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Samsung shipping high-capacity moviNAND memory samples
Samsung has announced that it's now shipping samples of its high-capacity moviNAND embedded flash memory solution, which it says will eliminate the need for for an external memory card slot in some mobile devices, namely cellphones, or give 'em a bit of extra breathing room when used in conjunction with memory cards. The system, currently available in 1GB and 2GB varieties, consists of some NAND flash memory, a multimedia card (MMC) controller, and onboard firmware, with transfer speeds promised to clock in at a speedy 52 megabytes per second. Mass production of the 1GB and 2GB moviNANDs is set to begin later this month, with 512MB and 4GB models rounding out the line-up by the end of the year. [Via Slashphone]
Samsung developing "PRAM" alternative to NAND flash memory
Classic Mac users might be familiar with the phrase: "did you zap the PRAM?" The commonly used fix-all seemed to smooth over a wide variety of troubles, but Samsung's new Phase-Change Random Access Memory has nothing to do with the Parameter RAM of yore. Instead, the new type of memory breathes fresh life into the world of non-volatile storage, with 30x the speed and 10x the lifetime of conventional NAND or NOR flash chips. Samsung just unveiled their first 512MB PRAM prototype PRAM chip, and plan to begin selling the memory in 2008. The chips cite spiffy tech specs like "vertical diodes" and "three-dimensional transistor structure" to keep size down, and the memory doesn't require old data to be erased before being written over. Supposedly the tech should be cheaper and smaller than NAND in the long-run -- which is considerable given the fact that Samsung also introduced a 32GB NAND chip today made with a 40nm process.[Via textually.org]
Samsung debuts bigger, faster MMC cards
Samsung announced a pair of new MMC card advancements today, introducing both higher density and higher performance cards for all you media-happy junkies out there. The company's touting its NAND-based MMCplus card as the most capacious in the industry, topping out at a hefty 8GB, with 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB rounding out the line. On the other side of things are a pair of decidedly smaller but speedier 1GB and 2GB cards, promising a read-speed of 40 MB/s and a write-speed of 25 MB/s, which should be enough to transfer six MP3 songs per second. Prices don't seem to have been announced, but the whole lot should be available by the end of the year.
iRiver tries to 'Wing' it with portable gaming device, still facing delays
Engadget brings word of iRiver's WiBro gaming device, the Wing (previously known as the G10). The portable underdog is again facing delays that will likely push its launch to year's end and limit its release to Korea.The Wing is packed with some impressive features, including a 4-inch LCD, compatibility with most common audio and video formats, WiFi, WiBro, and 6GB NAND flash memory, but it's crippled by a $315 price tag. iRiver is desperate for a consumer hit, but the Wing is up against stiff (and cheaper) competition.[Via Engadget]
Samsung's Q1-SSD UMPC now with NAND: only $2,430
We understand, and are even tempted by Samsung's new Q30-SSD laptop announced today flaunting that hot but pricey 32GB of solid-state NAND flash drive action. But slapping that pup into the Q1 UMPC for any reason other than the rights to another "World's First [insert product category]" placard to prop-up at trade-shows is just, well, overkill. Yeah, the Q1-SSD's instant-on media feature should now be faster (not exactly instant judging by reviews) but is that really worth the bump from an already expensive $1200 US green equiv in Korea to $2,430 -- nearly five times the target price for this market segment!? Still, these high-capacity flash drives with lower power consumption, better shock protection, and faster data access are indeed the future of ultra-portable computing. Golf-claps all around Sammy, for this glimpse into the future.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Qtek to get its HTC Muse, the S300, early
Remember the HTC Muse Windows Mobile 5.0 multimedia phone? You know, the one with 4GB of NAND storage dedicated to media files as well as dual cameras, including a 2.1 megapixel shooter with flash? Well anyway, DigiTimes is reporting that HTC will be shipping Qtek its version of the Muse, the S300 (not to be confused with Dopod's S300, based on another HTC design called the Star Trek), earlier than expected, as part of HTC's commitment to first release their HSDPA-enabled handsets in European markets. Qtek should be getting their Muses, which also sport 416MHz processors, 64MB of both RAM and ROM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM tuners, sometime in the third quarter, according to "market sources." Besides its lack of a keyboard (or even a numberpad, for that matter) and frustrating inclusion of that 240 x 240 display, the Muse looks to us like a pretty hot model, and will certainly give Nokia's N91, Sony Ericsson's W950i, and Samsung's i300 musicphones some strong competition.[Via the::unwired]
Samsung's 2GB MMCmicro cards announced, industry yawns
Samsung just laid their 2GB MMCmicro cards on the table. These little slivers of NAND-based flash memory are said to be the "fastest and highest capacity mobile phone" memory cards available... once they uh, actually ship. Come on Sammy, we're still waiting on your 1GB cards to hit the market, not to mention devices which use them before getting too worked up over this, mkay?
Samsung debuts new 32GB Flash drive
Back in September, Samsung Electronics introduced the first 16GB NAND Flash-based memory device. Today, at the Samsung Mobile Solution Forum in Taipei, the South Korean-based manufacturer demonstrated a 32GB notebook version of the solid state disk.These mini marvels require only 5% of the power needed for today's hard disk drives, and are projected to hit storage capacities of 100GB by next year. They also read data three times faster than hard disks, which will make them appealing to desktop and console gamers, as well as road warriors.
