Keeping up with Toshiba, Western Digital have announced the release of their 9.5mm high 2.5" 640GB HDD.

Unlike many large notebook HDDs the Western Digital is the industry standard 9mm which means it will always fit inside a laptop. For many other drives this size some modification needs to be completed before it will fit inside a notebook.

Features of the WD Scorpio Blue include:

•     WhisperDrive(TM) – WD’s exclusive WhisperDrive technology combines state-of-the-art seeking algorithms to produce one of the quietest 2.5-inch drives available;
•     ShockGuard(TM) – Leading-edge ShockGuard technology combines firmware and hardware advancements to meet the highest combined shock tolerance specifications required for mobile and notebook applications; and
•     IntelliSeek(TM) – A unique feature, IntelliSeek technology calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise and vibration. For a demonstration on IntelliSeek, visit the WD Web site at http://www.wdc.com/en/flash/index.asp?family=intelliseek.