Maxtor brings out 133MBps hard drive interface
Maxtor has announced the release of the Ultra ATA/133 - the next generation of its hard drive interface.
Maxtor is calling the technology Fast Drives and says it boosts data transfer rates between the computer and the hard drive up to 133MBps - one-third faster than its Ultra ATA/100 technology.
Ultra ATA/133 is backward compatible with the existing ATA standard. PC users who want to upgrade from Ultra ATA/100 to Ultra ATA/133 will need to purchase a compliant adapter card or system motherboard along with the new hard drives.
Maxtor says it anticipates that licensed partners will begin shipping products that incorporate Fast Drive technology during the second half of 2001. Widespread PC adoption is expected in 2002.
VIA Technologies, Silicon Integrated Systems, Adaptec, Promise Technology, and Silicon Image have formally completed licensing agreements to use Maxtor's Ultra ATA/133 interface technology. The interface is currently being built into products by Acard, Acer Labs, Agere Systems, HighPoint Technologies, and Pacific Digital.
Vic Jipson, exec VP of engineering for Maxtor, said: "The Ultra ATA interface can be found on almost 90 per cent of all hard drive, CD-ROM, and DVD equipped systems shipped in the world today."
