Toshiba Announces 0.85 Inch HDD

[MacRumors]

Toshiba has now officially announced their new 0.85" Hard Drive as earlier reported.

Toshiba Corporation today announced development of 0.85-inch hard disk drive (HDD), the first hard drive to deliver multi-gigabyte data storage to a sub-one-inch form factor. Toshiba expects to start sampling the new drive in summer 2004 and to start mass production in autumn 2004, at an initial monthly production capacity of two to three hundred thousand units.

The new 0.85" drives will come in 2GB and 4GB capacities. No word on pricing, however.

Toshiba's 1.8" Hard Drive technology has been used in the standard Apple iPod since its introduction in 2001. Meanwhile, Apple has gone with 1" Hitachi Hard Drives for the new iPod Mini.

These tiny hard drives are one of the limiting factors in the ongoing miniaturization of high capacity MP3 players.

[joed]

So by mid year. We'll have an entire new iPod and iPod mini range.

think I'm setting myself up for disappointment.....again.

though maybe by years end.

[WestCoast]

Just wondering, would anyone in the States be willing to purchase an iPod mini on my behalf, and send it over here (UK)? If so, let me know ...

[Sabenth]

this only goese to show that theres a huge market here. just think of what we might end up with.. Stuff your usb drives bring out the firewire pocket drives lol

[EscCtrlPigUp]

See what kind of good stuff he finds? Ehh, ehh, ehh???

Go you!

[arn]

MagicStor also announced new drives

2.2GB and 4.8GB 1" drives.

arn

[pcharles]

Originally posted by joed
So by mid year. We'll have an entire new iPod and iPod mini range.

think I'm setting myself up for disappointment.....again.

though maybe by years end.

I know, but I have learned never to order anything within a month of a show or after 5 months of something being on the market. I waited sooo long for the DVD-R Powerbook, and in the end had no choice but to buy one without. Two months later, guess what happened!?

I know people think the iPod is expensive, and I guess it is, but the technology is so advanced and the design so beautiful that they REALLY are worth the extra $50 when you compare them side-by-side with the RIO. Consider that the 4GB drive alone costs more to buy as a consumer than the whole iPod Mini. I looked at one for my camera and they are over $400 in Compact Flash format.

I think it is important not to consider this as a cut-down iPod, but as a whole new form factor that will probably replace the main iPod as the capacity increases. Right now, buyers will pay a premium for the technology because it is cool and despite it being only $50 less than the main iPod.

You really need to hold one of these things to appreciate them. Once you do, and if you have the money, you will want one ASAP. If you don't have the money, do not go near them. These are the iPods of Power.

[alfonsog]

Maybe things aren't that bad for the iPod mini. The new one is for early adopters of course. They really will not have much market penetration until around July, and then a few months later 2gen iPod mini with different capacities and maybe a 2gig $149 price (new colors too!) Then we have the holiday season and next year around this time Apple has 90% market share! Along with G6 PMac and G5 everything else. Hopefully.

[mainstreetmark]

Originally posted by alfonsog
Maybe things aren't that bad for the iPod mini. The new one is for early adopters of course. They really will not have much market penetration until around July, and then a few months later 2gen iPod mini with different capacities and maybe a 2gig $149 price (new colors too!) Then we have the holiday season and next year around this time Apple has 90% market share! Along with G6 PMac and G5 everything else. Hopefully.

But, but next year, every clown will be making a 2g or 4g mp3 player. they'll be everywhere and the Flash ones will be dying. iPod Mini will still be the most expensive. Then, add all these new music stores to the picture, most of which will not support iPod, but will support all these other guys. The timing was definitely perfect to grab the entire 1gig+ mp3 player market, but I fear that they entirely missed.

[ITR 81]

Real player allows you to listen to protected AAC tracks.

Well this is according to a friend that was demoing just day ago.

[bobartig]

I recall when the press release went out that Apple was making a "digital lifestyle device" that had something to do with music. When the word finally broke that it was just an mp3 player, everyone was crestfallen. All that excitement for nothing.

But when the press event finally happened, and we all saw how cool the iPod was, everyone was salivating again. Apple really showed the world how good an mp3 player could be, and it really was a revolutionary product.

The iPod mini is less revolutionary, but all evolutionary. Now that Apples kicking out 20-40 gb iPods, 4Gb seems woefully small. But, there are lots of consumers who's *active* music collection (i.e. the stuff they listen to on a day to day basis) doesn't even exceed 1000 songs. That's still 80-90 CD's.

I had the opportunity to speak with Ron Johnson when the iPod was still very new (i.e. the only $400 mp3 player on the planet), and I asked him how he felt about the price point. He said (paraphrased), "Think about the tremendous investment people have already made in the music they own. If they own 100 CD's, thats about $1500 worth of music. Now what would it be worth to be able to enjoy that music all the time, everywhere you go? Wouldn't that also be worth $1500, or more?"

For a lot of people, the iPod mini is a stylish, complete solution. The extra storage of the 15Gb model doesn't add value for them. But the smaller form factor, and anodized aluminum does.

[pcharles]

Originally posted by mainstreetmark
But, but next year, every clown will be making a 2g or 4g mp3 player. they'll be everywhere and the Flash ones will be dying. iPod Mini will still be the most expensive.

The current iPod is the most expensive, but it is also the best. I'm sure the others can save some money by reverse engineering the iPod Mini, but as Jobs pointed out at the Keynote, that amazing new scroll wheel is "Patent Pending" and I am sure it is not the only patent.

Apple has another advantage, its hardware-software combination actually work.

I think I am talking myself into getting one of those damn things even though I was really annoyed two days ago. The more you look at them, the better they get.

[pcharles]

Originally posted by bobartig
For a lot of people, the iPod mini is a stylish, complete solution. The extra storage of the 15Gb model doesn't add value for them. But the smaller form factor, and anodized aluminum does.

I could not agee more. I have the 30GB model and it is full. However, I listen to a fraction of those tracks at any time and that fraction would fit on the iPod Mini and fit better in my pocket.

More than that, it would be hella cool to be the first in my circle of friends to have one. A gold one perhaps.

I bought the original iPod to store files and music. I still back up my 10GB of Daily documents, but have a couple of SmartDisk Firelite drives for my real backup and file transport situations because they accept standard firewire cables.

My fiance just pointed out she would like one too. It is a good job they will not ship before Valentines otherwise i'd be in deep trouble.

[chabig]

You really need to hold one of these things to appreciate them. Once you do, and if you have the money, you will want one ASAP.

Truer words were never spoken. I have, and I do.

Chris

[Samir 3.0]

I'll buy one of the mini iPod when they will reach the 10 Giga spot or maybe at that point I will buy the next generation iPod for only 50 $ more...

Everyone here thinks that will not be any upgrade for the iPod this year???

Doesn't the iPod look similar to a PDA dock???
Or for those that don't have it... have u ever seen the dock that charges Nokia 8910???

Maybe it's only in my dreams but from today I'll start saving money

[jared_kipe]

I would be willing to buy an iPod mini and ship it off to the UK, you would need to pay for it however. You can email me at jared_kipe@mac.com if you are really interested.

[gopher]

Any news on when portable hard drives with more than 80 GB will be out?

[EscCtrlPigUp]

I took these pictures at CES here in Las Vegas. I talked with the a Toshiba rep about the availability...latter...they haven't even started mass production. And prices are that far behind too. Email me for full res pics. EscCtrlPigUp@earthlink.net

[EscCtrlPigUp]

Email me for full res pics. EscCtrlPigUp@earthlink.net

[EscCtrlPigUp]

Email me for full res pics. EscCtrlPigUp@earthlink.net

[EscCtrlPigUp]

Email me for full res pics. EscCtrlPigUp@earthlink.net

[gopher]

So that's why it is so expensive. It is orders of magnitude smaller than previous notebook hard drives. Thank you for the pictures.