Toshiba Mini Hard Drive Named World's Smallest

Toshiba Storage Device Division today announced that Guinness World Records has certified its 0.85-inch hard disk drive (HDD) as the smallest in the world.

Toshiba's 0.85-inch HDD, which was announced a few months ago, is the first hard disk drive to deliver multi-gigabyte data Storage in a sub-one-inch form factor. The 0.85-inch measurement refers to the diameter of the magnetic disk to which data is recorded.

With initial capacities of 2 to 4 gigabytes (GB) the drive will allow devices such as handhelds and smart phones to store far more information than ever before.

Toshiba expects to start sampling the drive this summer and start mass production in autumn.

More information is available on Toshiba's web site.

The Competition

Toshiba isn't the only company making miniature hard drives suitable for use in mobile devices. Cornice makes a 2 GB one with a 1-inch diameter that is available now. It costs just $70 per unit when purchased in large quantities.

According to a Cornice spokesperson, several handheld manufacturers are investigating the possibility of using this component in upcoming models. However, he wasn't willing to say if any had committed to using it yet.

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