Castlewood Orb (Press 1 of 2)
transcap.com.my
Trans Capital launches revolutionary disk drive
New Straits Times, Friday, August 14, 1998 - Production of the world's first 2.2GB magneto-resistive removable cartridge disk drive, which promises to revolutionise ths disk drive industry, was launched yesterday by Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Describing it as another fine example of 'Malaysia Boleh' (Malaysia Can), Koh said: "I am proud that a Malaysian firm can manufacture the world's first 2.2GB MR removable hard disk drive. Penang has scored another first." The ORB disk drive can replace all hard drives, floppy drives, CDs and DVDs.
The disk can be slipped into the shirt pocket. Each one can carry 380,000 pages of text, something like 100 sets of Encyclopaedia Britannica. It can also store graphics and movies. It is expected to play a key role in the generation of a new class of low-cost computers known as the PC-TV, prices under US$1000 (RM4200), which will improve communications.
The ORB disk drive and disk are prices at US$199 while a disk by itself will cost US$29.95 each. However, the disk is expected to cost about US$10 in the year 2000 as demand increases and manufacturing costs decline. The ORB - touted as the most reliable, most powerful and fastest disk drive - is manufactured by a wholy Malaysian-owned company, Trans Capital Holding Bhd.
Trans Capital, listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange second board, was established in 1990 with a paid-up capital of 240,000 which has since been increased to RM39,99 million. It also has a five percent equity worth US$3 million in Castlewood Systems Inc of California, US. The ORB, with 2.2GB capacity and a 12.2MB per second maximum sustained data transfer rate, was designed and developed by Castlewood Systems.
Koh and Castelwood president and chief executive officer Syed Hussain Iftikar described the ORB as being revolutionary at a simple launching ceremony at Trans Capital's plant, Seberang Jaya, Butterworth. Also present were Trans Capital Chairman Chuah Chong Lai, its chief executive officer and mananging director Tan Say Choon and Castelwood Systems vice-president for the Far-East, Mike Alarid.
In his speech, Syed Iftikar said the company plans to turn Penang into the removable disk drive capital of the world, and Trans Capital the leading manufacturer of ORB. Syed Iftikar said the first computers and video players using the ORB would be out by December 25. There was a demand for more than 10 million ORB units. IBM and German company Vobis will be among the first to usr ORB in their computers whils Sanyo video players on sale for Christmas will also use ORB. Syed Iftikar said by the year 2000, Castlewood and Trans Capital would have the capability to provide a drive with 10GB and this, he added."is like buying a Ferrari for the price of a Volkswagen."
Regards - Dale |
