Hitachi Drive in iPod Mini
After significant speculation on what storage technology would be used the new Mini iPods, CNet reports that Apple is now using a 1" 4GB Hitachi drive for its new iPods.
As CNet notes, "the process of elimination is also fairly straightforward on this issue, because there are only three companies with product plans in this area." (Note: Hitachi's microdrive technology was acquired from IBM in 2002)
Apple's standard iPods have used a 1.8" hard drive from Toshiba. Hitachi has recently introduced a similar 1.8" drive which is used in the Dell DJ. Toshiba will be manufacturing 0.8" drives but these will not see full production until 2005. This simply leaves Cornice as the final manufacturer of these mini drives. Their 2.0GB storage device was just introduced on Monday.
As CNet notes, "the process of elimination is also fairly straightforward on this issue, because there are only three companies with product plans in this area." (Note: Hitachi's microdrive technology was acquired from IBM in 2002)
Apple's standard iPods have used a 1.8" hard drive from Toshiba. Hitachi has recently introduced a similar 1.8" drive which is used in the Dell DJ. Toshiba will be manufacturing 0.8" drives but these will not see full production until 2005. This simply leaves Cornice as the final manufacturer of these mini drives. Their 2.0GB storage device was just introduced on Monday.
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106 months ago
Well, I hope that apple uses 2.0GB storage devices when they revise their mini ipods. I think the price of $249 is just to much for 4GB ipods.
106 months ago
So they didn't use two 2 gb cornise drives after all.
BTW: does anyone know how much such a 4 gb hitashi drive costs?
BTW: does anyone know how much such a 4 gb hitashi drive costs?
106 months ago
At $70 for the 2GB version, I wonder if Apple can put together a $100-$150 Mini Pod?
106 months ago
After some quick searching, I found that the Hitachi drive was going for around $500 (retail) as of November. So at $249, the iPod mini is actually pretty impressive price-wise for the components they used. Unfortunately, I wish they had used something else.
http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/4gb-hitachi.shtml
Perhaps, in a nod to the future, the article mentions that Hitachi also makes a 2GB model. Maybe they could make the $150 to $200 price point with that.
http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/4gb-hitachi.shtml
Perhaps, in a nod to the future, the article mentions that Hitachi also makes a 2GB model. Maybe they could make the $150 to $200 price point with that.
106 months ago
That's crazy... Apple must have gotten a VERY good deal from hitachi. Maybe thay ordered a million of them?
106 months ago
Hey,
Thanks for the link to lumnious-landscape.
Nice info and perspective on the Hitachi drive.
BTW -- We need to remember NOT to confuse the retail price of the hard drive in question for Apple's wholesale price. Especially given the volume of units they'll buy.
Thanks for the link to lumnious-landscape.
Nice info and perspective on the Hitachi drive.
BTW -- We need to remember NOT to confuse the retail price of the hard drive in question for Apple's wholesale price. Especially given the volume of units they'll buy.
106 months ago
For those interested, here are the specs on the MK4-2 and MK4-4 drives in the new iPod minis:
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/micro/micro3k4.htm
And according to Amazon the price of the MK4-2 (2GB version) is $349... meaning its a full $150 cheaper than the 4GB version. Given this, I wouldn't be all that surprised to see a 2GB version at some point, hitting the $150-200 price point everyone wants to see.
Since these drives have been around the photography circles for a couple months, anyone familiar with them? In particular, the most interesting would be their resiliance to shock and such. Perhaps these things really could withstand a good jog.
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/micro/micro3k4.htm
And according to Amazon the price of the MK4-2 (2GB version) is $349... meaning its a full $150 cheaper than the 4GB version. Given this, I wouldn't be all that surprised to see a 2GB version at some point, hitting the $150-200 price point everyone wants to see.
Since these drives have been around the photography circles for a couple months, anyone familiar with them? In particular, the most interesting would be their resiliance to shock and such. Perhaps these things really could withstand a good jog.
106 months ago
Originally posted by sparks9
So they didn't use two 2 gb cornise drives after all.
BTW: does anyone know how much such a 4 gb hitashi drive costs?
Retail?
$500.
Go to PriceGrabber.com and look it up.
Fsckin' amazing Apple is selling these for $249.
[edit: $500, not $400 ... :) ]
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