Leads way in advances in HDD for portable computing
and for next generation mobile products

Tokyo--Toshiba Corporation today extended the scope of its industry-leading hard-disk-drive business with the introduction of its first 1.8-inch HDD and, at the same time, reinforced its line-up of 2.5-inch HDD for portable computers with new drives offering the highest areal density on the market.

With its lineup of super slim 2.5-inch HDD, Toshiba has long led the way in providing mobile storage solutions that combine high capacity with rugged design and reliability. The company has consistently assured that users of portable PCs can enjoy the latest advances in operating systems and applications, use complex data, including business graphics and digital photos, and enjoy digital music and video on portable PCs. A new generation of 6-, 10- and 20-gigabyte 2.5-inch HDD sees Toshiba continue in this pioneering role, while the introduction of a 2-gigabyte 1.8-inch HDD brings Toshiba performance to a much wider range of portable equipment.

The company's first 1.8-inch HDD, the MK2001MPL, draws on the advanced technologies Toshiba has developed in its 2.5-inch HDD to achieve a world-leading 2-gigabyte capacity in a drive that stands only 5mm high and is a feather-light 55 grams. The drive is compliant with the PC card Type II card standard, and can be used in current and future devices with PC card slots. In addition to portable personal computers, promising areas of application include hand-held mobile terminals, digital video cameras, digital still camera, and digital music players, car navigation systems, digital set-top boxes and digital VCR. Portable applications are supported by a drive voltage as low as 3.3V and a resistance to shock of 1,000G in non-operating status.

Mass production of 1.8-inch MK2001MPL will begin in July.

Toshiba's new line-up of 2.5-inch HDDs offer capacities of 20GB (MK2016GAP), 10GB (MK1016GAP) and 6GB (MK6015MAP). All are 9.5mm high and, with the heaviest weighing in at only 98 grams, are the lightest high capacity HDD available for portable applications. The MK2016GAP and MK1016GAP can also boast a stunning data capacity of 10GB on a single 2.5-inch disk, which translates to an areal density of 17.6 gigabits per square inch, the highest data density of any HDD available in the market. The third new 2.5-inch HDD, the 6GB MK6015MAP, is designed to bring high capacity and performance to entry-level portable PCs.

Mass production of the new 2.5-inch series starts this month.

Product outline