March 2, 2005 — Hitachi's 6 GB, one-inch Microdrive is another of the new storage options that are coming online for the owners of high-end digital cameras.

The new fourth generation, 3K6 3,600 RPM Microdrive, which can store the equivalent of 3000 MP3 files, eight hours of MPEG-4 video or 6000 one-megapixel digital images, features a 30 percent performance increase over its immediate predecessor. It has an 8.3 ms average latency and 12 ms average seek time. It includes one glass disk platter, and two GMR recording heads.

The 3K6 drive is ideally suited for high resolution digital cameras, yet works well with a variety of other electronic devices, including digital music players and PDA's. With a suggested retail price of $299, the drive's low cost is made possible through a more efficient high-volume manufacturing process.

Hitachi also recently announced that it is working on an 8 to 10 GB Microdrive that is 20 percent smaller than the current one-inch hard drive. Nicknamed Mikey, the new high capacity "baby microdrive" is expected to be available later this year.

FromPetersen's Photographic