Seagate to buy Maxtor for USD 1.9 billion

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: December 21, 2005 - 7:13 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.seagate.com/cda/newsinfo/newsroom/releases/article/0,,2924,... Seagate has reached a deal to acquire rival Maxtor for approximately USD 1.9 billion in stock. The resulting company is expected to save around USD 300 million annually in operating costs after the first year of integration. Maxtor had been losing money in four of the last five quarters. Barring problems with regulators or shareholders, the acquisition should be completed during the second half of 2006, with Seagate executives running the company from there on. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (1) top

HP declares support for HD DVD format

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: December 19, 2005 - 8:25 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2005/051216a.html Longtime Blu-ray backer HP last week announced that it will also support the HD DVD format. The company had requested that the Blu-ray Disc Association adopt two customer-friendly technologies (Mandatory Managed Copy and iHD), but the call was ultimately rejected. Both features are included in the HD-DVD standard. First players and movies in both formats are expected to be released early next year. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Toshiba delays HD DVD due to AACS

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: December 13, 2005 - 11:26 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.toshiba.com Toshiba has delayed the introduction of its first HD DVD players in consequence of problems concerning Advanced Access Content System (AACS) licensing. The company is said to have completed the design of products for the US and Japanese markets and will start volume production as soon as the AACS matter is solved. Toshiba is the main supporter behind HD DVD. Rival companies backing Blu-ray are expected to present the finalized BD-ROM format at CES in Las Vegas. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Panasonic readies 50 GB Blu-ray disk

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: December 7, 2005 - 6:51 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prModelDetail?stor... Panasonic (Matsushita) is currently working on a new replicating process to produce Blu-ray disks with 50 GB of storage capacity. Spin coating technologies allows the company to obtain two recorded layers, each with 25 GB, on a single side of a BD-ROM. Panasonic is already manufacturing single layer disks on its pilot line, located at California, with yield rates above 80%. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

FVD players enter volume production

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 30, 2005 - 7:33 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20051130A7034.html Taiwanese company Idar Electronics is said to be already mass producing DVD players based on next-generation forward versatile disc (FVD) standard. The red laser format was developed by a government agency called Opto-Electronics & Systems Laboratories (OES) in partnership with makers as an alternative to blue laser technologies Blu-ray and HD DVD. Though currently limited to Taiwan, the FVD format will be promoted during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), to take place next January at Las Vegas. FVD disks have storage capacities of up to 11 GB (dual layer) and support WMV HD and IMAX content. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Japanese Ricoh plans 200 GB optical disk

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 25, 2005 - 6:01 PM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.ricoh.com Newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Japanese firm Ricoh plans to release a 200 GB optical disk by 2008. Such a capacity would be achieved thanks to the presence of eight data layers instead of the usual two. Ricoh also intends to make it compatible with upcoming HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. These standards currently allow dual layer disks capable of holding up to 30 GB and 50 GB. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Partnership to develop holographic disk

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 21, 2005 - 7:57 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.maxell-usa.com/Content/Pages/Page.asp?Section=pressreleases... Maxell has partnered with startup InPhase Technologies to develop holographic media for optical storage. The technology is said to allow capacities of up to 1.6 TB per disk and data rates of 120 MB/s. In addition, according to the companies, it offers a lifespan of at least 50 years. Holographic recording technology utilizes intersecting signal and reference laser beams to store data in a number of 3D hologram images. The first generation of disks is scheduled for release in September 2006. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Panasonic develops multiformat chip

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 18, 2005 - 8:02 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en051117-2... Panasonic (Matsushita) has developed a new chipset for drives capable of recording and playing Blu-ray and practically any other disc format except rival HD DVD. The two sides have been in a neverending battle to replace the current DVD standard. Earlier this year, Sanyo Electric announced a similar chip, which sported HD DVD support instead of Blu-ray. Panasonic’s chipset, to be offered in ATAPI and Serial ATA versions, will enter mass production in January. Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Lacie’s biometric HD with encryption

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 17, 2005 - 6:50 AM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10689 Lacie will start shipping in December new portable hard drives with biometric as well as DES (56-bit) or Triple-DES (128-bit) hardware encryption. The SAFE Mobile HD with Encryption is a USB 2.0 bus-powered device supporting five user profiles and 10 fingerprints. It is based on 4,200 rpm or 5,400 rpm disks with 8 MB buffer. Suggested prices are USD 220 (40 GB), USD 270 (80 GB) and USD 400 (120 GB). Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

Iomega intros anti-shock Micro HDs

Author: Rodrigo Chia Date: November 11, 2005 - 1:16 PM PST Category: Storage More Info: http://www.iomega.com/direct/products/family.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id... Iomega has released new Micro Mini portable HDs sporting drop shock technology. The devices, with 4 GB and 8 GB storage capacity, weigh less than 1.75 ounce (50 grams) and are about the size of a credit card, each containing a 4,200 rpm disk with 2 MB of cache. The HDs include a fold-away USB 2.0 connector and back-up software for Windows and Mac. Suggested prices are USD 130 (4 GB) and USD 170 (8 GB). Print Version | Send to Friend | Bookmark This News | Permalink | Comments (0) top

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