Seagate warns it might sue SSD makers for patent infringement

It may already be dipping its own toes into the wild new world of solid state hard drives, but Seagate apparently isn't so keen on others ditching traditional hard drives, and it's now indicating that it might even sue 'em if SSD really starts to catch on. That word comes from none other than Seagate CEO Bill Watkins, who told Fortune recently that he's "convinced" that SSD makers like Samsung and Intel are violating some of Seagate's patents (as well as Western Digital's) that deal with the way a "storage device communicates with a computer." Somewhat curiously though, especially given Seagate's own plans, Watkins doesn't see SSD catching on in a big way anytime soon, saying that, "realistically, I just don't see the flash notebook sell." As Fortune points out, however, if prices keep dropping at the rate they have been, that "sell" could soon be a whole lot easier to make, which would also make that lawsuit quite a bit more likely.

[Via Slashdot]

[TheChris @ Mar 24th 2008 1:25PM]

Booooo!
Competition is good for consumers.
1st

[Ignatius @ Mar 24th 2008 1:27PM]

If you just hadn't included that last three characters, I might have upvoted you.

[PhilxBefore @ Mar 24th 2008 1:33PM]

I 'upvoted' him just to negate your point, and because I can't imagine why you people get so butt-hurt when someone says 'first'. Who gives a sht?

[zumajoe @ Mar 24th 2008 1:40PM]

uh oh. looks like ....ur the one getting butt-hurt over here.... I 'downvoted' him again just to throw off your "negating action". Welcome to the internets my friend.

[problem fixer @ Mar 24th 2008 2:05PM]

^^Ohh Yeah I just upvoted him again to fix your negating action. How do you like dem apples internet biotch!

[PhilxBefore @ Mar 24th 2008 2:07PM]

@Raheem:

FYI, from the very formal and informative Urban Dictionary: (/sarcasm)

"1. butt hurt:

Some one who doesnt know how to take a joke, and they take the joke like they just took it to the ass."

[Raheem @ Mar 24th 2008 2:12PM]

It's great to see the English language butchered like that :)

[CraigJ @ Mar 24th 2008 2:49PM]

@PhilxBefore and TheChris: Just letting you know that bell rang and recess is over. You better get back to class before the hall monitor writes you up.

[roach @ Mar 24th 2008 3:07PM]

Holy shit at "bombs away" comment!!

+100 internets for you

[zfurie @ Mar 24th 2008 1:30PM]

Of course they should sue!

I am pretty sure people are using SSDs as a porn storage device as well.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/02/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-xix-watkins-says-seagate-helps-peopl/

[alex @ Mar 24th 2008 1:52PM]

"Watkins doesn't see SSD catching on in a big way anytime soon."

I agree. The only reason why Watkins doesn't see it catching on anytime is because you can't fit enough pron on SSD....yet.

[Liam @ Mar 24th 2008 1:36PM]

"realistically, I just don't see the flash notebook sell."

Anything that makes a laptop smaller, more roadworthy, and less power-hungry is a boon. The performance benefits are less clear, but I would say, on balance, this man is saying some very silly things.

[WhoMe @ Mar 24th 2008 1:43PM]

Or is he?

No yeah he is, but there's probably more to it than meets the eye. Looks like his company isn't ready with their products and is just doing some damage control (i.e. suing, spreading FUD).

[KC @ Mar 24th 2008 3:16PM]

Only if you take what he said out of context. What he meant is that the value proposition of costlier SSD for less storage space is a big premium to pay. HDDs are still cheaper per GB, consumes equivalent power to SSDs and the MTBF are comparable (unless you really believe the 16% return rate for SSds). Watkins was probably referring to the hybrid drives that Seagate is trying to push: Hybrid HDDs with some flash memory on it to capitalize on both SSD and HDD strengths.

What SSD lacks is security. Full Disk Encryption, anyone?

[akamomo @ Mar 24th 2008 2:07PM]

This guy is the CEO of Seagate and his opinion is "realistically, I just don't see the flash notebook sell"???? I'd dump any stock in such a forward-looking company FAST. Mr. Watkins, wake up!

[Dave @ Mar 24th 2008 3:24PM]

yes, lets start speculating on companies and how to invest in them in this electronics blog...it'll be like those yahoo forums that were used as boiler rooms during the dot com bust.

In all seriousness though, let's not knock on the one HDD maker that time and time again has made the most reliable drives available at a (relatively) reasonable price. A hybrid drive does sound like the most REASONABLE (i.e. more likely to be utilized in a mass amount of computers) as it allows the OS to be more quickly brought up. You know, HD-DVD sounded like a good idea last year also...

[OneLove @ Mar 24th 2008 2:20PM]

It would sell if they didnt make it so expensive.



not 1st, butt-hutt, "negating action", internet biotch! and bombs away!. lol.

[murray @ Mar 24th 2008 3:04PM]

Oh, Seagate, how I loathe you now. I already hated how noisy your hard drives were. Now, I just think you suck.

And by the way, SSD is the future, and you're scared.

[dj-kenpo @ Mar 24th 2008 3:18PM]

oh noes!
seagate has a case of the fear.


it's ok seagate. you'll be dead and gone soon as flash will kick your ass within 10 years. hopefully closer to 6 years.

then you won't need to be scared anymore. YAY!

[Tired_ @ Mar 24th 2008 3:21PM]

This is the definition of a patent troll..."We think you're infringing, but rather than working constructively right now to resolve the problem, we're going to wait till we can inflict maximum damage with a lawsuit."

This kind of action should be illegal. Either shit, or get off the pot.

[obfuscated7ruth @ Mar 24th 2008 3:37PM]

That's total bs, having other companies build up ssd and then when it big suing them all to get them out of the market.

[Weezedog @ Mar 24th 2008 3:36PM]

"the way a storage device communicates with a computer."

ummm I believe that's called PATA/SATA, and industry standard. Seagate, stop stifling the marketplace, and go crap on someone elses parade.

[mymaclife @ Mar 24th 2008 3:39PM]

With all these legal stories on Engadget it makes one wonder if the industry is spending more money on litigation than R&D!

[Tired_ @ Mar 24th 2008 3:40PM]

No, it just means Engadget hired a lawyer to write blog posts.

[mymaclife @ Mar 24th 2008 3:55PM]

You should be careful making a statement like that - Engadget might sue you!

[fuma @ Mar 24th 2008 3:55PM]

HAA - "Watkins doesn't see SSD catching on in a big way anytime soon"

Noooooo, who wants drives that are lighter, consume less power, have no moving parts, and have (potential) access speeds that are a million times faster than spinning drives... yah poo on that.. DO NOT WANT!

[Jon Doe. @ Mar 24th 2008 4:15PM]

The problem is "potential" is the key word. The drives are too damn slow, too damn expensive, too damn small for anyone other then those who do the very basics or is a business user. Then you have the potential read\write sector failure which has gotten better over the last few years is still a concern.
While realistically his comment is simply bull there is some truth to it. Now in 2010.....lets talk but for now..well hell I'm booting 2 OS's have 60GB of music on my laptop syncing to my iPod, have about 8GB of video and god knows how many GB's worth of games and apps installed. The cost of a SSD that could fit all that could buy a couple cars.

[Crayola @ Mar 24th 2008 4:05PM]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118782411946705818.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Maybe this might help... Seagate sold its 40% stake in Sandisk just last year

[Jon Doe. @ Mar 24th 2008 4:07PM]

Those who can not keep up....sue.

I want to love Seagate but their wares in the mobile arena are starting to really fall short.

[erin @ Mar 24th 2008 4:18PM]

ahhh, patent use the way jefferson intended.

[tekdroid @ Mar 24th 2008 4:59PM]

“Realistically, I just don’t see the flash notebook sell,” Watkins says. “We just don’t see the proposition.”
----
I happen to agree there. Limited write cycles, performance, price.

Sure, shock resistance means something, but not at the expense of other areas for my uses (and dollar), thankyouverymuch.

[octoberasian @ Mar 24th 2008 5:06PM]

All I'm going to say in this matter is:

Jealous, much?

[Addyct @ Mar 24th 2008 8:47PM]

what is with all the lawsuits flying about suddenly?

[skulldriveshaft @ Mar 25th 2008 1:07AM]

Seagate's shot calling now.

Or is it sabre rattling?

As with the rest of the industry, it's time to send Seagate to the corner for a time out.

SSD's have a niche market - but being afraid of SSD's at this point in time is laughable - this is more like a CE-OH-NO-HE-DIDN'T material.

For the amount of money this guy is getting paid, why does he have to open his mouth and degrade the company's image?

Thanks for the Barracudas, and Cheetahs, we hope you will join us in the Solid State Future.

[magnet4chicks15 @ Mar 25th 2008 5:31PM]

Well.. What do we have here.. Wake up people, movies and entertainment take up a lot of space. Until SSD's actually get both a decent price, and, a decent amount of storage; we won't be seeing Hard-Drives being replaced any time soon. They are just not worth loosing half of storage space. Had we been talking about this same thing in 2003 when the highest GB included in PC's were 60GB, then this would have taken off and be practicaly cheap price-wise today. The reason it costs so much is it is still new, and not widely adopted. I was pretty interested in those hard-drives that had adapters to fit SDHC Memory cards though; I thought they were neat and actually, I think they have better chances of becoming lesss priceier than SSD do at the moment.