1.8 inch hard drive increases capacity to 100 GB

The new product for Toshiba portable music devices and laptops has about 25% higher storage capacity than current versions of the same size.

The 1.8-inch drive now reaches a maximum capacity of 80 GB, the size of a PC card and is still commonly used in music devices like iPods or laptops.

Toshiba 1.8 inch 100 GB drive.Photo: GameShout .

Toshiba will begin mass production of 100 GB drives in January 2007. They do not sell products directly to consumers but distribute them through equipment manufacturing companies.

The drive will also be officially launched in the CES consumer electronics show, which takes place in Las Vegas (USA) from January 8 to January 11, 2007.

Toshiba first introduced a 1.8-inch drive in 2000 with a capacity of 2 GB and cost 740 USD. Up to now, the drive has reached 80 GB with a comfortable price, like the iPod 80 GB with a color screen that sells for $ 349.