IBM puts 48 GB in a laptop
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posted 2:08pm EST Tue Mar 27 2001
NEWS
IBM has upped the capacity of mobile storage from the previous 32 GB max all the way up to 48 GB. Its newest 2.5" hard drive, the Travelstar 48GH, holds up to 48 GB of data and spins at 5400 RPM with a 12.0 ms seek time. The drive features an internal transfer rate of 241 megabits/second (30 MB/second).
In addition to the high capacity and spin rate (most mobile drives spin at 4200 RPM), the Travelstar 48GH is also one of the quietest mobile drives available. It features sound-dampening padding, platters that spin on liquid (as opposed to metal ball bearings), and microcode that helps the drive arm travel smoothly over tiny contours in the drive platters.
In addition to the 48 GB capacity model (called the 48GH), the new Travelstar is available in 30 and 20 GB models (the 30GN) and also in 15, 10, and 6 GB models (the 15GN). Pricing and availability was not listed, but the drives are expected in Q2 2001.
Read more at the Travelstar general page, the more specific Travelstar 48GH page, or the short press release. Also see CNET for additional info.
ROB'S OPINION
I looked at three or four pages of information on IBM's website and couldn't find any availability or pricing information for its newest mobile drives. The best I could find was in the CNET article that specified that, "The new drives will appear in the second quarter in notebooks from Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, the company said."
IBM is typically way ahead in the mobile storage arena, which leads me to believe that it is capable of the same in the desktop and server segments--but it doesn't really seem to try as hard in those categories. Perhaps it's afraid of becoming a monopoly once again? It's pretty much unstoppable.
So, the new top of the line laptops in a couple of months will feature 1GHz processors and 48 GB hard drives. Isn't progress great
