Micron
Latest
The big memory cube gamble: IBM and Micron stack their chips
Manufacturers have been murmuring about 3D memory chips for years, but an escalation in recent radio chatter suggests the technology is on the cusp of becoming commercial. Intel unveiled a Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) at IDF, which promises seven times the energy efficiency of today's DDR3, and now IBM and Micron have shown their hand too. The pair just struck up a partnership to produce cubes using layers of DRAM connected by vertical conduits known as through-silicon vias (TSVs). These pillars allow a 90 percent reduction in a memory chip's physical footprint, a 70 percent cut in its appetite for energy, and -- best of all -- a radical increase in bandwidth: HMC prototypes have already scored 128Gb/s 128GB/s, which makes 6Gb/s SATA III look like a bottleneck. It certainly sounds like a game-changer, unless of course some rival technology like ferroelectric memory gets there first. Update: Doh, sorry for the wrong caps, which were shrunken by a factor of eight. For comparison, current high-level DRAM delivers around 12.8GB/s. [Thanks, Maximilian]
Intel 4004, world's first commercial microprocessor, celebrates 40th birthday, ages gracefully
Pull out the candles and champagne, because the Intel 4004 is celebrating a major birthday today -- the big four-oh. That's right, it's been exactly four decades since Intel unveiled the world's first commercially available CPU, with an Electronic News ad that ran on November 15th, 1971. It all began in 1969, when Japan's Nippon Calculating Machine Corporation asked Intel to create 12 chips for its Busicom 141-PF calculator. With that assignment, engineers Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff and Stanley Mazor set about designing what would prove to be a groundbreaking innovation -- a 4-bit, 16-pin microprocessor with a full 2,300 MOS transistors, and about 740kHZ of horsepower. The 4004's ten micron feature size may seem gargantuan by contemporary standards, but at the time, it was rather remarkable -- especially considering that the processor was constructed from a single piece of silicon. In fact, Faggin was so proud of his creation that he decided to initial its design with "FF," in appropriate recognition of a true work of art. Hit up the coverage links below for more background on the Intel 4004, including a graphic history of the microprocessor, from the Inquirer.
Engadget Primed: SSDs and you
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. You can follow the series here. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. If you're a storage aficionado -- and who here isn't? -- you've probably heard a lot about SSDs, those friendly solid-state disks promising dramatically improved performance over their magnetically inclined brethren. No doubt you've heard about the advantages, thanks to NAND storage that makes them silent, shock resistant, energy efficient and lightning quick. Yet you've also heard the horror stories: drive slowdowns, controller failures and manufacturer recalls. And adding to all those anxiety-producing headlines, there's the price premium. While most magnetic drives average around a nickel or dime per gigabyte, even consumer-grade SSDs still run $1-2 per gigabyte, often for drastically smaller-capacity drives. Three years ago, Intel launched its X25-M and X18-M: the "M" stood for "mainstream," and the pair of drives were designed to reintroduce solid-state storage to a cost-conscious consumer market. (Perhaps more importantly, they were also meant to solidify Intel's standing in the nascent SSD realm, up to that point a chaotic, Wild West-style domain. But we'll get to that.) For most users magnetic drives still remain king, with solid states appealing primarily to a niche of enterprise IT professionals and modding enthusiasts. How did that happen -- and should it be different? After the break we'll look at how and why SSDs haven't (yet) conquered the storage world, and examine whether they're poised to do just that.
Micron adds self-encryption to RealSSD C400, protects plans for world domination from prying eyes
Micron may think it's simply "bolstering user security" but, if you ask us, it seems like the company is providing the machines with a tool to protect their plans for insurrection. The RealSSD C400 SED has a special, security-focused firmware and hardware-based AES-256-bit encryption that keeps all of its precious data safe from prying eyes. The hardware self-encryption solution also frees up a computer's processor to focus on more important tasks (like planing the enslavement of mankind), rather than waste precious resources on protecting sensitive information. The C400 SED will ship sometime during Q4 in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB varieties. Price has yet to be announced, but we're not sure that Skynet really cares what the cost is. After all, it can just tell Micron's order-processing system to send a bunch out free of charge.
Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second
Speed may be a relative thing, but whatever you choose to compare Micron's new RealSSD P320h series to, you'll probably find them pretty competitive. Coming in 350GB and 700GB capacities, these PCI Express solid state drives can process data at a rate of 3GB per second and write it at a no less impressive 2GBps. If you're more interested in input / output operations per second, the P320h clocks in at 750,000 IOPS when running Linux or 650,000 with Windows Server as the OS. You don't need us to tell you that both numbers represent screaming-fast performance. Such mighty feats are achieved with the use of 34nm SLC NAND flash memory and Micron's own controller chip. Samples of the P320h are trickling out now and mass production is coming in the third quarter of 2011, and while no pricing info has been offered yet, it's safe to say you'll be needing your company CFO's blessing before making any P320h purchases. Video and full PR after the break.
Crucial releases m4 SSDs, prices them between $130 and $1,000
Been yearning for more affordable solid state storage built on an even smaller production process? Crucial's now ready to sate your weirdly specific wants with its 25nm NAND flash-filled m4 SSD, which it has priced at the reasonable level of $130 for a 64GB unit. The company describes it as the fastest drive it has yet introduced, and although early reviews pointed out it'd lost something in read speeds relative to the previous generation, the new m4's improved write speeds and general performance should certainly make that a compelling entry price. More ambitious archivists will be looking to the 128GB and 256GB models, priced at $250 and $500, respectively, while those without a budget will also be given the option to splash $1,000 on a 512GB m4 SSD. All four varieties come in a standard 2.5-inch form factor, support 6Gbps SATA transfers, and are rated to reach read speeds of 415MBps. Availability is immediate and worldwide, so hit the Crucial link below if you're keen on getting one for yourself. Full PR after the break.
Intel and Micron announce new 20nm NAND Flash manufacturing process
You didn't think Intel and Micron would just rest on their laurels after starting 25nm flash production last year, did you? The two are now back with an even more impressive 20nm process, and an 8GB MLC NAND device that measures just 118mm² and allows for a 30 to 40 percent reduction in board space. Of course, those 8GB chips can also be combined for far more storage, so you can count on seeing even higher capacity phones, tablets and SSDs sometime after production kicks off in the in second half of 2011. At that point, Intel and Micron also plan to show off a 16GB device that promises to allow for 128GB of storage in a solid-state storage solution smaller than a postage stamp. Full press release is after the break.
Lexar intros JumpDrive S70, V10 and bacterial-shielding S50 USB keys
Another day at CES 2011, another release from Lexar Media. This go 'round, the memory outfit is dishing out a three-pack of JumpDrives, with the S70, S50 and V10 all seeing significant redesigns and subtle enhancements to make 'em their own men. The S70 touts a retractable connector design and gives users the ability to create multiple password-protected area (deemed 'Encrypted Vaults'); they'll ship in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB sizes, but pricing remains a mystery. Moving on, the bacteria-hating S50 ships with a layer of Microban antimicrobial protection, which is said to resist the growth of mold on its 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. Somewhat gross to ponder, but what else is there to think on when no MSRPs are handed out? Lastly, the V10 boasts a translucent cap and will ship in a variety of colors / sizes. The whole crew should hit retail in Q1 2011, and the release that says as much is after the break.
Lexar unveils 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card, quick-fingered Android users celebrate
Lexar. It's Where Memory Matters. And it's also the only game in town to introduce a Class 10 microSDHC card. For those currently using an Android phone with a user-accessible microSD slot, you've probably gritted your teeth on a number of occasions waiting for your current Class 2 or Class 4 card to catch up with your demands. It's one of the downfalls to removable storage, but thankfully, the device you see above looks to us like a glistening solution. The 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card promises a minimum sustained write speed of 10MB per second and a read speed of nearly 20MB per second, which should all but eliminate any lag from loading up your favorite playlist. Lexar plans on shipping this guy with preloaded software to manage and sync stored images and videos, and speaking of shipping, it should be available right now on Amazon for $149.99.
Micron debuts RealSSD C400 drives using 25nm NAND technology
What's "bringing excitement back into personal computing" more than anything else? According to Micron, it's SSDs, and it says it's now "accelerating this enthusiasm" with its new RealSSD C400 drives. Those are apparently the industry's first drives to use 25 nanometer NAND technology, which naturally brings with it a number of benefits -- namely, storage capacities from 64GB to 512GB (in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch sizes), peak read speeds of 415 MB/second, and write speeds varying by drive (the 512GB hits 260MB/s). No word on prices just yet, but Micron expects mass production to begin in February, and the drives will also sold by Micron's Crucial division as the m4 SSD in the first quarter of the year. Update: Hot Hardware managed a hands-on with this bad boy, and there's a video proving it just after the break.
Lexar reveals Echo MX and ZX USB 'no-touch' backup drives
One-touch backup? Pssh. That's so 2010. Lexar is revealing its second CES introduction this morning with the uncovering of its Echo MX and ZX high-speed backup devices. Both units provide 'no-touch backup' along with 128-bit AES encryption, with the MX offering an always-on capacity meter, built-in Echo backup software and speeds of up to 28MB/s (read) and 10MB/s (write). It'll play nice with both Mac and PC platforms and will ship later this quarter in capacities of 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB (priced from $44.99 to $499.99). Taking things down a notch (from a volumetric perspective, anyway), the ZX USB nub is designed to remain plugged into your system at all times, continually backing things up in the event of an all-too-sudden disaster. This guy should ship prior to the summertime in capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB, with prices ranging from $44.99 to $139.99. The full release is after the break.
Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND
Solid state storage is fantastic stuff, durable and lightning-quick, but it's got its fair share of quirks -- bits fail, pages fill up, and cells deteriorate over time. Typically, the onus is on a beefy controller to take care of your drive and make sure it lasts a good long while (which is why brand names like SandForce can make or break an SSD) but it looks like Micron is planning to usurp some of that responsibility with its new ClearNAND chips. Simply put, each ClearNAND memory module has a built-in 24-bit error correction engine, so your drive's host controller doesn't have to shoulder that load, and can focus on the good stuff -- like getting your data delivered at speeds that would obliterate traditional hard drives. Micron says the new chips are available right now in 25nm sizes. Want a more technical rundown? Hit up our more coverage link to hear what this might mean for the error-prone future of the medium. PR after the break.
Micron introduces V100 LCOS projector, WQVGA in an 8.5cc package
Projector-phones are still a rare commodity, despite the array of tiny projectors available to shove in the things. Micron is now beaming a picture of its hat into the ring, announcing the V100 LCOS projector. It's a wee thing, measuring just 33 x 31 x 12mm, pumping out five lumens of light at a resolution of 320 x 240 while pulling down just 1.5 watts of power. The big deal here is integrated circuitry that takes care of any processing required to display images, meaning no additional drain on your already over-taxed mobile processor. No word on availability or what this will cost manufacturers to stuff in their devices, but we'd like to see a few more pixels out of it before it goes mainstream.
Hitachi-LG unveils 2nd generation hybrid optical drive with flash-based storage to boot
The Hitachi-LG Data Storage joint venture has itself fostered yet another mixed product, combining both an optical disk drive and flash storage into a single form factor. The 2nd generation of its Hybrid Drive uses Micron's 25nm NAND flash memory in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB capacities (with those figures to rise in later iterations, naturally) and can be united with either DVD or Blu-ray players -- perfect for laptops and other portable devices with just one drive to spare. (The one stretched out on display, pictured above, was a 12.7mm slim DVD-RW tray type). Hitachi housed samples of the drive at its CEATEC booth and even showed off a few example products (first generation drive, too). Care to see what could be under the hood of a future purchase? Pictures below. %Gallery-104372%
Researchers create pixels eight times smaller than the Retina Display
You might be pretty proud of your iPhone 4's Retina Display, and those teensy pixels 4x smaller than the already good-looking usual Apple displays. Or maybe you're looking forward to seeing the Retina installed in some of Apple's other products at the event later this week. But like most consumer electronics these days, that display isn't quite state-of-the-art. Researchers at the University of Michigan have created a display with nanometer-thin sheets of metal (called nanoresonators) that use slits to create pixels eight times smaller than the pixels currently on the iPhone 4. To show off their work, the University of Michigan researchers created their school's logo on a display only 9 microns tall (a strand of human hair is about 100 microns wide, so the display itself could fit inside the period at the end of this sentence). Crazy. You have to wonder what an iPhone-sized display would look like with a resolution like that (or if we'd even tell the difference, given that our eyes have a limit on the amount of detail they can discern). Obviously, this is strictly a research project at this point -- creating all of the "nanoresonators" required to make a fullsize display would probably cost a lot more than the iPhone 4 actually does. Maybe it's something to look forward to for the iPhone 5, 6 or 7.
Firmware corruption probe implicates at least one RealSSD C300
We don't know too many folks who shelled out the dosh for Crucial's RealSSD C300, so perhaps it's no surprise that we haven't heard too many complaints about the thing. We do know at least one high roller who got his hands on one, however, and for him things are definitely not going so swimmingly. In fact, our friend Anand is apparently the proud owner of one such device that just "decided to up and stop working one day." That's not good! While the cause has yet to be determined, Crucial has been in contact and seems to think that errors in the firmware tables have resulted in a drive that is now very, very slow at powering up. It's not clear whether or not this is going to be a common problem, but if the same thing happens to you perhaps you can sleep easily that at least there's the possibility of saving your data. Or maybe you're just kicking yourself for spending $800 on an SSD. Either way, Mr. AnandTech shares insight into this -- and more, including poor performance after TRIMing the LBAs on his replacement SSD. Exciting, huh? Hit the source link to see for yourself. [Thanks, Aristo]
Crucial's 6Gbps RealSSD C300 goes on sale, costs as much as a decent laptop
You've gone for the 64GB of quad-channel DDR7 RAM, you've got your Core i26 processor, and you're running a triple pack of those Radeon Ultra HD 9000 cards in CrossFire. But something's missing from your speed demon machine -- could a $799 SSD be the answer? Crucial would have you believe that, yes, splashing all your rent money on a 256GB storage drive is a totally worthwhile investment, and early reviews of the RealSSD C300 revealed it to be "holy mother of god" fast. So no qualms about its speed, but if your benchmark lust knows some budgetary bounds, you may want to consider the slightly more reasonable 128GB variant, which comes in at $499. Both are available right this minute direct from Crucial, so either go buy one or stop this torture and go distract yourself with something cheaper. [Thanks, Rick]
RealSSD C300 tested, offers sublime speed at superlative prices
It's been a few months since Micron became the second to introduce the world's first SATA 6Gbps hard drive (Seagate was the other), and regardless about who was earliest we now know which is currently the fastest. TweakTown put a Crucial-branded C300 through its paces and came to a rather simple conclusion: "At this point in time there is no other drive, platter or solid state that is in the same league as the Crucial RealSSD C300." It blitzed through all their tests and at the end, when others would be a smoking ruin of high access times, it still performed as good as new. There was one catch, though: Windows Media Player performance was abnormally low, something that testers believe is a glitch to be addressed in firmware. Other than that, if you want the best this is it. But can you afford it? A 128GB model will set you back $499, and the 256GB one is $799. Yeah, ouch.
Intel swings 25nm factory doors open for a tour de fab
Intel and Micron's recent announcement that their collective superhero body, appropriately named IM Flash, is sampling 25nm flash chips has been accompanied with a whirlwind tour of their Utah production facilities for a few lucky journalists. PC Perspective bring us the atmospheric photo above, along with some videos, as they prance about one of the most hallowed (and cleanest) environments known to gadget lovers. Apart from the die shrink, the lads also discuss Intel's reputed plans for a G3 SSD refresh some time "later this year" with snappier controllers onboard, which apparently was echoed by Micron who also intend to pump out faster processors with their SSD products. While you wait for all that to happen, hit the source link to find out how and where the stuff that gets put inside SSDs is made.
Intel and Micron start 25nm flash production; SSDs to get cheap, huge
Intel and Micron have a history of pushing the state-of-the-art in flash storage -- their joint venture IMFT was responsible for the first sub-40nm NAND flash and bringing it to production -- and it looks they've done it again: IMFT is now sampling two-bits-per-cell 25nm NAND, which will eventually push prices down and capacities up when volume production begins in Q2. We'll have to see how pricing works out -- 25nm is something like twice the storage density per dollar, so we're hopeful -- but at the very least Intel's third-gen X25-M will come in 160GB, 320GB, and 600GB sizes when it launches in Q4 using these new chips. Yeah, we're going to want one. AnandTech has the full breakdown, hit the read link for more.
