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Technology Stocks : Disk Drive Sector Discussion Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Stitch who wrote (3480)	6/3/1998 1:50:00 PM
From: Mark Oliver	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9256

Just out of curiousity, I didn't see any comment on Komag's discussion of what they are selling and sampling. I thought these 2 paragraphs were interesting. They are shipping 3.4 gig platters now. Is this behind the curve? Also, their announcement of sampling 7.5 gig platters for GMR. Where does this put them with the competition? Is there anything we can learn here about a new customer? 7.5 gig per platter. That means under 10 gig drives will be low end next year? Again, Komag is on the rack, so these statements are probably not showing the best of the best. Why are these capacity points not enough to make profits? Regards, Mark From the Komag press release. "Capital expenditures in the first half of 1998 largely reflect the costs to implement advancements in our substrate and sputtering process technologies. Customer feedback on our new product offerings that incorporate these new technologies has been very favorable. We recently began shipment of next-generation disks that store 3.4 gigabytes (GB) of data on a 3-1/2 inch disk, our second product offering using epitaxial sputtering technology on the company's upgraded in-line sputtering machines. Importantly, our new epitaxial products are entering volume production at the highest introductory yield level achieved at Komag during the past two years. Additionally, our customers are obtaining high drive assembly yields with these new products," said Johnson. "We were recently selected to supply advanced disk media to the industry's first 3-1/2 inch giant magnetoresistive (GMR) disk drive program. This GMR media program is scheduled to enter volume production in the second half of 1998. Using our new substrate and epitaxial sputtering technologies, Komag's advanced product development team has also demonstrated the capability to manufacture 3-1/2 inch disks that can store 7.5 GB of data with GMR heads," said Johnson.

To: Stitch who wrote (3480)	6/3/1998 6:22:00 PM
From: Tom Simpson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9256

>I also still think you should consider Seagate BTW :). LOL...riggghhhhhtttt....seems like I've been doing nothing but that for a whole year now. It would seem my peculiar destiny to eternally "consider" SEG :o) My latest consideration in light of latest IBM PR blitz is where is Seagate going to get its GMR heads from.....you want to expound on the virtues of their internal head operation? :o) >I liked the fact that they have shown media for GMR apps. I noticed that too. But I've an ignorance problem in that I just don't have any idea what might distinguish MR media from GMR media. More particularly what level of difference in the equipment/manufacturing process there is. If there is a lot then there is an opportunity for KMAG and HMTT to avoid tong and nails, otherwise it looks inevitable. Another factor is IBM which might become the stealth media supplier like they did with heads. Presumably WDC will be taking IBM GMR heads. Question is, will IBM be supplying compatible media for them as well? Best Regards.....Tom