Nanochip technology offers up cheap, 100GB flash memory alternative

It's like we can't make it through the week these days without word of some outlandish memory technology solving all worldly ills; but it's not that we're complaining. This week's featured tech comes from Nanochip, and promises gains in storage quantity and cost per chip over flash memory. The first prototypes will store 100GB, and will be shipped to device makers next year for evaluation. Nanochip technology stores data on a thin-film material, and accesses it using microscopic cantilevers. Each bit will be 15 nanometers wide at first, with theoretical sizes as small as a couple nanometers. Speeds will be near that of flash, and the data could last longer. There are still some obstacles to accessing the data efficiently, but luckily Nanochip just scored $14 million in funding to complete its pursuit. IBM has been pursuing a similar tech since the late 90's.

[3 Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:07AM]

YAY!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:10AM]

and will be shipped to device makers next year for evaluation....
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Zzzzz. Next year? Next year I could be in my spacesuit mapping Mars.

[Itchy Pajamas Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:28AM]

So I can't get one to plug into my MacBook Air yet?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:43AM]

This would be something nice to see out there! I hope it gains traction

[Dinochicken Posted Feb 12th 2008 12:20PM]

Sounds like someone figured out how to make Info-Mica work without traditional read/write technology.

http://www.techjapan.com/Article122.html

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:46AM]

hey! they stole my design!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 9:52AM]

No more moving parts! How difficult is it to realize that we need to move away from this kind of technology that's so susceptible to failure and impact shock. No thanks, I'll stick to solid state technology until something more future forward comes along.

[Ignatius Posted Feb 12th 2008 10:07AM]

I'm glad someone had the balls to say it. This is absolutely ridiculous, I'd rather have prices go down on real NAND flash than have moving parts. It's better to pay a premium for the real stuff than go with this stupid step backwards.

[boriquajake Posted Feb 12th 2008 12:01PM]

I don't know, are we sure that shock and vibration have the type of deleterious effect on structures at that scale? I mean, in theory I agree that moving parts = bad but this isn't inches of spinning platters this is nanometers of silicon. How do structures of that size respond to shaking and being dropped?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 4:58PM]

All moving parts adhere to the same laws of physics, although this will probably be more stable than our current disks. Aside from that, the article states that this technology isn't even as fast as solid state, so either way it's a step backward.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 10:25AM]

It sure would be nice to have 100 GB in my new little Eee PC. Apparently this is the future for the UMPC -- and a very productive future it will be. . . .

[initialxy Posted Feb 12th 2008 10:28AM]

wait, it is gonna be cheaper?

[initialxy Posted Feb 12th 2008 10:32AM]

i meant, how much cheaper

[TIMMAH Posted Feb 12th 2008 12:39PM]

I can see the commercial now...

"Hey I can hear it clicking!"

"Yeah that's how you know it's working!"

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 12:52PM]

could this be used on next gen consoles? cuz the Xbox 720 or PS4 could use these? n since they won't come out until 2010-2012 time frame it should be cheaper by then.That would really bring a change in video game graphics.

[Peter F Posted Feb 12th 2008 5:00PM]

A storage medium affects a graphic card how exactly?

[EJ A Posted Feb 12th 2008 6:16PM]

5 years, 1TB?... sooner, please?

But seriously, this is a great step towards selling laptops with flash drives regularly.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2008 8:23PM]

Cool!