SanDisk Corporation is introducing a line of flash memory-based solid-state drives (SSDs) that are designed for an emerging new category of portable consumer electronics – called Ultra Low-Cost PCs (ULCPC) or “netbooks” – that allow users to have an enhanced experience while easily surfing the Internet using wireless communication.
The SanDisk pSSD (Parallel ATA solid state drive) eliminates the need for a hard disk drive and can store both the operating system and application data for these new devices.
The company is making the new SSD modules available in 4-, 8- and 16-gigabyte (GB) capacities, with a streaming read speed of 39 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a streaming write performance of 17MB/s.
Supporting both Linux and Microsoft Windows XP operating systems, SanDisk’s pSSD solid state drives are expected to be available starting in August.
ULCPCs are smaller than a conventional notebook computer but larger than a smartphone, easy to carry and cost in the range of US$250 to US$350. These devices enable consumers to browse the Internet on the go, with a user interface that replicates that of larger PCs.
Originally, ULCPCs were developed as low-cost computing solutions for school children in developing nations. But the diminutive devices have caught on with adults, and now manufacturers are rolling out devices that are designed for general consumer use.
