Definition: hard disk player

A digital music player with a hard disk. Hard disk players have always stored more songs than flash memory players; however, both storage technologies constantly improve. For example, the first iPods had 10GB disks, while flash-based iPods started out 4GB. In 2012, hard disk iPods were up to 160GB and flash memory models reached 64GB.

Although the iPod popularized hard disk players, Creative Technology actually introduced a 6GB hard disk MP3 player in 2000, nearly two years earlier than Apple. See digital music player, MP3 and iPod.

One of the First Player Disks

This earlier 3GB Cornice drive is shown with a standard sized business card. Using a 1" platter, it is 2/10ths of an inch thick. (Image courtesy of Cornice, Inc.)