500TB MP3 Players coming? Storage Breakthrough!

Researchers in the UK have reportedly developed a microscopic switch that could lead to massive increases in storage capacity for portable devices such as MP3 players. The switch is prefabricated of microscopic molecule clusters just .32 nanometers apart, which could theoretically allow for up to one billion transistors on an area no large than a quarter.

According to the BBC, the researchers are able to ingest the switch on both carbon and gold surfaces, message in the forthcoming they might be able to ingest plastic instead of fragile silicon for circuit boards.

The advancement could lead to massive storage capacities for smaller devices, and the researchers estimate it could lead to an MP3 player with a capacity of up to 500,000 gigabytes, which is 500 terabytes. To place it in perspective, the biggest 3.5″ internal hornlike drive available today is a mere 1 terabyte.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of the recent announcement by IBM of its own nanotechnology-based Racetrack Memory.

iRiver introduces 8GB E100 MP3 player

iRiver introduced the E100 MP3 multimedia player. It includes an FM tuner and the ability to record off the FM.

The iRiver E100 retails for $109.99 for a 4G, and $159.99 for an 8G.

Features include stereo speakers, Micro-SD Slot, line in, D-Click system and a 2.4 inch TFT LCD screen.

The unit is offered in four colors and supports a roster of music and video file types; it is compatible with subscription services including Rhapsody, Napster and Yahoo. It allows for 17 hours of music playback and five hours of video. Flash memory provides skip-free playback. The player is firmware-upgradeable with a Micro-SD slot for increased capacity.

Additional highlights include USB 2.0 for fast data transfer, voice recording and photo and text viewers.