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Sony has figured out how to cram 185TB of data onto a single cassette tape

Published May 5th, 2014 9:45PM EDT
Sony Cassette Tape Data Storage

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It turns out that audio cassette taps might be the wave of the future after all, at least when it comes to data storage. Forbes reports that Sony has figured out how to cram a whopping 185TB of data onto a single cassette tape using technology called sputter deposition that Forbes says “involves layers of magnetic crystals firing argon ions at a polymer film substrate.” To get an idea of just how amazing this is, consider that a typical Blu-ray disc holds around 50GB of data, which means that Sony’s new storage cassette can hold somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,700 Blu-ray films. Sony says that it’s working on ways to make magnetic tape used in cassettes a practical technology for storage and backup and it hopes to release a commercial product based on its breakthroughs in the future.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.