SanDisk launches solid-state drives
SanDisk has introduced a line of flash memory-based solid-state drives (SSDs) that are designed for an emerging category of portable consumer electronics – called Ultra Low-Cost PCs (ULCPCs) or "netbooks" – that aim to allow users to have an enhanced experience while easily surfing the Internet using wireless communication.
The SanDisk Parallel ATA solid state drive (pSSDT) aims to eliminate the need for a hard disk drive and can store both the operating system and application data for new devices, the company says.
SanDisk is making the SSD modules available in 4-, 8- and 16GB capacities, with a streaming read speed of 39MBps and a streaming write performance of 17MBps.
SanDisk’s SSDs, which are expected to be available starting in August, are built using the company’s Multi-Level Cell (MLC) and Single-Level Cell (SLC) flash memory. This technology is produced at fabrication plants in Yokkaichi, Japan, where SanDisk and its partner, Toshiba Corporation, share the output.
ULCPCs are inexpensive handheld laptops – smaller than a conventional notebook computer but larger than a mobile ’smart’ phone – that are easy to carry and cost in the range of $250 to $350. They enable consumers to browse the Internet on the go, with a user interface that replicates that of larger PCs.
Originally, ULCPCs were developed as low-cost computing solutions for school children in developing nations. But the diminutive devices have caught on with adults, and now manufacturers are rolling out devices that are designed for general consumer use.
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