Get Perpendicular

Perpendicular recording increases the storage capacity of a hard drive by standing the data bits on end, allowing for up to ten times more capacity with no physical size inrease. Using this technology, Hitachi estimates that the microdrive (currently at 6GB in the iPod mini) will reach 20GB and the standard desktop 3.5" drive will go up to one terabyte in 2007.

When my first computer's hard drive was 80MB, and I heard about the existence of a gigabyte, I remember thinking 'Who could fill up an entire gigabyte?' I will not make the same mistake with a terabyte. Video is the answer to most questions regarding 'What could fill up that much hard drive space?'

For a comical, but informative presentation of how this works, check out Hitachi's animation. If Schoolhouse Rocks continued through to the Aughts, and switched focus to technology, this is what it might be like.