[CeBIT 2008] - Western Digital Unleashes New Models

Although Western Digital does not have its own stand at this year’s CeBIT, we were nonetheless able to meet up with the company and get some information.

According to WD, the company owns about 20% of the market for 2.5" laptop hard drives. At any rate, a look at the current 320 GB Scorpio drive confirmed that the company is certainly moving in the right direction. It offers good performance, and its main competitor Seagate is unable to offer a competitive product with comparable storage space. Western Digital has also been selling the 2.5" Scorpio as a portable product under the name Passport as well. This product line is currently being revised and updated. Expect to see it shortly, sporting new colours and a book-like design under the name MyPassport. The new name and their design position these products closer to the very successful MyBook line of external hard drives. WD also expects to be able to offer 2.5" drives measuring 9.5 mm high with a capacity of up to 500GB before the end of the year.

The company remained tight lipped about the next generation of the very popular Raptor line of 10,000 rpm drives. All we know that the next generation is indeed on its way with initial samples possibly arriving as early as spring. WD promised us that the competition can expect "transfer rates of over 100 MB/s" and radical technological innovations.