my ideal twin slot PPC - Loox 610 maybe?

[The PocketTV Team]

In the meantime, I'm still waiting for my ideal twin slot PPC - Loox 610 maybe?
I personally like the Toshiba e550G (twin slot PPC with large screen).

[SassKwatch]

I would never buy a Microdrive due to the power issues. Leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.

IMO, that's an over-hyped concern. Is there some additional power usage with an MD??? Sure. But in a year's use, I've never noticed it to be a *dramatic* diff.....and certainly not enough to evoke 'leave the hard drives for desktop/laptop uses.'

Unless/until equivalently sized CF/SD cards come down to a similar price range, I say 'Bring on the hard drives!' I could *easily* purchase an extra battery or two plus a 4GB MD and be BIG $$ ahead of a 4gb CF card purchase.

YMMV, of course.

[don dre]

i too have had a MD for two years. no sigificant power issues. at the time it was by far the best deal. i would wait and see what they settle for at market price. i'd shell out $300 for 4gb but not $400 or more. still, i like increased comeptition. maybe the old MD's will finally drop to $100.

[maximus]

Yet another reason for PPC manufacturers to stop keep taking our CF slots away.

Amen, brother. :beer:

A PPC without CF slot = Sirloin Steak, without the sirloin.

[Ed Hansberry]

A PPC without CF slot = Sirloin Steak, without the sirloin.

Sirloin is the description of where the steak comes from. Sirloin steak without the sirloin is non-existent. :D

[maximus]

Hence a PPC without CF slot = Nothing. Void. Empty.

Exactly.