By David Ponce

Forget about Blu-Ray, or HD-DVD… I’ll take holographic disks anytime. Maxell, in a joint venture with InPhase Technologies has announced the release of a Holographic optical recording device that will eventually support cartridges of up to 1.6TB (that’s a “t”, as in 1,600 Gb) with transfer rates reaching 120Mbps MBPS (as in megabytes).

To put things in perspective, this means that one 5 1/4 inch disk will be able to hold as much information as 63 DVDs. What’s this fancy new technology you ask? Well, for one, it’s not shiny new. But that’s not the point.

Holographic recording technology utilizes intersecting signal and reference laser beams to store data in a number of 3D hologram images capable of saving hundreds of data pages in a single location. In principle, laser beams can be moved with no mechanical components, allowing access times of the order of 10 µs, faster than any conventional disk drive will ever be able to randomly access data.

What this means to you? All your porn collection, in one place.

What else?

Check out the press release.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. 120Mbps? 120 Million bits? @ ~10 bits per byte (I’m allowing for some overhead) thats ~12 megabytes a second. USB 2.0 and Firewire are 40megaBYTEs a second right?
    Enough for video, but a step back for overall speed.

  10. What? Maybe my math is different from yours, but if the disk would hold 1.6TB and a single sided dual-layered dvd holds 9GB then that means one disk would hold the same amount of data as 177.77 dvds, not 63. If you were referring to dual-layered double-sided dvds (18GB) then the disk would hold the same amount as 88 dvds.

    Just pointing out your shitty math.

  11. “What? Maybe my math is different from yours, but if the disk would hold 1.6TB and a single sided dual-layered dvd holds 9GB then that means one disk would hold the same amount of data as 177.77 dvds, not 63. If you were referring to dual-layered double-sided dvds (18GB) then the disk would hold the same amount as 88 dvds.

    Just pointing out your shitty math.”

    maybe he was talking about a regular single layer dvd fitting in the 300gb disk which would be the first thing available to consumers.

    “The first generation of holographic media with 300 GB of storage capacity and a 20 MBPs Transfer Rate is scheduled for release in late 2006.”

    but you knew that because you’re oh so smart and read the press release…

  12. Press releases are for housewives and little girls, man. COOL people (who know math, man!) don’t NEED to read the press release, because anything they say is true.

    For instance, the new Holographic thingummy runs on tyvek envelopes and the tears of a rare Nigerian fruitbat.

    Aaaaah, bup bup bup, no need to check the press release! It is true, for I have ordained it.

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