Western Digital debuts 640GB 9.5mm laptop hard drive; $149

Western Digital on Wednesday announced its Scorpio Blue 640 hard drive, a 2.5-inch, 9.5mm-thick, 640GB drive intended for laptops.

The company says the Scorpio Blue 640 consumes 30 percent less power than the previous generation.

Features include:

• WhisperDrive: WD tech that uses seeking algorithms to keep the drive quiet;
• ShockGuard: Combines firmware and hardware elements for the highest combined shock tolerance specifications required for mobile and notebook applications; and
• IntelliSeek: Tech thatcalculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise and vibration.

The drive manages 5400RPM -- average -- and is available now for $149.