Yes, you read the article title correctly - IO Data will be releasing flash-based hard drives that conform to ATA standards.
For industrial use o­nly, unless you really want to shell out $1300 for a 512MB drive. I guess a product like this would be used in satellites or such other environments that expose a hard disk to "extreme" situations.

IO Data Device Corporation will begin releasing products in the "IFD-iV" flash memory ATA connecting drive in the back part of August. Production will be based o­n orders.

In both the "IFD-iV" series that can operate in -40 to 95 degree Celsius environments and the "IFD" series that can operate in 0 to 70 degree Celsius environments, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB models will be available.

The price of the IFD-iV series are, for the 512MB "IFD-iV512M," 155,400 yen, the 1GB "IFD-iV1G," 218,400 yen, and the 2GB "IFD-iV2G," 281,400 yen. Similarly, the price of the IFD series drives are, for the 512MB "IFD-512M", 108,045 yen, the 1GB "IFD-1G," 165,900 yen, and finally the 2GB "IDF-2G" costs 228,900 yen.

As the drives use flash memory as a recording medium, the shock and vibration resistance is higher than that conventional hard disks. The size of the drive is 69.8 x 100.2 x 8.5mm (W x D x H), and since the weight is 100g, the measurements are roughly the same as a 2.5" hard drive.

The drive is intended to be used in extreme environments such as observation/recording systems where there are no people, and car systems, in the place of a normal hard drive. IO Data has said that this drive will reduce costs if the drives were placed in a place difficult to maintain.

Included in the drive is a writing dispersion function, and a self-management function called "TrueFFS." This prolongs the life span of flash memory, and increases reliability. Also supported is the "S.M.A.R.T." self-management function that can predict break-downs.



Inspired by:
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2004/0714/iodata.htm

News Release:
http://www.iodata.jp/news/2004/07/ifd-iv.htm