Sharp's laser to enable 6x, dual-layer Blu-ray laptop recording

Sharp just introduced their latest, itty bitty blue laser. While maintaining the same 3.3-mm diameter of their previous package, Sharp's new GH04P25A4G semiconductor laser manages to boost the power to 250mW. That little trick should make 6x recording speeds to dual-layer BD media in laptops a reality. They've also announced a similarly speced 5.6-mm (GH04P25A2G) jobbie for desktops. Both are shipping now in ¥50,000 sample quantities with mass production set to begin in April. That translates to about 462 US dollars -- not that the US manufactures CE equipment anymore.

[Via Impress]

[Superprime @ Feb 14th 2008 2:22AM]

"not that the US manufactures CE equipment anymore."

What?

[Firebird @ Feb 14th 2008 2:58AM]

We don't produce consumer electronics in America? We have them made in countries without labor laws? Newsflash? Hows that rock you've been living under for the past couple decades? Nice and mossy yet?

[Reader @ Feb 14th 2008 3:06AM]

Superprime I just got your avatar haha... Love those inspirational posters. Well more so the parodies of them.

[Wwhat @ Feb 14th 2008 7:14AM]

Bit confusing for euros:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_mark

[Anthony @ Feb 14th 2008 2:57AM]

COnsumer electronics .. common now... hence "Made In China"

[Wwhat @ Feb 14th 2008 7:16AM]

Incidentally, that is one big pencil there, with a blunt rounded tip.

[aoi tsuki @ Feb 14th 2008 7:39AM]

i know the pencil is there to illustrate how small the new lasers are, but i can't help but think "man, that's a really big pencil".

[Wwhat @ Feb 14th 2008 9:46AM]

Since the lasers are 3.3mm and 5.6mm I think they overdid the size of the pencil a bit for dramatic effect.

[BeforeISleep.net @ Feb 14th 2008 9:48AM]

The lasers are okay, but where can I get one of those giant blue pencils!!!!

[Wwhat @ Feb 14th 2008 1:16PM]

I think the US treasury has a load of them for sale due to a surplus, they also accept huge red pencils as payment.