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Re: World's smallest hard-disk drive

Subject: Re: World's smallest hard-disk drive
From: Bret <>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 14:32:59 -0800 (PST)
--- Walter Knapp <> wrote:
> We should not get into the mode of expecting infinite expansion of 
> capacity with time. Some of the most data dense hard drives now are 
> approaching putting each bit on only one particle of magnetic
> material 
> in the disk coating. That's a limit that's going to be hard to get
> around.

It is true that we will not have 'infinite' expansion of capacity with
time, however you can expect significant expansion of capacity per unit
area of media over the next several years.  Perpendicular magnetic
recording is one example expected allow more than double the current
bit density on hard disk platters.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,112939,00.asp

> We are going to come to the end of rapid expansion of memory with
> little 
> increase in cost.

Eventually, it would seem that the rapid expansion of memory with
little increase in cost would end, given the storage technology
currently available.  However, current technology is constantly being
improved and new technologies developed.  

The cost per gigabyte of magnetic storage will continue to drop, even
if it is not by increasing the density per platter.  I design test
equipment for a major disk drive manufacturer.  We continue to find
ways to reduce the cost to manufacture and test hard drives, above and
beyond bit and track density.  

In spite of this, magnetic storage may be replaced eventually by
technologies and media that are now just dreams or have not even been
dreamt.  When is eventually?  I suspect it will be many years before
another storage means is as cost effective, and can reliably transfer
data at as quick a rate as magnetic hard drives.  I know people here in
Longmont, Colorado that are attempting to do just that.

http://www.inphase-technologies.com/technology/

> And, because memory demands will continue to increase, expect the 
> increasing use of compression.

This depends on the hardware and applications, of course, but for
consumer grade recording of audio, still images and video is likely
true.  

Those of us who want higher fidelity will choose to record with more
bits than 16 per sample, and higher sampling frequencies than 44.1khz
or 48khz, and more than 2 channels at a time, requiring larger, cheaper
magnetic hard drives (or other methods/media) to be used without
compression, unless truly lossless realtime compression is developed.

This is just my opinion.
bret

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