Hitachi will be shipping a 60 GByte version of 1.8-inch C4K harddrive, it has been revealed. The Hitachi 1.8-inch Travelstar C4K60 is a follow on from the earlier 20, 30, and 40 GByte versions, and boasts a storage density of 99.8 Gbit per square inch. The drive also has shock protection which is rated 500 Gs operating and 1200 Gs non-operating - a welcome feature for people who often drop things. Basically, this means that you could drop the drive some three feet and it would be OK, or at least that is the theory.

Optimized for audio applications, the C4K60 series also includes noise-reduction technology, which results in sound emission at idle and seek operations that are "virtually undetectable" by the human ear, according to Hitachi.