Samsung starts mass producing what it claims is the first PCIe-based SSD designed for next-generation notebooks-- the Samsung XP941, a tiny SSD equipped with a Samsung-designed NAND flash controller.

According to the company the XP941 reaches sequential read performance of 1400MB/s, the highest available with a PCIe 2.0 interface. The drives ships in the M.2 form factor (80mmx22mm), weighs 6g and needs just 14% of the space a 2.5-inch SSD normally occupies.

Samsung does not mention customer Continue reading...

Flash memory maker PQI takes advantage of Computex 2013 to reveal a bevy of storage products-- with devices ranging from tiny USB and micro-USB drives to NFC-enabled storage and microSD adapters.

Armed with Chip-on-Board 3.0 technology and dual micro-USB/USB connectors, the PQI Connect tiny (the size of a penny) storage device series is ideal for smartphones and tablets. It features a file system automatically categorised for syncing and sharing files (audio, video, photos) to Facebook and a design that sits flush when connected to ultrabooks and slim notebook PCs.

A further addition to the Connect series is the Connect 203-- a thumb drive with a microSD slot replacing built-in storage.

The Thunder 1 is the smallest bootable USB drive around armed with USB 3.0 and Windows 8 support (at least according to PQI) while the ThunderS501 is a credit card-sized drive with up to 1TB of storage.

Seagate ships the Laptop Ultrathin HDD-- the thinnest 500GB HDD from the storage maker yet, with a 5mm profile designed for use in the slimmest of notebooks and tablets.

The 2.5-inch drive weighs 94g and is 25% smaller than the second thinnest Seagate HDD, the 7mm. It uses a 6GB/s SATA interface and carries SED encryption with the TCG Opal protocol.

"When we originally demonstrated this solution last September, we knew we had a truly innovative product that would empower our partners to reimagine Continue reading...

Integral Memory launches the 1TB USB 3.0 Portable SSD-- an external SSD inside a credit card-size casing weighing all of 41g.

It features all the advantages of solid-state memory, being shock-proof, silent and low-power. Write speeds reach up to 140MB/s and read speeds up to 230MB/s.

Being USB On-The-Go the drive usable with compatible smartphones and tablets as well as Windows (Windows XP and up) and Mac (OSX 10.2.8 and above) PCs.

Go Integral 1TB USB 3.0 Portable SSD

Intel announces a smaller, more affordable addition to the 335 SSD series-- one with 80GB capacity aimed at budget-conscious customers wanting an ultra-fast boot drive.

The 80GB model joins current 180GB and 240GB offerings, and is available in standard 2.5-inch form factor within a new case design. The series is the first to carry Intel's 20nm MLC NAND flash (a co-development with IM Flash Technologies) and the SandForce SF-2281 controller.

Intel claims the SSDs deliver up to 500MB/s sustained Continue reading...

Western Digital starts shipping the WD Blue HDD and WD Black SSHD-- a pair of 2.5-inch drives just 5mm thick, a world first according to the company.

The current mobile storage standards stand at either 7mm or 9.5mm thickness.

Designed for slim devices and space-constrained environments, the drives deliver 500GB capacities with 400G (Blue) and 1000G (Black) non-operation shock specifications, Edge Card technology (including new small form factor SFF-8784 edge connector) and dual stage actuators. Continue reading...

Crucial announces the Crucial M500-- a set of 2.5-inch SATA SSDs featuring capacities of up to 960GB, increased response time and an advanced feature set.

Based on the Marvell 88SS9187 controller and custom Micron firmware, the M500 should deliver up to 80000 IOPS with 500MB/s sequential read and 400MB/s write speeds.

Further features include hardware-based encryption (TCG Opal 2.0 + IEEE 1667), data protection against unexpected power loss and an adaptive thermal monitoring system.

The M5 Continue reading...

Scientists at EPFL believe the future of flash memory makes use of a pair of materials-- graphene and molybdenite, two materials already used in promising component prototypes.

The Laboratory of Nanometer Electronics and Structures (LANES) discovered the electronic properties of molybdenite (MoS2) back in 2011. Similar in structure to graphene (being a "2-dimensional" material), molybdenite has interesting semi-conducting properties allowing it to switch very easily between "on" and "off" states Continue reading...