Seagate's triple-headed Cerberus could SAVE the DISK WORLD

Seagate is thinking of doubling up - or possibly even tripling - disk read heads to get a stronger signal from disk platters with more and narrower data tracks. TDK TDK disk read:write head Currently a disk read:write head has a single read head and a single write head. If the tracks on a disk platter are placed closer …

[PLAzmA]

Great, they have just figured out how to get more life out of shingling... until you offer something that's not shingled im staying away..!

[boobie]

Minor edit

However, HAMR technology is going to require costly retooling of disk drive platter manufacturing, as well as developing read:write heads with FRIKIN LASERS ATTACHED TO THEIR HEADS to provide the short-term, highly localised heating required

http://youtu.be/Bh7bYNAHXxw

[Anonymous Coward]

Impressive how TV special effects have advanced

Even 30+ years ago Zaphod and his lolling paper-mache head were distractingly like a junior school drama production. But the Sontaran in the second photo is quite something - even the suit he's wearing looks almost real!

[Bobbly]

I personally think, from 20+ years of experience that anything Seagate makes will be a gamble with reliability; probably not a good gamble either. I'd rather buy a Skoda HDD than anything with Seagate written on it.

[Slap]

It goes up and down.

Some seagate models have an extremely high failure rate, but not others.

Some western digital models have an extremely high failure rate, but not others.

Some hitachi models have an extremely high failure rate, but not others.

Etc etc.

They're all as bad as one another. And if you've ever opened up a hard disk and seen inside, as I'm sure most of you have, then you already know that it's a bloody wonder that they actually work at all.

Spinning rust's days are very close to being over, apart from a few niche applications such as high volume cold data.

[Alan Brown]

"Spinning rust's days are very close to being over, apart from a few niche applications such as high volume cold data."

By way of confirmation of impending doom[tm]:

1Tb Samsung 850Pro drives are about ukp500, 1Tb Seacrate SSHDs are about $60-70 (desktop vs laptop)

The price of "big" SSDs just keeps on falling.

[Anonymous Coward]

HAMR requires heating a 20nm laser spot whilst travelling at 80mph

Whoa ... FFS ! Quite an achievement in any combination of units ...

[Alan Brown]

hard drive analogies

Back in the days of Bigfoots, a 1Gb HDD was likened to a 747 flying at mach 2, 6 inches off the ground and counting every blade of grass it went over.

The speed and height haven't changed but now it's counting the ants between the blades.