With hybrid hard drives just now rolling off factory lines and headed for OEM's, big companies are starting to make plans for introducing them to the public. Apple and LG are both planning to utilize the drives in the near future, with LG planning the release of a laptop this month that will come sporting the new drives. Apple also is planning other new uses for flash, such as including it as storage space in "subnotebooks" in the latter half of this year. Analysts are saying that 2007 is a ripe year for flash to explode, and many think flash manufacturers should push it:
"The time is right for the flash makers to make a move" as flash memory prices decline, Wu said by telephone. "Apple, from what we understand, is pretty much ready. The ball is in the flash vendors' court."
Either way, we aren't far away from computers with no moving parts at all. Fascinating stuff.