Right now we have dual layered DVD’s that can store information for us up to 17 GB. There’s also Blu-Ray which can store up to 50 GB but this is not a cost effective method for storage yet. However if you want to store more than that then you would have to get a flash drive or an external hard disk. However GE has moved us one step closer to having a disc that’s the size of a hard drive on a disc the size of a DVD.

How much space will these discs be able to hold? Initially they will be able to store 500 GB of data! I say initially because they may come up with a way (like they did with DVD’s by making them dual layered) to increase the space.

You may have heard of the term holographic storage before. It’s been a topic that researchers have been looking into for the past few years. However it wasn’t until just recently that they actually have made a breakthrough in the technology.

How does it work? While DVD’s, CD’s, and Blu-Rays use only the surface of the disc for storage the new holographic storage technique will use the whole thickness of the disc. This allows for the data to be written in 3D and it also allows for the data to be shrunk to a smaller size.

Ironically this technology is based off of current optical drives that we already have. The best part about the holographic technology is that it will be backwards compatible with CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs.

While there is no official release is site of the actual product, it is coming soon. The technology is still being developed but I would speculate that we could see the technology being widely available by 2013.

Source: Tech Spot