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…)

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.

The Compact Flash Organization [site] released their new 5.0 specification earlier today.  It just blew the cap off the lid of storage limits.  The current specification for Compact Flash is 137GBs…now that is 144 Petabytes, or PBs.

Petabyte is a big number, and most people haven’t heard of it.  Well, to break it down, a petabyte is [around] 150 million Gigabytes.

Look around your house for some Blu-ray discs, that would equal six million blu-ray titles on one Compact Flash card.  I guess that means no more RAID boxes, right?  I mean, what’s better than solid state memory and storage the size of Texas?

We started doing the math on the time it would take a CF Duplicator to copy a 5.0 Compact Flash card, laughed and stopped.  There just isn’t technology out there for bulk data loading to a device like this…let alone finding a ligitimate use of putting that much information on the card anyway.

So we don’t see a practical use for the 5.0 spec yet, but there are other improvements we should get excited about.  The CFA says Revision 5.0 brings an optional quality of service framework that guarantees a certain level of performance and prevents dropping frames, more efficient cleanup of unused space, a new electrical design that better complies with ATA standards.

There’s no mention of when CompactFlash 5.0 cards will ship, but if you are still interested you can read up on the new spec here [PDF], or download the official specification for a C note. (more…)

Nexcopy released a new line of flash memory duplication systems, the CF Duplicator 150PC, 300PC and 450PC.  These PC based systems are ideal for doing bulk data loading to Compact Flash cards.

Nexcopy has some unique features to make any data loading job a breeze.  For example, you can put unique files to each CF card through their Unique Data Copy function.  Or a user can easily copy bootable Compact Flash cards by using the bit for bit Short Image copy function.  The Short Image copy function means only the data clusters used on the CF card will be copied to the target devices…rather than the entire thing.

However, Nexcopy also provides a Full Image copy function if that is required.  I’m thinking this would be good for Ext2 or Ext3 Linux formats where there are potential files that could be in any sector of the CF media.

Nexcopy CF Duplicator line starts out with the CF150PC at $1,200 with an upgrade path to the 30 port and 45 port systems.  So the CF Duplicator is modular in design.

Nexcopy also mentions a user can mix and match duplicator boxes, so you could now copy to SD media, CF media and USB sticks all through one software interface, and at the same time!  Not bad.

You can learn more by visiting the product page: CF Duplicator by Nexcopy. http://www.nexcopy.com/cf-duplicator/

Source: GetUSB.info.

Super Talent is pushing out a new line of Compact Flash cards, then CFast series.  The CFast has a maximum bandwidth of 375MBs which is nearly four times faster than a traditional high end CF card at 90MBs.

The new CFast storage card breaks the speed bottleneck between the SSD and the device by using a SATA interface. Super Talent has clocked these CFast cards at up to 200MB/sec read speeds. With a Super Talent CFast storage card installed, there will be no waiting time for the camera to catch up, and it will be much swifter to view pictures on a camera or to copy them to computer.

Measuring 36.4 x 42.8 x 3.3mm for Type I CFast storage cards and 36.4 x 42.8 x 5.0mm for Type II, the same physical dimensions as the CompactFlash card, the CFast Storage Card has a single-chip controller and flash memory module. The SATA interface consists of a 7-pin signal connector and a 17-pin power and control connector. The card operates at 3.3V.

Super Talent is offering five different CFast storage cards, 8GB and 16GB based on SLC (Single Level Cell) flash and 8GB, 16GB and 32GB based on MLC (Multi Level Cell) flash. The first generation of CFast storage cards supports transfer speeds up to 200MB/s.

Source: SuperTalent.

Yes, you read the title correct.  We now have a dual processor on Compact Flash cards.  The new SanDisk Extreme Pro clicks along at an impressive 90MB/s transfer rate.

Just what the doctor ordered for the professional photographer and photo analysis equipment applications.

So what does this mean for transfer rates?  Well consider a typical [high performance] CF card runs at 45MB/s write speed.  The new dual processor CF card runs [basically] twice as fast.

Of course the device itself is only half the equation, you still need a host who can accept such fast speeds, such as the Canon EOS 7D or Nikon D300s dSLRs to name a few.

For those who have the camera already, you might need the SanDisk Extreme Pro ExpressCard Adapter which plugs into the ExpressCard slot on laptops. Compared with typical card readers which offer up to 20MB/s transfer rates, the SanDisk adapter allows up to 90MB/s read and write speeds.

The Extreme Compact Flash series is targeted at enthusiasts and available in 8GB (S$139 (US$99.43)), 16GB (S$269 (US$192.43)) and 32GB (S$399 (US$285.43)) capacities.

For professional photographers who need fast, high-capacity media, the Extreme Pro comes in 16GB (S$413 (US$295.44)), 32GB (S$741 (US$530.08)) and 64GB (S$1,382 (US$988.63)) versions. The new cards are in retail stores now.

Elecom has a slick new card reader.  It’s compact in size and versatile in memory card support.

Traditionally card readers are like flash drives, rectangular in shape with a little dress-up on the outside case.  Elcom’s is a creative twist.

The circular card reader includes a magnet on the base so you can attach it to your 1970’s metal desk, or use it to pin up your kids latest drawing on the refrigerator door.

The circular card reader is available in black, white, pink and lime green.  List price is $27 and ships directly from Japan.

For those who know, the Samsung branded NAND flash memory is considered the Tier 1 quality that everyone talks about.  It’s the best stuff out there…highest quality, best in performance, yet always a touch above others [Micron, Hynix, etc] in price.

Well that might change because Samsung is entering the retail market with their solid state flash of Secure Digital, Compact Flash and microSD media.

Samsung will release sizes from 4GB to 16GB capacity before the end of 2009.  These cards will be in the ‘Plus’ memory card class and compliant with the Secure Digital class 6 performance standards.  Cards boust a speed range of 17Mbps to 45Mbps.

RiDATA introduces the ultra fast speed Compact Flash memory card at 300X normal data transfer speeds.  The Supreme Compact Flash card is a 16GB haven for data storage.  President Harvey Liu claims the CF card was designed for photographers needing high performance flash memory for those ultra large digital files the pros are taking, but he might be missing one critical target market - embedded designs.

As solid state memory is becoming cheaper and performs better, many embedded products are going the route of Compact Flash.  These embedded designs and products need large capacity and high performance.

For example, did you know that most slot machines use either CF or SD solid state media to run the graphics you see when sitting at the slots?  The display screen with graphics and information which come from your registration card are powered from a solid state drive.  This is just one example of how embedded products are going more towards Flash Memory for data storage and processing.

RiDATA Supreme Compact Flash card is available through the retail channel with a 2 year warranty.  Pricing is “competitive” but no price point was given in the press release or the RiDATA website. (more…)

Here is a slick looking mini USB web cam Brando tipped us on.  The mini web cam is extremely compact in size at just 89 x 24 x 20mm in size, can rotate 180 degrees and swivel 270 degrees.  On top of all this, the mini web cam also has a microSD card reader slot.

In no time you can have a web cam setup for family chat or spy camera to keep an eye on that questionable one.  At just 89mm tall, it would be hard to tell what was sticking out of your PC.

The resoltuion isn’t bad either with a 1.3M pixel and resolution up to 640 x 480 [VGA] or 2560 x 2048 max.

The microSD slot does support SDHC formats and the entire system comes with an installation drive CD to support Windows 2000/XP/Vista.  $29 at Brando.