Toshiba Announces 0.85-inch Hard Drive

[Pat Logsdon]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://sdd.toshiba.com/cda/main.aspx?Path=/818200000007000000010000659800001516/81820000010e000000010000659c000003b8/8182000000fe000000010000659c000003bb/8182000008eb000000010000659c00001d53/8182000008ec000000010000659c00001d54' target='_blank'>http://sdd.toshiba.com/cda/main.asp...000659c00001d54</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040314_toshibahdd.jpg" /> <br /><br />"Toshiba announced the development of a 0.85-inch hard disk drive (HDD), the first drive to deliver multi-gigabyte storage in a sub-one-inch form factor. Measuring only a quarter the size of Toshiba's 1.8-inch drive, the 0.85-inch HDD is expected to boost the functionality of a new generation of products, including mobile phones, digital audio players, PDAs, digital still cameras, camcorders and external storage devices. Expected to be available in 2GB and 4GB capacities, Toshiba will start sampling the new drive in summer 2004, with mass production to begin in late 2004."<br /><br /> 8O Depending on the power requirements, we could see these things in Pocket PCs soon. If the iRiver <a href="http://www.iriveramerica.com/products/iHP-140.asp">iHP-140</a> can squeeze 16 hours of battery life out of a 40GB drive, it certainly doesn't seem out of the question. What do you think?

[dean_shan]

You could have some pretty sweett MP3 players with this thing. You shouldn't have posted a picture showing a size comparison. I can't stop salivating.

[possmann]

Friggin' Awesome!

Now why can't PDA have the same on-board capacity as tiny little MP3 players already do?

We should be asking oursleves why we are accepting only 64 of memory when we all know taht we'd never buy an MP3 player with that little on it... Well? What do you have to say for yourselves you PDA makers you?

[Will T Smith]

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040314_toshibahdd.jpg

"Toshiba announced the development of a 0.85-inch hard disk drive (HDD), the first drive to deliver multi-gigabyte storage in a sub-one-inch form factor. Measuring only a quarter the size of Toshiba's 1.8-inch drive, the 0.85-inch HDD is expected to boost the functionality of a new generation of products, including mobile phones, digital audio players, PDAs, digital still cameras, camcorders and external storage devices. Expected to be available in 2GB and 4GB capacities, Toshiba will start sampling the new drive in summer 2004, with mass production to begin in late 2004."

8O Depending on the power requirements, we could see these things in Pocket PCs soon. If the iRiver iHP-140 (http://www.iriveramerica.com/products/iHP-140.asp) can squeeze 16 hours of battery life out of a 40GB drive, it certainly doesn't seem out of the question. What do you think?

Very cool.

I expect that this will fit into whatever replaces CF in PCI express busses.

Type1 CF Microdrives would be kind of cool as well. But we need VERY agressive caching methods.

I do think the author is right however. I think at this size, they'll start embedding these right into Palmtop devices.

The capacity to store a couple hours of MP3 could move PDAs more aggressively towards younger audiences who might otherwise purchase an iPod. Jukebox synching would make this more practical. However, with such high volume synching, USB2.0 xfer speeds would be necessary.

[Ed@Brighthand]

Good news and bad news.

The bad news first. Toshiba Japan has said this particular drive won't go into production until 2005.

Now the good news. We don't have to wait for .85 inch drives, as there are plenty of 1-inch drives available now. For example, Cornice makes one that can hold 2 GB of data but costs only $70 per unit when bought in large quantities.

I'm really expecting someone to put out a handheld this year with a built-in harddrive.

[Jonathon Watkins]

I'm really expecting someone to put out a handheld this year with a built-in harddrive.

True - it must be a matter of time. Great, so now I need to add a 2Gb HD to the spec of the PPC I want, plus a 4 inch VGA screen, 520Mhz processor, WiFi, BT, removable battery, CF and SD slot. :roll: :lol:

[Mitch D]

True - it must be a matter of time. Great, so now I need to add a 2Gb HD to the spec of the PPC I want, plus a 4 inch VGA screen, 520Mhz processor, WiFi, BT, removable battery, CF and SD slot. :roll: :lol:

Jonathon,

You keep talking like that and I am going to put my Ax in a waterproof bag so my drool doesn't cause it to short out. I think we should start a discussion on what would make for a dream PPC.

[gohtor]

that hd looks so darn tasty i can eat it like it was a chip! =)

[Zack Mahdavi]

Hard drives have come a long way in the past couple of years. There's been a lot of innovation in this previously stale market.. I used to think the hard drive market was dead since manufacturers kept making their hard drives super large.

These new mini-drives are hitting a whole new market. Anything can use them, and companies are finding new ways to incorporate them into their products. While computer companies have been quick to unveil new consumer electronics with small drives, the electronics giants (*ahem* Sony...) have been pretty lax about using this new technology. I just don't understand why.

[jlp]

Have size figures? How does it compare with SD cards, size-wise?

With 2-4GB on these things and woon much more, I would not even mind if they would create a newer slot format (*) if it is a bit larger than SD slots.

A sort of Microdrive in an SD like slot 8) 8) 8)


(*) and God knows how much I hate new card formats, but in this case I think it's much better than an embedded drive; of course it's even better if it is in a pure SD slot format !!

[felixdd]

Great, so now I need to add a 2Gb HD to the spec of the PPC I want, plus a 4 inch VGA screen, 520Mhz processor, WiFi, BT, removable battery, CF and SD slot. :roll: :lol:

Just curious: how much would we all pay to get such a device? 600? 700? 800?

[Sheynk]

(immitating Dr. Evil) 1 million dollars! :lol:

[Falstaff]

Great, so now I need to add a 2Gb HD to the spec of the PPC I want, plus a 4 inch VGA screen, 520Mhz processor, WiFi, BT, removable battery, CF and SD slot. :roll: :lol:

Just curious: how much would we all pay to get such a device? 600? 700? 800?

Why don't you vote in this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25756) thread and find out.

[klinux]

Apple would probably get its hands on these first, like how it did with the 1.8" HDDs.

[jimski]

Great, so now I need to add a 2Gb HD to the spec of the PPC I want, plus a 4 inch VGA screen, 520Mhz processor, WiFi, BT, removable battery, CF and SD slot. :roll: :lol:

Just curious: how much would we all pay to get such a device? 600? 700? 800?

I would give ya $800 for it, provided the HD was user replaceable (don't expect it to last as long as your built in RAM). Hell, I paid $649 for my 5450 and got a lot less that what's listed above.

[jasondearyou]

Add GSM and GPS and I'm sold.

[manywhere]

Anybody know the number to HP R&D or the iPAQ Project Manager? :wink:

[Ed@Brighthand]

Toshiba just announced that its .85-inch hard drive will be in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest HDD in the world.

Press release: http://tinyurl.com/2zzme

[Bill Gunn]

I would give ya $800 for it, provided the HD was user replaceable (don't expect it to last as long as your built in RAM). Hell, I paid $649 for my 5450 and got a lot less that what's listed above.

Why would you do that when you can get a 2gb CF card for $600 and you will very soon be able to get 2 and 4 gb SD's? I don't understand why anyone would want moving parts (unless it's very low cost, but I can't imagine that it would be).

[JonnoB]

Toshiba just announced that its .85-inch hard drive will be in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest HDD in the world.

Press release: http://tinyurl.com/2zzme

This got coverage (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=581&e=3&u=/nm/20040316/tc_nm/tech_japan_toshiba_record_dc) in the press.

[surur]

Why would you do that when you can get a 2gb CF card for $600 and you will very soon be able to get 2 and 4 gb SD's? I don't understand why anyone would want moving parts (unless it's very low cost, but I can't imagine that it would be).

Of course you can get 4 Gb for $299 (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23567&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=irver+ipod+mini+4gb). Double your capacity for half the price seems like a good deal to me. I cant wait for a pocketpc with built in hard drive. But 2GB is too small. It would have to be at least 4GB to hold my whole (small) music collection.

Surur

[Zack Mahdavi]

I don't know... I think a 2GB drive is still much better than the 64MB we usually get.....

[Jonathon Watkins]

I don't know... I think a 2GB drive is still much better than the 64MB we usually get.....

Ummmmm, yes, agreeeeeed! Let's walk before we can run Surur!

[whatsnext?]

will this thing get damaged if dropped? That would be one thing that would keep me away(moving parts and all)

[Jonathon Watkins]

will this thing get damaged if dropped? That would be one thing that would keep me away(moving parts and all)

RAID 5 in PDAs - you know it makes sense! 8O :lol: