Poor battery performance, slow response and lengthy boot-up times have been the bane of many laptop owners' lives for years.
But this looks set to change with the introduction of 'hybrid' hard drives that will bring a host of benefits to mobile computer users.
Unlike traditional hard drives that are constantly spinning when a computer is in use, hybrid drives employ a buffer system that uses about 1 gigabyte of flash memory. By using the flash memory as a primary source of storage, the hard drive remains at rest most of the time. This results in decreased power consumption, improved reliability, improved performance, lower noise levels and faster boot times.
At the forefront of introducing this new technology is Seagate, and the company's new Momentus 5400 PSD hard drive will 'end the perennial trade-off for notebook PC makers'.
Tom Major, Seagate vice-president, personal computer business, said: 'With instant access to content an increasingly essential part of the digital lifestyle, laptop users expect systems with a snappy response, longer battery life and new levels of durability. [We] are delivering in volume the best of two worlds - hard disk drives and flash memory - to enable laptop PCs with cutting-edge capabilities and to tighten the connection between users and their information.'
Hybrid drives are designed to take full advantage of the Windows Vista operating system which delivers native support for the new technology.