G-Technology G-DRIVE slim Pushed to 500GB by new 7mm Z5K500 Hitachi HDD

As some of you will certainly remember, G-Technology released a while ago an ultra-portable storage solution designed specifically to match the design of Apple Mac systems, the G-DRIVE Slim, which was based on Hitachi's ultra-slim HDDs, and now, given the fact that Hitachi has just started shipping the world's slimmest 500GB HDD, the Z5K500, G-Technology G-DRIVE has also been updated, the company claiming that we're now talking about the thinnest 500GB, 2.5-inch external hard drive in the world.

With its ultra thin profile and sleek design that complements the Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, users now have increased capacity in a stylish footprint to help them move, work and play with their digital content.

Now at 500GB, the drive has enough room to store up to 125 hours of high-definition video, 500 hours of standard video, 178 movies, 125,000 4-minute songs or 250 games.

Formatted for Macs with simple plug n’ play connectivity, the G-DRIVE slim is Time Machine ready for added backup protection, and it's also USB-powered, so there is no need to carry around an extra power cord.

“Ultra thin and light devices are, without argument, a growing trend. In order for these innovative designs to live up to their true potential, they need rugged, reliable high-capacity hard drives that can withstand the rigors of a portable environment and satisfy the storage demands of their end users, and Hitachi continues to deliver,” said Brendan Collins, vice president of product marketing at Hitachi GST.

“As the industry’s only 500GB one disk product and the only second generation 7mm product family, Hitachi continues to push the bar higher, and is leading the shift from 9.5mm 2.5-inch drives to 7mm 2.5-inch drives across a broad range of market segments,” Mr. Collins concluded.

The 500GB G-Technology G-DRIVE slim will be shipping to retailers in early Q1 2011, but, unfortunately, pricing for this thing has not been set yet.