Maximum PC praised Hitachi's mobile technology innovations, citing the new Travelstar's 50 gigabit-per-square-inch areal density, improved shock resistance and reduced power consumption -- all achieved through miniaturization advancements to Hitachi's slider technology. Called the "femto" slider, this critical hard drive component is the tiny flying wing which supports the read/write head above the surface of the disk. The net result, according to Maximum PC labs, is a 55-percent performance improvement over the Travelstar 5400 RPM model, which held the previous mobile hard drive performance record.

"Hitachi's new 7200 RPM mobile drive has finally leveled the playing field between notebook and desktop performance," said Gordon Mah Ung, senior editor, Maximum PC. "The fact that Hitachi has been able to so greatly impact notebook performance with such a tiny component makes it a breakthrough well-deserving of this year's Gear of the Year Wildcard award. Our kudos to Hitachi."

"As an authority on high-performance products, Maximum PC's recognition is strong validation for our efforts toward hard disk drive technology excellence," said Bill Healy, senior vice president of consumer and commercial HDDs, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "We're finding that Maximum PC's excitement for the 7K60 is mirrored in our customers' reactions. These opinions strengthen Hitachi's resolve to continue delighting our audiences and challenging the standard of excellence for the industry."

At 60 gigabytes, the Travelstar 7K60 offers a unique combination of superior performance and capacity, low power consumption and small footprint for a new class of powerful mobile devices.

Since its introduction earlier this year, the Travelstar 7K60 has been recognized by numerous trade magazines and industry experts for its superior performance. Reviews can be viewed at http://www.hgst.com/products/reviews.html.