Another Format Bites The Dust: Sony Discontinues Floppy Disks [Memory]

What, wait? Sony's been churning out floppy disks all these years? And 12 million were sold last year in Japan alone? I guess that's not enough though—as Sony Japan will cease selling them March 2011.
[Gizmodo via Akihabara News]

Storing Your Data For a Billion Years [Memory]

As concerned as we are about memory, we haven't done much to preserve it. Most of our hard drives don't last past 30 years. But soon, using diamond-like carbon nanotubes, even your Gizmodo comments could last practically forever.

The solution, discovered by researchers at the University of California, takes an entirely new approach to data storage. The proposed device would place a microscopic iron crystal inside a carbon nanotube. With the application of an electric signal of just a few volts, the iron nanoparticle moves back and forth along the tube, registering a binary '1' or '0' depending on its position, basically acting as data bits.


While it's a theoretical solution right now, the scientists who created it are confident that we'll someday see a practical application. And when we do, because of the project's nanoscale nature, we may be able to store 25 DVDs' worth of information on a postage stamp-sized storage device.

The prospect of billion-year storage is fascinating and a little terrifying. Do I want researchers ten thousand years from now combing through my drunken tweets? Actually: maybe. Because when our robot overlords comb through the records and find this post, they'll know that I've always been fully supportive of their cold, steely, logical reign. [Gizmodo via Science via Wired]

SanDisk shipping 64GB SD card [SD]

To those with HD camcorders that record to SD cards, prepare to rejoice. SanDisk has announced it is now shipping its new line of SD media cards, the Ultra SDXC, complete with 64 gigabytes of storage capacity. The new XC line of SD cards, which is said to be able to grow to 2 TB — yes, terabytes — of storage, boasts a 15 MB/sec throughput rate and can store up to 9 hours of HD video. SanDisk’s SDXC cards are based on the SD 3.0 specifications for maximum compatibility, and use the exFAT file system. Canon has already publicly said that all of its future VIXIA camcorders and PowerShot cameras will be compatible with the newer, more potent XC cards. We have SanDisk’s official press release queued up for you after the break.
[BGR via PocketLint]

The Swiss Army SIM: SK Telecom Squeezes Storage, CPU and Android OS Onto One Card [Android]

This magic SIM card from SK Telecom is a long way off from being commercially viable. But so help me, when someone stuffs this much information into a single SIM, I'm going to stand up and take notice.

Packed into this protoype are a processor, memory, 1GB flash storage, and Android OS. That's enough to keep your entire mobile world into one SIM, making switching phones the simplest thing in the world. You could also use it to easily switch off information between your handset and your netbook.

Of course, it also means that losing your phone would come with its own additional host of problems. Though by the time this would actually be available, it's likely that all your most important stuff would be in the cloud anyway.

I'm looking at you, AT&T SIM in my phone. I'm looking at you with equal parts pity and regret.

[Gizmodo via PC World via Engadget]

Intel and Micron's 25nm NAND Flash: The Secret to Cheap SSDs [SSD]

Intel and Micron's IMFT joint venture's just announced they've started producing NAND flash using 25nm transistors—they're pushing 8GB on a single die—with products shipping sometime this year in fatter capacities (up to 600GB). In English:
Using the smaller 25nm manufacturing process, they can get roughly twice as much storage in the same amount of space as the current 34nm flash manufacturing tech. More storage in the same amount of space, as we learned before, doesn't just mean more storage, it means more storage for cheaper.
[Gizmodo via Anandtech]

Panasonic's Moves Into the SDXC Era with 64GB Flash Cards [Storage]

It appears Panasonic will be first to market with their 64 gigabyte SDXC card, announcing that it, along with a 48 GB model, will be available in February 2010.
The new flash cards will beat Toshiba's own 64 GB SDXC cards, which were announced in august with a release date of 'Spring 2010.' Of course, at $600 and $450, respectively, only a select few will be able to take advantage of their increased capacities and improved read/write speeds of 22 MB/s. The 64 gig card is capable of holding 8.5 hours of 1080p home video.
[Gizmodo]

Flexible Flash Memory Gets Us One Step Closer to Bendy Computing [Flash]

This organic flash memory from researchers at the University of Tokyo has got me dreaming in flex-o-vision.
Takeyo Someya, Tsuyoshi Sekitani and their team have placed memory cells on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) sheet that can bend with a curvature radius up to 6mm before causing any mechanical or electrical degradation. We're still pretty far from seeing this research being used in practical applications—in its current form, the organic flash memory has a memory retention of only a day. But at some point, the researchers say, we'll be seeing it used for large-area sensors, electronic paper and other large-area electronic devices. [Gizmodo via Tech-On via Engadget]

HP, Dell, and Lenovo Adding SDXC Card Readers to New Laptops? [SDXC]

The new SDXC standard (which theoretically tops out at 2TB) replaces SDHC in 2010, and according to DailyTech, some of the bigger laptop makers may add SDXC support to their upcoming laptops with 32nm Core i5/i7 processors.
Toshiba's long had 64GB SDXC cards in the works, and with claimed read speeds of 60MB/s (yep, megabytes) and write speeds of 35MB/s—upgrading your storage is about to get a whole lot easier.
[Gizmodo via DailyTech via Electronista]

Samsung's New Ultra Slim 30-Nanometer Flash Memory Chips Will Cause Gadget Shrinkage [Flash Memory]

With stacks of eight being only 0.6mm thick, Samsung's new 30-nanometer NAND chips are practically anorexic, but for once that's a good thing. Thinner chips like these could bring smaller gadgets and hopefully also lead to lower SSD prices.
According to Samsung, their new chips are actually the slimmest ever and '40% thinner and lighter than a conventional memory package.' Whether those details are true or not, I look forward to seeing them hit the market and start slipping into newer, smaller gadgets.
[Gizmodo via Information Week via Engadget]

The First USB 3.0 Flash Drive Is a Wide Load [Usb 3.0]

Super Talent's first USB 3.0 flash drive, is huge—about the same size as Corsair's Voyager, in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes. It'll push those gigs of Zatoichi rips at 4.8Gbps, or about 10x faster than USB 2.0.
Of course, you need a computer running one of these motherboards or cards, since Intel's dragging ass on a standard it helped developed. And you might as well pick up one of these hard drives too, while you're at it. [Gizmodo via Register]

Lexar announces new 600x Compact Flash cards

Lexar announced their new 600x compact flash cards today. It’s not unexpected that the faster speed memory cards are coming out, given the UDMA requirements of cameras like the Canon 7D.
The new Lexar cards have a amazing 90MB/s transfer rate when used in a device that supports the new UDMA 6 protocol. This is particularly important for the generation of cameras that shoot video, since the write speed is critical when you are shooting in HD.
The new cards are available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB sizes. The 8GB and 16GB cards are available now, the 32GB should be available in November. The 8GB version sells for $149, the 16GB version sells for $249. There isn’t any pricing available for 32GB version, but you can safely assume it will not be cheap.
You can read the press release here.
[CrunchGear]

SanDisk Starts Shipping X4 Flash Cards, Will Eventually Be Awesome [Flash]

SanDisk's X4 tech packs four bits of data into each memory cell, compared with the typical one or two bits. That means they'll be able to far exceed the 32GB limit on SDHC, microSDHC and others, and they've started shipping.
Right now, they're only shipping in 8GB and 16GB capacities, which have been long available, but soon they'll be releasing 64GB and even higher flash memory. The X4 tech doesn't yet extend to SSDs, though it's not really clear why, but it's still great news for us gadget hounds. Many smartphones, especially those running Android, WinMo and BlackBerry OS, rely on microSDHC cards for memory, and a 64GB or even higher capacity card would make those much more viable as, say, multimedia machines. SanDisk assures us that the price will not skyrocket, which is a relief. X4 chips should start appearing in stores very soon. [Gizmodo via CNET]

Bluetooth Headset Hides Super Ultra Secret microSD Reader [Headsets]

So you never grew up to hide lasers, explosives and gadgets in every known orifice like James Bond. But maybe you'd find a microSDHC reader in your Bluetooth headset to be handy. And that dream is only $40 away. [Gizmodo via Brando]

SanDisk ExtremePro CompactFlash Cards Are Extremely Fast and Extremely Expensive [Digital Cameras]

The best $50 I've spent in a month was on a roomier CompactFlash card for video-taking DSLRs, but it looks like I should've waited: SanDisk's new ExtremePro line push 90MB/second read/write speeds and comes in 16, 32 and 64GB sizes.
All that speed is expensive: The ExtremePro cards start at $300. If you want a card that's still damn quick but less pricey, SanDisk also has the new SanDisk extreme, which read/writes at 60MB/s and comes in 8, 16 and 32GB sizes, starting at a more manageable $130.

SANDISK EXTREME PRO COMPACTFLASH MEMORY CARD RAISES BAR FOR PROFESSIONAL GRADE PERFORMANCE, CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY
World's Fastest High-Capacity Memory Card Features SanDisk
Power Core Controller That Optimizes Card Endurance and
Boosts Read/Write Speed to up to 90MB/s
Milpitas, Calif., Sept. 14, 2009 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today introduced a new line of SanDisk Extreme® Pro™ CompactFlash® memory cards (http://tinyurl.com/mdjlmm), setting a new standard for fast, reliable, high-capacity memory cards designed for professional photographers. SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards feature a new SanDisk® Power Core Controller™, an advanced memory controller that enables lightning-fast read and write speeds of up to 90MB/s1, doubling the performance from previous SanDisk high-end camera memory cards. The cards are shipping worldwide now with storage capacities ranging from 16 gigabytes (GB)2 to 64GB.
'The new SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash line is the direct result of SanDisk's passion, commitment, and break-through engineering innovation to provide best-in-class flash memory cards for professional photography,' said Eric Bone, vice president, retail product marketing, SanDisk. 'The SanDisk Power Core Controller delivers unmatched write speed and reliability, providing photographers with a spectacular combination of performance, capacity and peace of mind that images are safely stored.'
SanDisk develops its flash controllers and memory chips together, allowing the company to perfectly match and fine-tune the two technologies throughout the testing process, resulting in high-performance products with industry-leading endurance. The SanDisk Power Core Controller brings numerous benefits to the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards, including:
High-Performance: The SanDisk® Power Core™ Controller's dual-lane architecture and software algorithms double card performance, enabling the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards' read/write speeds of up to 90MB/s over a UDMA-6 bus.
Increased Reliability: The SanDisk Power Core Controller's firmware algorithms and 42-bit ECC engine maintain data integrity and extended card endurance through optimized wear leveling.
Simplified Design: To further increase overall card durability, the SanDisk Power Core Controller features an integrated design that requires fewer individual components on the card's printed circuit board.
Professional-Grade Memory:
Faster read and write speeds mean more opportunities to capture the winning shot and less time spent offloading gigabytes of photos afterwards. Large storage capacity enables photographers to capture RAW format images and high-definition video clips in a single session without running out of space.
This unique combination of speed and capacity makes the new line of cards well suited for professional usage models involving large amounts of data and tight deadlines. The SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards' 16 to 64GB capacity range offers the storage space needed to allow extended shooting sessions without having to reload.
'As a professional sports photographer, I rely on a speedy camera and high-performance SanDisk Extreme Pro cards to capture as many images as possible within a few seconds using continuous burst mode,' says Jeff Lewis, professional photographer and member of the SanDisk Extreme Team (http://tinyurl.com/kv7w6n). 'How fast you can download and edit images from the cards makes a big difference when it comes to getting sports images distributed. The first images out of the media room tend to be the ones that get picked up. Speed really counts for getting selected by the top photo editors.'
Renowned for their world-class durability, SanDisk Extreme cards guarantee operation at extended temperatures ranging from minus 13 F (minus 25 C) to 185 F (85 C). SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards feature RTV Silicone coating for added protection against moisture and humidity. The cards can withstand accidental drops of up to nine feet, and carry a lifetime limited warranty.3
SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards are fully compatible with any camera, card reader or other device that supports CompactFlash cards.4 The SanDisk Extreme Pro ExpressCard™ Adapter is optimized to take advantage of the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash card's up to 90MB/s read speed. The reader carries an MSRP of $49.99 and will be available in late October on SanDisk.com and at select retailers.
Pricing and Availability
SanDisk is also introducing new SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash cards (http://tinyurl.com/mdjlmm) at increased performance of previous SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards. The new SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro cards represent the step beyond SanDisk Extreme III and SanDisk Extreme IV cards, respectively.
SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash cards will be available in capacities of 8GB to 32GB and MSRP ranging from about $130 to $375 in the US market, while SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards will be available in capacities of 16GB to 64GB and MSRP ranging from about $300 to $800 in the US market. Exact pricing for the cards will be set by retailers.
CompactFlash Card Line: SanDisk Extreme
Performance1: 60MB/s read/write speed (400x)
Available Capacity2: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
CompactFlash Card Line: SanDisk Extreme Pro
Performance: 90MB/s read/write speed (600x)
Available Capacity: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards, from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk's product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.

[SanDisk]