We're not sure this is still relevant -- the patent was filed in May of 2006 -- but the USPTO has just published a patent application from Apple detailing a number of different 8cm to 12cm optical disk adapters. The application, credited to Tony Fadell, chief of the iPod division, says that since most software doesn't take up all of the available storage on a disk, it would be cheaper and simpler to use the 8cm disks when appropriate -- but that having to ship a standard adapter for slot-loading drives reduce any costs, because they're the same size as 12cm disks. The solution is to make the adapters smaller when they're not in use, and the filing goes on to detail several different folding and multi-part takes on the idea. Considering that such an adapter would make things slightly more complicated for the vast majority of Apple's all-slot-loading installed base, we can't see these ever actually shipping, but it's still an interesting idea.

We already glanced at Samsung's SpinPoint F1, but the firm also let four other storage devices out of the bag (officially, at least) alongside its 1TB behemoth at its storage press conference in NYC. Up first is the SpinPoint N2 series of 1.8-inch HDDs, which offers up a "world's largest" 120GB flavor at 4200RPM for a dollar under $250. Catering to the 2.5-inch hard drive buyer, the MH80 lineup that we've been hearing about finally went official, and the "world's first" hybrid HDD to come in a 160GB iteration was introduced alongside a bevy of other SpinPoint M5 offerings ranging from 60GB to 250GB (in the dual-disk model). In the burning realm, the WriteMaster SE-T084L portable slot-loaded DVD writer enables USB disc writing with minimal fuss for just $150, while the $70 Super-WriteMaster SH-S203 SATA burner (falsely) claims the "world's fastest" title by churning out discs at 20x. Thankfully for those intrigued, all of the aforementioned devices are currently shipping, so snagging one (or more) in the near future ought not cause too much grief.

We've got all ideas that anyone crushing on Dell's awkward, albeit expansive, XPS M2010 probably already has one by now, but if you've just started falling for the unsightly beast, this one just may pull the trigger for you. Just over a week after cramming half a terabyte of hard drive space into the machine, Dell is now offering up an internal slot-loading 2x speed Blu-ray burner for the HD set. As expected, this newfangled luxury won't run you cheap, as the BD-equipped machine will run you upwards of $4,000 -- and that's before the upgrade bug attacks at the checkout aisle.

[Via NotebookReview]