Photos: New Hitachi hard drives

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies on Friday unveiled two hard drives made especially for cars. The Endurastar J4K50 and the N4K50 both offer 50GB storage capacity and can withstand relatively severe impact and vibration, according to Hitachi GST. They also include features that make their reading, writing and motor operations more reliable and stable. The devices are scheduled for launch in the first half of 2007.

The Endurastar J4K50 is designed to withstand temperatures ranging from minus 22 degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, and will operate at altitudes ranging from 300 meters below sea level to 5,000 meters above, according to Hitachi GST. The N4K50 is designed to operate at temperatures ranging from minus 3 degrees to 158 degrees, and at altitudes as high as 3,000 meters, according to the company. Prices for the car drives will be announced closer to their release date, according to a company spokeswoman.

Hitachi GST also released a slimmer addition to its CinemaStar hard drive line. The CinemaStar C5K160 is a 2.5-inch perpendicular disk drive with a storage capacity of 160GB. The CinemaStar C5K160 will be available in the first half of 2007, according to a company statement. Pricing has not yet been released.