Toshiba's 100GB 1.8in drive proves size is everything

Angus Kidman
Wednesday, 06 December 2006 02:12

Business IT - Technology

Toshiba's storage device division has launched a 1.8in drive for mobile PCs boasting a 100GB capacity, providing a glimmer of hope for users of ultra-mobile computers that it might be possible to install Vista and still have room for anything else.

The new drives, which are due to ship to PC manufacturers in January, are claimed by Toshiba to be the highest capacity available in the compact form factor, and are designed for use in "thin and light mobile computers". Whether anyone actually wants a thick and heavy mobile computer remains unclear. The drive, which goes under the catchy moniker of MK1011GAH, uses perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology.

Notebook PCs represent the main growth area for the industry, but have always suffered from a relative lack of drive capacity due to space constraints. Mobile drives also need greater resilience than their desktop counterparts to survive the rigours of being regularly examined at airport security checkpoints.