History (1989): New 2.5-Inch HDDs at Comdex

As Comdex came to its end, one thing looked obvious, the 2.5-inch form factor is going to become the next standard for Winchester disks and will be the preferred storage support for portable and notebook computers.

With the normal delay that leading companies take to get involved in a new technology, IBM and Seagate will follow.

PrairieTek looks like a pioneer, its highlighted Prairie 120, with a 120MB capacity, is delivered at a rate of a couple thousands a month.

The tiny drive (0.6×2.8×4 inches), the size of a pocket calculator, using 0.4W and with a 23ms average access time, is manufactured by PrairieTek and under license by Alps Electronics in Japan. The Longmont, CO-based company is already displaying a 40MB unit hardly bigger, and is announcing a 80MB one for soon. These drives are only available with an XT/AT controller for the time being.

JVC’s new model, with a 21MB formatted capacity, is just a little larger (0.75×2.8×3.9 inches) and uses 0.45W.

Conner Peripherals, that looks like the leader for small size Winchester disks, is also involved in the 2.5-inch form factor with a first drive, a 20MB model with a 23ms average access time and using 1.5W. It will be available 1Q90 for $550 to OEMs.

Once more, Areal Technology looks like an instigator with its MD-2050 and MD-2100 models, 50 and 100MB bytes respectively on one single platter, both 0.59-inch high, with 29ms access times, weighing 4.80z, and using 0.95W, with a 5V power supply. The MD-2050 will be available for evaluation in May and will be produced in quantity in June, for $525 in OEM prices for a 2,000 units order. The availability of the MD-2100 is scheduled for September 1 990, for $795 to OEMs.

This article is an abstract of news published on the former paper version of Computer Data Storage Newsletter on issue ≠22, published on November 1989.