3 bit-per-cell NAND is sampled out the manufacturers.  The 3 bit per cell is exactly that, 3 bits of information are stored in each NAND cell.  This increased the capacity while keeping the foot print the same size.  This ultimately leads to larger storage capacity at a cheaper price.  Traditionally, SLC [Single Layer Cell] and MLC [Multi Layer Cell] technology is used is USB and SD flash, but we will begin to see TLC [Triple Layer Cell or 3 bit per cell] technology have a full roll-out by the end of this year.

Over the past 18 months the biggest problem with TLC is the stability of the memory and performance, but Intel and Micron feel they overcame those problems and ready for production.  More with their press release: (more…)

From a recent report published by Trefis, it appears that SanDisk stock price might be a good buy right now.  Now this article isn’t as much about buying the stock as it is about seeing the market share of SanDisk.

First, to be accurate for the article here is a quote from the full report:

“We currently have a Trefis price estimate of around $50 for SanDisk’s stock, about 11% above the current market price of around $45.”

Trefis goes on to report the market share SanDisk has for the flash memory market and in the retail space.  It seems clear with the ever growing popularity of the Smartphones, the number one category SanDisk owns, will continue to grow.  To me, it also indicates the relationship SanDisk has with retail segments is largely with the cell phone companies such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others and this is a big driving force in that number one position.

Source:  Trefis.

NAND memory grew at a fast pace until 2006, then the core memory market got mature and slowed down.  The NAND segment makes up most the market with SD formats consuming about 50% of the market share, with MP3, USB and CF media making the balance.

In 2007, supply overtook demand and this trend continues in 2008 and in also 2009 this trend is expected to continue owing to high bit growth in supply. The impact of financial crises is still diffusing, and the consumer confidence is relatively low with the global recession. In United States NAND flash shipments have declined due to changing technologies and adverse market conditions. Flash memory prices are increasing which is affecting demand and supply.

SSD is one of the applications of flash memory which is gaining market demand and is expected to perform as a key growth driver in near future. Portable applications such as UFD, MP3, DSC and DV Cam are major product categories leading to rise in demand of flash memory worldwide.

To learn more about the NAND flash memory market please visit AARKStore for more details.  Cost is $850.

Into your home, work place, car and everywhere else, that’s where.  ABI Research company has forecasted over 81 million USB wireless modems will be sold in 2010.  Currently over 50% of those sales figures are from cellular companies pushing their services for hotspots and instant wifi connection when out-n-about.

The biggest reason for the USB modem is lack of required drivers, as it’s either preinstalled on the device or installs directly from the device.  In addition, the USB modem is portable and easily swapped between work and home locations.

ABI asks whether embedded modem modules in new computers or the recent interest in personal hotspot routers (a la MiFi) can overtake the popularity of USB dongles. Research associate Khin Sandi Lynn points out that, “In the long run, more devices are looking for a network to connect to. The wireless modem market can solve this in many ways – different form-factors, air interface protocols, and increased attention to style and cultural interests.”

ABI webpage.

Today I read a great article on the future of cell phones, microSD cards and wireless payments.

Imagine a purchase where you receive a coupon because you are in a specific store.  You then find the product, and go to pay.  Rather than pulling out your credit card, you simply wave your phone before a terminal and the purchase is done.  The transaction gets emailed to you, so not even a receipt is generated.  Not bad, and it isn’t far away.

US Bank, one of the leading US financial institutions, will be test piloting the program with their employees and the iPhone later this year.  If all goes well, you can see banks, phone companies and microSD manufacturers teaming up for one sweet contactless purchasing solution.

I am by no means an expert in this field, so I’ll restrain myself from regurgitating the article, but if this topic peaks your interest, jump over to NFC Times and read the entire story.  Very interesting.

If you need to recover files from a Compact Flash card then try Flash Memory Toolkit.  This software package is a free download for most features and will perform functions like read/write benchmark tests and recover files from a flash card or flash drive.

USBPerformance software will allow you to recover a file from a Compact Flash card.  This is how it works.

The utility will make a binary image of your Compact Flash card…it doesn’t matter if you can’t read the data or not, it’ll still make an image file.

Then the utility will mount the image file as a drive letter on your computer [PC only].

From here you can browse your content and recover that file from your Compact Flash card.

In most cases, when a flash card goes bad [either CF, SD, microSD or USB] the problem or error is from the partition table or the File Allocation Table.  Since this mounting of an image gets past those issues, you can get into where the files are stored…from here you can copy them out to a normal working part of your hard drive or another removable media.

Give it a go.  USB Performance website with a link directly to the file recovery page.

IC design houses Genesys Logic and Alcor Micro are expected to see their revenues grow over 20% sequentially in the second quarter of 2010 buoyed by increasing shipments of USB 3.0 controller chips, according to industry sources.

Genesys indicated that it has started shipping, in small volume, its second-generation USB 3.0-SATA bridge controllers, with the third-generation of its kind to be available in the third quarter of 2010. Overall, USB 3.0 chips will contribute over 3% to its total revenues in the second half.

Meanwhile, industry sources indicated that Alcor Micro has landed orders for USB card reader controllers for LCD TV application from a major player in Korea, which will help drive up its USB controller shipments.

Today Nexcopy announces an all new microSD duplicator product line.  We reported on the Nexcopy SD duplicator from several months ago, but that version used SD adapter cards.

The new microSD duplicator is specifically designed to handle the microSD form factor.  There are no adapter cards required.  This alone will increase production by [Nexcopy estimates] 30% because the user no longer has to insert microSD media into SD adapters, then into the duplicator.

The microSD duplicator comes with Nexcopy’s software suite for File Copy, Bit for Bit copy and full binary Verification functions.

The microSD duplicator is available in three sizes of 20 port, 40 port and 60 port target systems.  The starting price is $,1299 and available now for immediate delivery. (more…)

I have been a fan of Steampunk products for a long time.  Typically I report on a Steampunk USB version, but today I get the pleasure to include a microSD card reader.

The construction is similar to other Steampunk products we’ve seen, made of brass, copper, glass, watch parts and clock parts.  The metal connections from the brass wire outside are made with silver solder and an acetylene tourch, which gives it the unique look and feel.  In addition, the maker, put extra time into the fitting and position of the internal components for a solid product.

The Steampunk device is an 8GB flash drive with a microSD card reader at the tail end.  The technology is make of disassembled stock product where the microSD card reader is built into the flash drive.  Clearly the device will show two drive letters when connected to the computer, one for the USB stick and the other for the card reader.

So now you can obtain a Steampunk flash drive with unlimited storage ability via the microSD card reader.  Price is much higher then the stock product, but hey, you’ll never get a great looking, customized case like this Steampunk body.

Source:  Etsy.

Lets start the clock ticking for when microSD media will take over the world for flash storage.

I am still amazed at the small size of the microSD media and it’s expansive ability to keep growing in GB capacity.  Today SanDisk is officially selling the 32GB version of their microSD card.  Sure, it’s $200 USD but when you are an overseas airplane ride and need hours and hours of video content to stream through your 3 inch screen, this will be very handy.  I will forget the fact that a DVD player is less than that…but we’re talking cool factor here.

The new 32GB card makes use of SanDisk’s three-bit-per-cell storage technology and is able to hold around 7,000 songs.  That translates into 19 solid days of listenting to music, without break, 24/7.

So forget the $200 price tag and maybe you can be lucky like me and find a microSD card, 2GB capacity for $3 off Amazon.com.