SuperSpeed USB Continues Growth at Devcon - Part 2

It’s clear that SuperSpeed USB is drawing industry attention. SuperSpeed USB’s blazing transfer speed—10x that of Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0)—and two-way data transfer capabilities create exciting new possibilities, such as driving two or more displays at full 1080p resolution while simultaneously reading data from external disk drives. With its continued industry momentum and the number of SuperSpeed USB certified devices up 50 percent in the last month, this technology is taking the first steps toward seeing the same ubiquity as its predecessor, USB 2.0.“SuperSpeed USB is tracking with [International Data Corporation] IDC’s forecast from last year for its adoption,” said Shane Rau, director of IDC’s Computing and Storage Semiconductors research, in a recent release. “Driven by the need for more and faster data storage capabilities in PCs, we continue to forecast that SuperSpeed USB will ship in 45 percent of mobile PCs in 2010.”

SuperSpeed USB Continues Growth at Devcon - Part 1

Seventy-five devices have passed SuperSpeed USB certification, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) announced at the SuperSpeed USB Developers Conference (Devcon) April 1-2 in Taipei, Taiwan. The conference highlighted the growing variety of SuperSpeed USB certified devices, with emerging device classes such as monitors and printers incorporating SuperSpeed USB hubs.
The SuperSpeed USB Devcon featured keynotes from the USB-IF leadership, providing attendees with a comprehensive SuperSpeed USB update and valuable information on incorporating SuperSpeed USB into devices. This year’s keynote speakers included Jeff Ravencraft, president and chair of USB-IF, and Lee Atkinson, distinguished technologist, HP.

Intel Introduces Value SSD for Consumer Market

There are several reasons we’re excited about the increasing market adoption of solid-state drives (SSDs). From the blazing fast read/write speeds to the lower power consumption, SSDs have several benefits over their hard-disk drive (HDD) predecessors. And now Intel has announced that its new SATA SSD, the Intel X25-V, designed for value-segment notebooks and netbooks, provides a high-performance boot drive for desktops and embedded systems.
Priced at $125, Intel’s X25-V combines performance and value for the consumer market segments. The X25-V features 40GB of 32nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory and is capable of running up to 32 concurrent operations at nearly four times the speed of a 7200RPM hard drive. Consumers can download the Intel SSD Toolbox, complete with the Intel SSD Optimizer, to easily maintain SSD performance. The X25-V is a significant price drop from other Intel SSD drives, with an 80GB Intel X25-M available for $265 or a 32GB Intel X25-E starting around $380.
Desktop PC users will be able to add an SSD option to a dual-drive set-up, or “boot drive.” The Intel X25-V SSD, loaded with the operating system and favorite applications, is added to the a desktop’s dual-drive configuration with an existing HDD. The SSD allows for faster start time, while the “bootstrapped” HDD drive, or boot drive, serves as a means of higher capacity data storage.
The Intel X25-V is consistent with Intel’s latest strategy to bring SSDs “out of the niche markets and into the mainstream.” With the prices of SSD technology continuing to drop, it looks as though that goal might be well on its way to being fulfilled.