BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Flash memory isn't
just for cell phones anymore. Flash drives are moving up into PCs and servers,
and Intel has joined the trend to solid-state drives based on NAND flash memory
with 1, 2, 4 and 8G models, news reports said Tuesday.
The company has opted to use a USB interface rather than ATA or SATA, which
would have allowed manufacturers to readily employ the drives as direct
replacements for rotating magnetic disks.
Intel expects the parts to be used in "servers,
emerging market notebooks and low-cost, fully featured PCs. In addition, it will
be used in Intel embedded solutions for routers and point of sale terminals."
Unlike the commonplace "thumb drives", the Z-U130
Value Solid State Drives come as small printed circuit boards designed for
internal mounting.
Intel claims high performance -- write speeds up to
20M/sec -- and high reliability. "This higher performing solid state drive is a
faster storage alternative that speeds through common PC or embedded application
operations such as locating boot code, operating systems and commonly accessed
libraries," Intel officials said.
Price is important for small storage devices, and
Intel claims the Z-U130 family would cost less than half the price of a 40
dollar to 50 dollar low-end PC hard drive.
The 8G model won't go into production until the end
of 2008, but higher capacity versions are expected within a year or so.
(Agencies)
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