25 September 2008 - Toshiba Europe Storage Device Division, the world leader in high performance, 1.8-inch hard disk drive (HDD) technology, has launched a 250Gigabyte (GB) 5,400rpm small form factor drive to meet growing demand for high capacity mobile computing.
The dual platter MK2529GSG 250 Gigabyte is the largest capacity 1.8-inch HDD available in the current market, with an areal density of 378.8Gbit/inch2 and has been launched alongside two other smaller capacity drives.
These HDDs have been designed to aid manufacturers fulfil rising demand for high capacity storage in desirable lightweight and ultra-portable laptops, making it possible for developers to balance the considerations of aesthetics and storage in successfully targeting high-end consumers.
A recent report by analyst organisation, IDC, shows that sales of notebooks and ultra-portables continue to be the fastest growing sector of the computing market. Second quarter 2008 sales for notebooks in Europe were up 60 per cent compared to the same period last year[1][1]. While an element of this growth has been driven by the popularity of sub notebooks, desire among today’s highly mobile consumers for the ability to access vast media and data libraries on the move is leading manufacturers to design notebooks with ever-greater storage capacities.
Also included in the range are the dual platter 160GB MK1629GSG and the single platter MK1229GSG, which meet lower storage requirements. All HDDs in the new range operate at 5,400 rpm, providing an average seek time of 15 milliseconds. Furthermore, in a world where manufacturers are under increasing pressure to make notebooks lighter, this range of Toshiba HDDs offers exceptional performance at a maximum weight of only 62 grammes for the 250 and 160GB models, and 60 grammes for the 120GB drive.
Martin Larsson, Vice President and General Manager, Toshiba Europe Storage Device Division, said: “The race towards ultra-portability has been a consumer-led challenge to component and laptop manufacturers that has resulted in a flowering of innovation. Recent developments also mean that these are fascinating times in the storage device sector, as debate continues into whether HDD or Solid State Drives (SSD) are the best technology to employ in such devices.”
Mr Larsson added: “While SSD is a promising technology, the fact remains that HDD will continue to offer manufacturers significant advantages in the medium term. For devices with high storage capacity requirements it is still considerably more cost-effective to deploy HDD. Furthermore, the level of innovation which companies such as Toshiba have been able to apply to the technology means that the latest generation of 1.8-inch hard disk drives are light and fast enough to find a home in the most fashionable notebooks.”
Toshiba Group, a Corporate Citizen of the Planet Earth, is committed to realising a better environment. Guided by ‘Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050’ the Group is implementing measures to boost environmental efficiency by 10 times in FY2050, against the benchmark of FY2000. The core target is to reduce projected CO2 emissions by a total equivalent to 117.7 million tons a year by FY2025, through the development and sales of highly efficient power supply equipment and systems, and the manufacture of environmentally conscious home appliances and office equipment. By working to mitigate global warming, make efficient use of resources and control management of chemicals, Toshiba Group creates value for people and promotes lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.
[1][1] IDC report referenced in the New York Times http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/mini-laptops-fuel-pc-sales-growth/
