Intel and Micron are two of the primary NAND flash memory makers and are partners in such manufacturing.  Earlier this month they announced new technology capable of 3-bit per cell storage which is based off 34-nanometer technology.

The 3-bit per cell concept allows for more storage in the same realestat of flash memory.  This imporvement yields larger storage capacity of flash drives and SSD at a lower price.

However, the new technology doesn’t come without some draw backs.  According to Kevin Kilbuck, Director of NAND marketing at Micron indicates the 3-bit per cell technology isn’t as stable as they’d like.

For example, Kevin indicates the 3-bit per cell NAND technology will be found in less mission critical devices like USB flash drives, SD memory and CF memory.  The technology will not find it’s way into SolidState Disks until the manufacturing process is perfected.

“The companies explained that they need more experience in production volumes before they will be confident to position it as a chip suitable for the high-write environment of the SSD”

You can expect the 3-bit per cell to hit the streets sometime in Q1 of 2010.

However, as with most technology, it’s on the way out before it’s ever even in; SanDisk and Toshiba disclosed in February that they had developed 4-bit-per-cell technology, which the two companies said was the highest-capacity flash memory technology in the industry. (more…)

Samsung is looking to strengthen their digital memory storage line with a possible purchase of SanDisk.  SanDisk is currently the #1 supplier of solid state flash memory, world wide [such as Secure Digital, miniSD, microSD and many more].  Samsung is the top producer of flash memory chips.

Through an acquisition, Samsung would strengthen it’s channel for supplying it’s flash chip to retail and channel sales of end-user flash memory.

With weak chip prices and fluctuating buyer habits, a move like this could strengthen Samsung’s position and would put Samsung at over 50% of world wide control of production, distribution and sales of NAND flash memory.

Avi Cohen of Avian Securities said it was an “unlikely prospect” due to SanDisk being unwilling to sell at the bottom of the cycle, and Samsung becoming a direct competitor to many of its customers and regulatory concerns. “Regulators in the US, Korea and Europe among others will likely have issue with one player controlling north of 50 per cent of NAND [Flash memory] supply,” he said.

Another option is Samsung reducing it’s royalty license to SanDisk to gain synergy with the top seller, reduce SanDisk’s bottom line and secure channel distribution of flash memory.

However if a deal goes ahead, it could block efforts by Samsung rivals Toshiba and Hynix Semiconductor to topple Samsung’s market leadership. Toshiba runs joint production lines with SanDisk and Hynix is also conducting joint re-search with the US group. Samsung controls 42.3 per cent of the NAND flash memory market, trailed by Toshiba with 27.5 per cent and Hynix with 13.4 per cent, says market researcher iSuppli.

Source:  Financial Times.

Toshiba, like SanDisk, found a grand jury subpoena in their mail late last week. The allegations are related to flash memory NAND price fixing.

The probe comes from the highest level and considering the purchase of M-Systems by SanDisk along with the other big hitter of flash memory makers is Samsung, it’s very possible flash memory price fixing could have taken place.

Toshiba claims no wrong doing, but the filing implicates 23 other companies, who most likely source their NAND flash memory from SanDisk or Samsung, in the allegations.

At this time, the officials from Samsung were not available for comment.

Source: Ziff Davis News

Gizmodo did a fun little pictorial about relative size of a SDHC card last week. This is what the new Toshiba 32GB SDHC card looks like when compared to the more common 1GB SDHC card. Good thing technology doesn’t work this way. I’d have one hell of a big cell phone just to accommodate more memory - then again, I don’t think I’ll need 32GB of data on my phone anytime soon.

Source: Gizmodo

The Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface (NVMHCI) Working Group, as it’s being called, will be chaired by Intel and will provide a standard software programming interface for nonvolatile memory subsystems.

The group says the interface will be used by operating system drivers to access NAND flash memory storage in the applications such as hard drive caching and solid-state drives. Today, PCs already use this technology; “ReadyBoost” is what Microsoft calls its Vista disk caching technology that makes computers running the OS more responsive by using flash memory on a USB 2.0 drive, SD card, or other forms of flash memory.

There are two main types of flash memory today, NAND and NOR gate chips. The former was developed by Toshiba a year after Intel debuted its NOR flash. NOR is typically used for code storage inside of cell phones and other devices, while NAND flash is used to store data inside of MP3 players and other devices. (more…)

Toshiba might be on to something with their development of a new three dimensional memory cell array structure that enhances cell density and data capacity without relying on advances in process technology. All this with minimal increase in chip size.

The new structure design reflects pillars of stacked memory elements passing vertically through multi-stacked layers of electrode material and utilize shared peripheral circuits. The design is a potential candidate technology for meeting future demand for higher density NAND flash memory.

Typically, advances in memory density reflect advances in process technology, but Toshiba’s approach isn’t necessarily the case.

Toshiba’s new approach is based on innovations in the stacking process, not manufacturing process. Existing memory stacking technologies simply stack two-dimensional memory array on top of another, repeating the same set of processes.

While this achieves increased memory cell density, it makes the manufacturing process longer and more complex. The new array design from Toshiba does increase memory cell density, is easier to fabricate, and does not require increase in chip area, as peripheral circuits are shared by several silicon pillars.

Toshiba said that it will further develop this elemental technology to the level where it matches current structures in terms of security and reliability. So nothing concrete yet, but well on the way with Toshiba’s announcement and commitment to fine-tuning this approach. With computer hard drives starting to go NAND based, there is a lot at stake. (more…)

So it appears Toshiba and Oakley have teamed together to bundle one hell of a cell phone package. Take the Toshiba 911T multimedia slider cell phone and integrate Softbank’s OS for Bluetooth communication with Oakley glasses, this is what you get.

Digital TV, 3.2pm anti-shake camera with auto-focus, 3 inch wide VGA screen (480×480) MicroSD slot for another 2GB of storage on-top of the already liberal 1GB of internal storage and MS office reader for docs, pdfs etc. Thanks Toshiba! BUT, I don’t know what looks more ridiculous, sunglasses with earphones hanging down, or sunglass with a Bluetooth headset off on one ear. You decide. (more…)