InPhase ships first holographic storage
updated 11:45 am EST, Thu February 15, 2007
InPhase Holo Storage
InPhase has started shipping its new Tapestry holographic disks. Representing the first real-world use of the technology, each disk is not much larger than a DVD at 1.5mm thick but stores 300GB of information, making them ideal for archives where the sheer amount of storage would overwhelm the physical space limits of even hard drives. Though currently only a write-once format, its holographic nature makes it resilient against flaws that would normally ruin hard disks or tapes: Tapestry is immune to magnetic interference or other subtle influences and lasts for up to 50 years, InPhase claims.
The host drive works with everyday PCs by simulating a conventional drive and sells at $18,000 -- an expensive price that the firm believes can compete well against high-end backup drives. Individual Tapestry disks ship for $180 in 300GB versions. The company promises individual disks as large as 1.6TB by 2010. [via The Register]
