Vendors
The NeXT computer was the first to offer this technology, but Canon eventually provided it to other customers.
Sony MiniDiscs are magneto-optical, and Sony produces many other formats of magneto-optical media.
Pinnacle Micro was a major manufacturer of magneto optical drives. 3.5" drives were 128MB and 230MB. 5.25" drives produced were 650MB and 1.3GB (Sierra), 2.6GB (Vertex) and 4.6GB (Apex). The Vertex and Apex were non-ISO standard drives and used proprietary media. Pinnacle Micro has ceased production of these products.
Maxoptix, a spin-off of Maxtor Corporation, is a major manufacturer of 130 mm or 5.25″ magneto optical drives. A current model is the T7-9100 drive, which has a maximum capacity of 9.1GB and is downward read and write compatible with 5.2GB, 4.8GB, 4.1GB, 2.6GB, and 2.3GB magneto-optical disks, and read compatible with 1.3GB, 1.2GB, 650MB, and 600MB magneto-optical disks. Popular older models of 5.25″ Maxoptix MO drives are the T6 Star, T6-5200 and T5-2600 MO drives. Maxoptix was acquired by Techware Distribution in 2008.
Fujitsu was a major manufacturer of 90 mm magneto-optical drives, exceeding 2 GB in capacity, but they have discontinued production and sale of this product category.
PDO Konica Minolta was the last manufacturer of 90 mm 3.5" magneto-optical drives. They had a 3.5" 1.3GB USB external pocket drive available for sale in the United States and Europe. Sources for this drive are, in the United States maxoptix.com.
As of the end of the first quarter in 2012, Sony is the last remaining magneto optical disk manufacturer. Some models are end of life, and therefore no longer manufactured by Sony - 3.5" 128mb, 230mb, and 540mb. EOL 5.25" disks include the 600mb, 650mb, 1.2gb and 1.3gb discs.
Read more about this topic: Magneto-optical Drive