Toshiba Storage Device Division
(SDD), the industry pioneer in small form factor storage, today
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. 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.
"Hard disk drive technology has migrated from the computer to
digital music players to mobile phones and other portable gadgets that
require meaningful storage capacities in a pocket-size form factor,"
said Amy Dalphy, manager, HDD business unit, Toshiba SDD. "Toshiba
continues to lead and enable the market by expanding storage
possibilities with gigabytes of capacity packed into a tiny hard disk
drive that fits on your fingertip."
Measuring only a quarter of 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. Toshiba initially plans to introduce capacities of 2GB and
4GB, and anticipates achievement of even higher densities in the
0.85-inch form factor.
Toshiba set the stage for small format HDDs in 2000 with a
removable 1.8-inch PC Card HDD in a 2GB capacity. The company has
subsequently rolled out a series of products that consistently helps
customers to create groundbreaking, innovative and necessary products
for today's mobile environment. Toshiba's 1.8-inch embedded drives are
now available in 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB and 40GB capacities and
are the storage devices enabling some of the hottest portable products
on the market.
0.85-inch HDD Target Specifications |
Capacity |
2GB(a) |
4GB |
No. of platters |
1 |
1 |
No. of heads |
1 |
2 |
Rotational speed |
3600rpm |
3600rpm |
Voltage |
3.3V |
3.3V |
Dimensions (HxWxD) |
3.3 x 24 x 32 mm |
5 x 24 x 32 mm |
Weight |
Less than 10g |
Less than 10g |
Shock |
Operating: 1,000g |
Operating: 1,000g |
Operating Temperature |
0-65 degrees C |
0-65 degrees C |