Samsung this morning unveiled its SpinPoint N series, a line of 1.8-inch hard drives destined for digital media players and ultraportable notebooks. The miniscule disk is the first to achieve 60GB of storage on a single platter through perpendicular magnetic recording and measures only 5mm (0.2 inches) thick. This is the first time such storage is feasible without resorting to a much thicker dual-platter case, Samsung says. The N series equally represents one of the first lines of hard disks to support the recently created CE-ATA standard built specifically for handhelds and other consumer electronics. The company said it has already begun shipping the new SpinPoint in its flagship 60GB model as well as 20GB, 30GB, and 40GB versions.

The implementation may signal upgrades later this year for the iPod and other key video-capable jukeboxes, as it increases the minimum amount of storage for even the thinnest devices. Many larger hard drive-based players rely on two platters or even separate disks, Samsung says, opening the door to 120GB players at the high end.