IBM unveiled a completely updated line of ThinkPad notebook computers today, including new ThinkPad R50 and T41 models that include the world’s first automatic hard drive protection technology.
Because smaller, lighter, and more mobile systems are at a continual risk of being dropped and damaged, IBM developed a hard drive protection technology to help protect valuable data. The IBM Active Protection System, in general similar to the technology used in automobiles to deploy airbags upon impact, uses a microchip (accelerometer) on the system board to detect system acceleration, such as in fall. If the system detects “fall-like” acceleration, it responds by temporarily parking the drive’s read/write head until the system is stabilized. This rapid response can help prevent hard drive crashes that could occur in some falls, to help prevent total data loss and reduce warranty costs.
