Toshiba Boosts Hard Drive Density By 50%

An anonymous reader writes "Toshiba has unveiled a ground-breaking technology that boosts recording density by 50% on an 80-GB, 1.8", single-platter drive. Using what it calls Discrete Track Recording technology, Toshiba was able to pack 120 GB storage on a single 1.8" platter. The new development will hugely benefit media player, UMPC, and ultra-portable laptop segments where 1.8" drives with maximum possible capacity are in great demand."

whenever they talk about hard drive densitiy

[weirdcrashingnoises]

i think of this...

George McFly: Lorraine, my density has bought me to you.
Lorraine Baines: What?
George McFly: Oh, what I meant to say was...
Lorraine Baines: Wait a minute, don't I know you from somewhere?
George McFly: Yes. Yes. I'm George, George McFly. I'm your density.

Prolonging a dying technology

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd rather R&D be put into solid state hard drives (e.g. flash). I can't count how many hard disks I've gone through.

Technological anachronism

[Circlotron]

Imagine if the humble telephone dial had received this much effort and technology. What would THEY be like now?

I found the patent info on this...

[dada21]

...Toshiba's patent just says to take out the MFM hard disc controller, and replace it with their new RLL controller. I tested this myself and got my 10MB drive to a full 15MB without a single problem!

Re:Its still a toshiba

[v1]

And yes, I am a seagate/maxtor fanboy. I still have a 1.6gb maxtor from 95 that works fine.

I was a seagate fanboy until 3 months ago. Lets just say that evening I could hear the (2 month old) 500gb seagate in my basement before I put the key in the door. (sounded like a circular saw)

Re:Better information on this

[Anpheus]

God, I'd really like it if they'd come out with discreet track recording technology so I can hide all my porn!

(But at 120GB, that's not nearly enough space!)

Re:Its still a toshiba

[edwardpickman]

I was a seagate fanboy until 3 months ago. Lets just say that evening I could hear the (2 month old) 500gb seagate in my basement before I put the key in the door. (sounded like a circular saw)

It was just happy to see you and welcoming you home.

Re:Technological anachronism

[Bill, Shooter of Bul]

Good question. Its been my longstanding dream of building a cell phone with a phone dial and no screen. It would be an old school handset with a dial, and a hook built into the belt holster. Maybe the dial should be on the holster as well. And I would tell everyone my "phone was off the hook", sometimes as a joke, sometimes as an excuse for not picking up the phone. Although, I really don't know how many people would get the joke.

Re:I found the patent info on this...

[Headcase88]

dada21 casts JOKE at Anonymous Coward
Woosh! The attack misses.
Headcase88 taunts from afar
Headcase88 equips flame shield