Super Parked » Brooke Crothers

Dell first: 256GB solid-state drive on laptops

Brooke Crothers — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Updated at 11 p.m. PST with information about Apple.

Dell is doing its part to usher in the age of the super-sized solid-state drive. For the first time, Dell laptops can be configured with the newest large-capacity SSDs from Samsung.

Back in the day (last January), laptop buyers were ...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Nvidia in, Intel out for Apple Mac Mini?

Brooke Crothers — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:50:00 +0000

Is Nvidia elbowing out Intel at Apple again? Will the same Nvidia GeForce 9400M chip that caused a small sensation when it dislodged Intel graphics silicon in the MacBook line land in the Mac Mini too?

Is Nvidia coming to the Mac Mini?

(Credit: Nvidia, Apple)

Tom's Hardware is speculating ...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Buyer beware: Solid-state drive prices vary–a lot

Brooke Crothers — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Some solid-state drives are more equal than others--or, to put it another way, command higher prices than rival drives, despite being seemingly quite similar.

SanDisk's G3 Series of SSDs offer capacities up to 240GB

(Credit: SanDisk)

SanDisk and Toshiba offer a good lesson. At the Consumer Electronics Show ...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Finalized speedy USB 3.0 spec debuts

Brooke Crothers — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:00:00 +0000

25GB in 70 seconds. That's the torrid transfer rate consumers can expect with devices based on the USB 3.0 specification, which debuted Monday.

USB 3.0 SuperSpeed logo as shown at WinHEC 2008.

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

As reported previously, the USB Promoter Group delivered the final "SuperSpeed" USB 3.0 specification and a "comprehensive review" of the technology at a conference.

Intel, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, and NEC are the leading players in the group.

Among the initial devices, external solid-state (flash) drives and hard drives are expected to be popular. "The first SuperSpeed USB devices will likely include data storage devices such as flash (solid-state drives), external hard drives, digital music players, and digitial cameras," the group said.

Products aren't coming until 2010, however. "It is anticipated that initial SuperSpeed USB discrete controllers will appear in the second half of 2009 and consumer products will appear in 2010," according to the group.

"The USB 3.0 Promoter Group is now accepting adopters of the USB 3.0 specification, which has been finalized at the 1.0 level," the group added.

As its name (SuperSpeed) implies, USB 3.0 is all about speed. About 10 times more speed, to be exact, than the 2.0 specification.

...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Speedy USB 3.0 spec to be unveiled

Brooke Crothers — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:28:00 +0000

The next-generation USB specification is slated to be introduced later this month.

On November 17 the SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) Developers Conference, hosted by the USB Implementers Forum in San Jose, Calif., will unveil the USB 3.0 specification to the industry, according to a statement Wednesday from the ...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Intel, Asus want laptop designs from you

Brooke Crothers — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:03:00 +0000

Intel and Asus have launched a site that seeks collaborators for "community designed" PCs.

The two companies say consumers can become product designers at WePC, a Web site launched Wednesday. Participants can collaborate with each other and with Intel and Asus to "design innovative new products," the companies said.

The ...

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog