Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

Do you think that we'll ever see an IBM Microdrive Springboard? It seems like such a logical product, but I have heard little about the Microdrives commercial success (or lack thereof).

http://www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/diskdrdl/micro/

They seem to make so much more sense than flash ROM.

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Registered: Sep 2000
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Posts: 117

am i oversimplifying the issue?

Won't dkessler's CF adapter plans with his upcoming CF file management software work with the microdrive? Doesn't the microdrive use the standard CF-memory interface? That is, doesn't its onboard controller mimic that of CF-memory?

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Nazareth, PA
Posts: 99

Even if it does act like a cf card it may not work because the power requirements will be alot more, since it has to spin the drive and you'll be eating your batteries alot faster even if the drive will work.

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Registered: Sep 2000
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if that's the case, it would be worth it

It would be worth it to me, but even if it is an issue, I'm sure some inventive person will come up with an economical and simple solution. I'm not sure if this helps or not, but according to IBM's datasheet, the voltage needed for the drive to operate is 3.3volts. Voltage needed by Springboards are as follows:

2.8 Power Supply (Vcc)
The Springboard specification for Vcc is 3.0V to 3.6V. Nominal Vcc on Visor Prism is 3.1V.

As far as amp draw goes, that will of course vary with how frequently you write to the module. Reading amperage is much lower (according to IBM's specs). I think I would write most of my data using a CF drive on my desktop anyway. Such huge databases I'd be unlikely to input manually on my Visor.

[Edited by zelchenko on 11-17-2000 at 11:45 PM]

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

According to IBM's Microdrive specifications, the drive needs a maximum of 500mA for "reliable operation under all conditions". Handspring's specified max that can be supplied by the springboard slot is 100mA. Now, a Microdrive in a module with it's own battery might work quite well, and depending on how things go with our FlashAdapter my company might someday look into designing one. However, CF cards are currently available in capacities approaching 200MB for the same price as a small Microdrive. And since you can easily carry around a bunch of CF cards, I just don't see the Microdrive as a really compelling storage medium.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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quote:

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However, CF cards are currently available in capacities approaching 200MB for the same price as a small Microdrive. And since you can easily carry around a bunch of CF cards, I just don't see the Microdrive as a really compelling storage medium.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler
CF cards are currently available in capacities approaching 200MB for the same price as a small Microdrive. And since you can easily carry around a bunch of CF cards, I just don't see the Microdrive as a really compelling storage medium.

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I have to agree with this. Assuming a CF card with comparable storage capacity at a comparable price, wouldn't the CF be the better option anyway? Better battery life (no drive motor to spin up), faster access, etc...

I think I'd rather carry a bunch of cards around than have a power-hungry hard drive. The Thinmodem is harsh enough on the Visor's batteries... can't imagine what a hard drive would be like.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Paris
Posts: 66

i love this idea

i love this idea

i vote for

but please don't recout the votes

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 117

i would always rather have solid state, of course

Of course you're right CF-memory is far preferable to a spinning disk, but it would be nice if you could fit something like the 20 vol. ed. of the OED on one single module. For that you'd need a gig. It'll be awhile before CF-memory can do that economically. Oh well, one can dream, can't they?

[Edited by zelchenko on 11-18-2000 at 12:51 PM]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Urbana, Ohio U.S.
Posts: 33

Mini-drive vs. CF

Interesting. Just had a presentation in Grad School from IBM's C.O.O. of their Technology group where he pretty much showed their cards on the mini-drive. Suffice to say that they already have the technology to scale it to 10GB (albeit not cost effectively yet). The time line of his presentation was that within 4 - 5 years (admitedly a VERY "fuzzy" future in technology), mini-drives with 10+ GB capacity will be selling at $300. The current 1 GB mini-drive is scheduled to be at an under $100 price point inside of 2 years.

On the flip side, just saw that SanDisk can out with a 512 MB CF card . . . of course, it's priced at $1,600 . . .

In general, I see both of these media types having their advantages. CF: more rugged, solid state, lo/no power consumption. Mini-drive: more scalable, cheaper on a per MB basis, and conceptually REALLY COOL . . .

P.S. Just checked prices today -- 11/23/00 -- (considering buying a microdrive, although I don't know what I'd run it on -- other than my laptop) -- 340 MB microdrive is $249, 1 GB microdrive is $449. When one considers that CF cards are available in a max capacity of 512 MB (and at a price of $1,600!) the microdrive looks pretty attractive.

[Edited by dhodory on 11-23-2000 at 10:33 AM]

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 57

New Battery

What about the new rechargable battery? (doubles as a AC adapter) would that solve the power issue? I would LOVE to have a gig of palm apps on my visor lol, hell, I could download Palmgear to it heh.

-Bria


(Sorry, hell seemed like a good word to express my thoughts and views at the time.)

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Lawrence, NY, USA
Posts: 148

Re: New Battery

quote:

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Originally posted by BrianX124
What about the new rechargable battery? (doubles as a AC adapter) would that solve the power issue? I would LOVE to have a gig of palm apps on my visor lol, hell, I could download Palmgear to it heh.

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Re: Re: New Battery

quote:

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Originally posted by parb33
The problem is with the amount of power that the springboard slot supplies to the modules, not with the amount of power that the Visor has per se.

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I guess that means a self-powered (std or rechargeable) MicroDrive... yet another monster module (i.e. oversized).

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Registered: Oct 2000
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Posts: 57

Yeah..oversized

I hate the oversized modules unless its for a really needed cause or we just dont have the tech to have them ALL standard size...why would they have a limit of the amount of power the springboard can put out? Whats the point in that? developers wouldnt make a board take so much power it would drain it in seconds anyway. But yeah, if it had to have an outside source BOOM! HUGE module again. Just lik the Monster 56k modem. This would be an easy board to make without an outside power source if it had the power..I think for a gig on my visor I would drain my batteries (rechargable of course)

My words kinda got screwed up in this post (trying not to let my teacher see me doing this so everytime she looks up I have to minimize lol..(highschool))

-Brian

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Yeah..oversized

quote:

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Originally posted by BrianX124
why would they have a limit of the amount of power the springboard can put out?

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Registered: Jun 2000
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Re: Re: Yeah..oversized

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler
Two words - charge pump.[/B]

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 57

Re: Re: Yeah..oversized

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler

quote:

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Originally posted by BrianX124
why would they have a limit of the amount of power the springboard can put out?

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The 100mA limitation on the Springboard slot is because with the Visor runing at full load, that's all the power the power supply circuitry can handle - and if they designed it to handle more, battery life would suffer whether they used it or not.

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