This news thrilled me, because even my laptop’s hard drive has only 80GB. But technology never stops. Samsung announced an advanced process to pack the maximum of 16 of the multi level cells just 30 nanometers. That means they are able to deliver 64 gigabits of flash memory onto one chip. The process was called self-aligned double patterning technology (SaDPT).

By using the process described above, Samsung can produce 128 GB NAND memory card. Consequently, the price for memory cards will drop, which is a good thing for the consumers. Also, the high storage cards could replace the traditional hard disks being more efficient. But we have to wait till the technology will be released, perhaps in 2009.

Source

Verizon Wireless has announced its USB727 Modem. The device is manufactured by Novatel Wireless and it is the first broadband modem that feature built-in microSD slot for data storage. The USB727 Modem supports 4GB storage, but microSD card is not included.

It works with almost all types of devices that feature a USB port. Also, it is compatible with most operating systems including indows (Vista, XP, 2000), Mac and Linux. The USB Wireless Broadband Modem has an integrated dual-band diversity antennae system with flip-up antenna to maximize data speed performance and provide a strong network signal reception. VZAccess Manager Software was included in the package for easy access at the USB727’s features.

The price tag for USB727 is about $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and new two-year agreement with Verizon Wireless. To get Broadband Access service for Internet browsing, e-mail and intranet access, Verizon’s customers will be charged with $59.99 monthly.

via Everything USB

Every big tech company seems to be a major player in the HDD market nowadays or at least want to become. This is the case with TDK (NYSE: TDK) that wants to play in the major league, by increasing the hard disk capacities we are able to store right now. However they may have a point here because after developing the technology to “more than double the data storage capacity of hard-disk drives compared with the most advanced products now available by modifying the design of magnetic heads and disks”.

TDK is promising to offer hard disks with up to 3TB capacities, being able to “read and write 602-gigabits of data per square inch”. They also promise to get them in mass production before 2010. See how time’s flying?

Source

Yes that’s right. If you need to make a point that your new flash memory line is really fast what are going to do? You get some fast Ducati motorcycles to exhibit and burn some tires. Eli Harari, SanDisk’s founder mentioned that with the debut of the iPhone and other smart multimedia devices the demand for bigger but most important, faster flash memories will go up.

Harari also expects the prices to go down as the flash memory manufacturers develop better and better solutions, but will the market catch up?

The retail prices for the new SanDisk Ducati flash memory line will range from $125 for a flash drive to $315 for the 8GB CompactFlash. All the new models will be used in digital cameras and other portable devices. Take a look at the pictures below for more info about the Ducati flash memory and flash drives:

[AFP via YahooNews] : image copyright AFP

In January we told everyone that in 2007 the 1TB hard drive from Hitachi will start shipping and then in March, it did with Hitachi’s Deskstar 7K1000. Buffalo was the one that announced in April that they also have a 1GB hard disk. So where does this leave Samsung and Seagate, renowned disk makers? It’s now in the middle of the summer to have their 3GBps SATA hard drives with 1TB capacity, announced.

Samsung SpinPoint F1 is spinning 3x 334GB platters which will keep the weight and sound really low if we think that the Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 is doing 4x 250GB (8 heads) platters and Hitachi is doing 5x 200GB (10 heads) platters. However Hitachi still has an advantage: 32MB buffer that Samsung and Seagate only dream on (they do 16MB cache right now).

Prices for the two new models is going to be near $400.

Samsung (translation), Seagate - press releases

[via Engadget]

Microdia already has an 8GB SDHC card that is designed to work in extreme conditions like very low temperatures, when raining or stuff like that, plans to extend the capacity and launch the Microdia 16GB SDHC memory card with a Class 6 speed of 160x. Now if we think, a bigger and faster memory card is very good, but I need to tell you that it’s rumored to be priced at $3,500 which I am not sure many will offer for an 16GB SDHC memory card.

I don’t think it’s worth to pay that much money because you can always buy more smaller memory cards. If you add to that, that the device you plug it in may not read it well in extreme conditions (blame the device) if may have a $3,500 card that it’s useless. Wanna buy one? - ALEX ION
[via Ubergizmo]

New 2.5 inch hard disk drives were announced today by Transcend to upgrade their StoreJetâ„¢ 2.5 IDE series. Providing 80 GB or 120 GB of storage the two new products are USB 2.0 compliant but USB 1.1 is also supported but at lower bit rates. The maximum transfer speed on a USB 2.0 port reaches 480 Mb/s (60 MB/s).

The new storage device can also be used for backing-up your data as it comes bundled with the StoreJet Elite 2.0 Software that provides:

• Backup: Securely backup your data from a computer to the StoreJetâ„¢, or other storage medium
• Restore: Restore your data from the backup
• Manage: Easily manage all your backed up files
• Crypto: Encrypting/Decrypting the files or folders
• Lock: Lock your StoreJetâ„¢
• Power: Switch StoreJetâ„¢ to power-saving mode

- Marius TRUSCULESCU -

Solid state drives (SSD) are slowly making their way on the market and a recent Dell announcement brings them closers to the consumers. In a press release, the hardware giant announced it will start including the SanDisk 1.8″ 32 GB flash based drives on selected notebooks.

Clients can choose to use the SSD on Latitude D420 ultra-mobile and D620 ATG semi-rugged notebooks as an alternative to regular magnetic storage hard disk drives. With only the price as a disadvantage the SSD will certainly replace HDD as they offer faster response times, need less power and are more reliable.

“This represents an important milestone in the evolution of personal computers with the arrival of solid state flash memory as a durable, efficient alternative to the hard drive,” said Eli Harari, SanDisk’s founder and CEO

Already available in America the SSD will soon hit the Asian and Europena markets. However the $549 (US price) may not appeal to customers yet. - Marius TRUSCULESCU -

Samsung Electronics announced yesterday that the company is the first to produce the 16GB NAND Flash, which is the highest capacity memory chip available now. Samsung will use the ultimate technology in mass production for the 16GB NAND. The devices will be fabricated in 51 nanometers (nm).

The new chip uses the multi-level cell (MLC) structure and can offer 16GB of memory in a single card. In addition, using the new technology the speeds for writing and reading increased. You can see a comparison in the table below.

The NAND flash memory cards uses the data units called “pages”. The old chips worked with 2KB pages, while the new ones process the data in 4 KB pages. Samsung will provide software and firmware updates for MP3 players and phones to support the 4KB data pages. The production of the 16GB NAND flash cards will boost very soon as the demand of high-density data storage is increasing everyday. -MIHNEA BOIANGIU

[via Samsung]

Flash based memory cards are becoming increasingly used and portable media manufacturers are already including these devices as ways of upgrading the built-in memory.

Even if 4 GB is the maximum available storage of the new device, smaller capacity (1 GB and 2 GB) are also available for the card. In addition to the Memory Stick Pro Duo compatibility, Sony’s new card can be used with notebooks too with little help from the ExpressCard adapter.

Offered at a price of about $150, the 4GB capacity MS-EX4G card will be available starting August together with the 1 GB ($60), 2 GB ($90) and the MSAC-EX1 Memory Stick Duo Express Card adapter ($80). - Marius TRUSCULESCU