Seagate claims new ultra-mobile HDD ‘redefines’ tablet market

  • Up to 7x storage capacity of traditional 64GB tablet with same power, performance and reliability of a flash device
  • Supports over 100,000 photos, 125,000 songs or 62 hours of high-definition video and movies, Seagate claims

Seagate claims new ultra-mobile HDD ‘redefines’ tablet marketSEAGATE Technology Plc has taken the wraps off the new Seagate Ultra Mobile HDD (hard disk drive) designed exclusively for mobile devices.
 
Integrated with the Seagate Mobile Enablement Kit which includes Seagate’s Dynamic Data Driver software technology, the new storage solution delivers up to seven times the storage capacity of a traditional 64GB tablet with the same power, performance and reliability of a flash device, the company claimed.
 
“Coupling an ultra-thin, high-capacity HDD with software designed to optimise integration into tablets at a value-add price has allowed us to deliver a truly groundbreaking solution, enabling our partners to reimagine the mobile device,” said Steve Luczo, chairman, president and chief executive officer Seagate.
 
“By empowering our OEMs (original equipment manufacturers ) with this revolutionary new technology, we have invited the industry to re-think the mobile market, making this offering a true game-changer in the world of storage,” he claimed.
 
In a statement, Seagate said it has addressed several key areas beyond a standard laptop HDD to optimise mobile applications with the Ultra Mobile HDD and Mobile Enablement Kit.
 
These areas include shock management, heat and vibration and gyroscopic motion – all of which have been heavily tested to ensure the drive delivers the best experience in a tablet solution.
 
“When comparing side by side a tablet and a portable PC, today’s tablets are trading off storage capacity in order to realise a thin and light form factor device and long battery life,” said John Rydning, IDC’s research vice president for hard disk drives and semiconductors.
 
“Seagate’s new Mobile Enablement Kit will bring PC-like storage capacity to future thin and light tablet designs, and position Seagate as a potential storage solutions provider to the fast-growing tablet market,” he said in the statement issued by Seagate.
 
Keeping pace with today’s mobile storage demands presents other challenges as well, including power consumption requirements, device drops by consumers and user demands, Seagate said.
 
Merging the new Ultra Mobile HDD with the Dynamic Data Driver software alleviates these obstacles enabling OEMs to comfortably fit high-capacity storage into mobile devices.
 
Seagate’s use of Dynamic Data Driver software addresses these challenges through a combination of system design considerations. Reduced power consumption and improved performance are achieved through an intelligent caching design that is implemented at the system level.
 
As a result, a mobile device using 8GB of flash and the Ultra Mobile HDD and Dynamic Data Driver software have the power consumption equal to that of a 64GB tablet and the performance equal to that of a 16GB tablet – while costing less than either, the company claimed.
 
The software provides drive protection through the use of enhanced motion sensor and thermal monitoring algorithms to control drive access and avoid usage conditions that might harm it. The drive is so well insulated that in many cases a dropped device’s screen would break before its hard disk drive.
 
To further reinforce reliability for mobile devices, the Ultra Mobile HDD integrates Seagate’s own Zero Gravity Sensor providing better shock management. Incorporated power modes support the drive in sleep, standby and idle enabling it to consume as low as 0.14W and support the long battery life demanded by tablets.
 
Its slim, rugged design also allows it to be used in new emerging applications like convertible and detachable storage.
 
Leveraging the company’s experience with ultra-portable applications like iPods, MP3 players, and handheld video recorders, the newly-engineered 2.5-inch drive  is just 5mm thin while weighing in at a mere 3.3oz – about the same as a light bulb.
 
Featuring up to 500GB of capacity, it delivers the highest areal density available in a small, ultra-thin form factor while supporting over 100,000 photos, 125,000 songs or 62 hours of high-definition video and movies, Seagate said.
 
The Seagate Mobile Enablement Kit includes the Ultra Mobile HDD, Dynamic Data Driver software, and an optional customised reference design which allows HDD-powered tablets to transparently deliver high-capacity storage space to an end user in a mobile solution.
 
The kit is currently designed to support the Android operating system.
 
The Seagate Ultra Mobile HDD will be available separately and as part of the Seagate Mobile Enablement Kit. Dynamic Data Driver software not sold separately.  For more information on both products, click here.
 
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