TDK Blu-ray media now shipping
TDK has announced the first shipments of cartridge-free Blu-ray Disc media, in both recordable and rewritable formats. Each version is available in single layer 25GB and dual layer 50GB capacities, with costs ranging from $20-60 each. The digital media leader is also currently working on quad layer 100GB and 200GB Blu-ray Disc prototypes.
TDK claims there is no performance degradation after rewriting data 10,000 times, and the DURABIS hard coating grants each disc an archival life of 50 years through increased scratch, fingerprint, and light resistance. Nice for protecting your PS3 games, and Blu-ray's longevity and ability to back up entire hard drives in a single bound seem appealing.
But let's not forget the recent advances in solid state Flash media (which are fast approaching 100GB capacities), as well as holographic storage. And if Microsoft has their way, the future will be on-demand. Are the format wars really coming to an end as Bill Gates has prophesized, or is the next wave just beginning?
