GE creates 500GB holographic storage disc

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It seems that every other month someone’s coming out with the prototype of a disc that can store X times more than a DVD/Blu-ray. I was actually thinking of making one myself with a stack of blank BDs and some blu-tac but then GE put together a method of storing 500GB using holographic disc storage which is much more interesting.

Instead of etching 2D patterns into the surface, holographic technology uses a three dimensional process with the disc acting like a maze of microscopic mirrors giving a depth to the optical layer where all the data is stored. GE expects them to be introduced by 2012 but the real key is, of course, how expense they will be.

Blu-rays began as $1 per GB when they first came out dropping to something closer to half that today. GE hopes these holographic discs will be 10 cents per GB, so a much more affordable $5 for the whole thing.

The thing I can’t help wondering, though, is whether there’s really a viable future in optical storage? Between SSDs and cloud computing, I was hoping to rid myself of discs by 2012.

(via NYT)

More details on GE's digital camera splurge – E1055W and A1030 exposed in depth

Last week we revealed the range-topping new GE E1050TW with all its fancy HD features – now here are a couple of mid-range GEs for your less-informed and slightly poorer relatives.

The A1030 (left, red) is capable of recording MP4 movies, does 10megapixels, has a 3x optical and 4.5x digital zoom, features a 2.5″ LCD round the back and, very importantly, takes AA batteries. It is slap-bang in the middle of what you’d expect.

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And the E1055W to the right there in Standard Silver offers 10.1megapixels, a 5x optical zoom, image stabilisation, a 3″ LCD viewfinder round the back and what GE says…