Sony Corp has launched the first in its family of read- and writecompatible digital data storage tape drives: the SDT-1000 has a storage capacity of up to 1.3Gb and features a high data trans-fer rate of 183 Kb/second, including a data access time of 20 seconds and an error rate of less than 10 to the minus 15; the 5.25 form factor is standard as is the embedded SCSI interface; intended for use as a computer system back-up, or for software distribution and archival storage, the systems are not yet priced but are likely to be $2,000 for OEM quantities; volume will be available in the US in the autumn.
