We know that Toshiba already has 1.8-inch drives capable of 100 GB, but that’s done by smooshing two platters into the drive. Now, it looks like they can "groove" more data on a single platter; literally with their Discrete Track Recording, not to be confused with those retro 8-track audio cartridges. By adding a groove between the tracks and using perpendicular magnetic recording, Toshiba has a prototype 1.8-inch drive that stores 120 GB on a single platter. Don’t rush to your local computer store just yet; the new drives aren’t expected in mass production until 2009. Hopefully between now and then this approach can be used for double-platter disks to provide a quarter-Terabyte or more of storage in a small form factor. If you can’t wait until 2009, you could always check up on Toshiba’s new MK1626GCB drive: it offers 160 GB on a dual platter 1.8-inch drive with a 0.002W/GB energy efficiency rating. It’s not groovy like the new DTR disks, but it has to be better than an 8-track.
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