Windows Vista launch to heat up hybrid hard drive market

The next time someone asks if you have a hybrid, consider your answer carefully. He may not be asking about your wheels, but instead about something else that spins—your data storage. Coming soon to the storage stage is a technology called a "hybrid drive," which melds a traditional hard drive with a massive flash-based buffer.

Now, rather than relying on a traditional hard drive that works through the use of nothing but moving parts, your system could make use of a similar device that can last longer, generate less heat, and use less power due to its ability to shut down moving parts, even when in use.