mSATA SSDs Capitalize on Budget Market

With consumers looking to take advantage of the power and performance benefits of solid state drives (SSDs), several players have introduced product lines targeting value-conscious consumers. While some customers want the most powerful SSD money can buy, others are looking for a product that gives them the benefits of SSD without breaking the bank. For manufacturers looking to appeal to the more budget-conscious consumer, one option is designing SSDs using the mini-SATA, or mSATA, interface.

The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) announced last year that it was developing a specification for a mSATA interface connector, allowing for more effective SATA integration in small form factor applications. mSATA leverages the speed and reliability of the SATA interface, providing high-performance and cost-effective storage for smaller devices and enabling more compact integration into a wide variety of applications. As a result, companies can increase their storage and performance offerings without compromising on space.

mSATA SSDs are approximately the size of a business card and reside in a smaller PCI slot than standard SSDs. Instead of replacing a hard disk drive (HDD), mSATA-based SSDs work in conjunction with HDDs. For example, the computer can use the mSATA SSD for the OS and other primary functions, while the HDD stores the data, music and photos. Manufacturers such as Toshiba and SanDisk currently offer mSATA SSDs, and Intel is reported to be developing its own line.

“Initial adoption of most SATA solid state drives has followed the HDD form factor. Using new mSATA modules enable a smaller, internal module connected to the system board for notebooks, mobile and other embedded storage applications to enable designers greater design flexibility,” Scott Nelson, VP Memory, Toshiba America Electronic Components, said in the original press release.

No concrete timeline has been given for when the mSATA test specification will be available, but Allion has many years of experience with SATA testing and working with manufacturers through SSD development and validation, and looks forward to helping deploy mSATA-compliant products.

Solving the Challenges of Wireless Connectivity

In today’s connected society, wireless connectivity is considered a given. From our cities to our state parks, wireless access has become ubiquitous. We can connect to the Internet via our laptops, our cell phones and even our televisions. Consumers expect that their electronics and devices will be wirelessly enabled. But what does that mean for developers?

Many designers do not anticipate the challenges of developing wireless-enabled devices. Whether in the product development,design validation or testing phase, complications with wireless implementation can have a serious impact on product development time. It is not uncommon to see 3-4 month delays. These delays result in increased development costs as engineers work to sort through the kinks in order to guarantee network interoperability. And with the number of wireless-enabled devices growing every day to meet the exploding demand for Wi-Fi enabled devices, more developers can expect to face the challenges of successful wireless implementation.

Fortunately, Allion Test Labs offers comprehensive product development, validation and testing services that can help manufacturers avoid these types of development mishaps. Allion has more than 20 years of validation service experience, offering our customers end-to-end support to ensure smooth product development. This result: faster development time, significant cost savings and, ultimately, a better product for consumers. By teaming with our engineers from the start, manufacturers can take advantage of this exploding market without risking development delays.

Falling Prices, Growing Demand for SuperSpeed USB

With all the benefits of SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) – including faster speeds, bidirectional data interface and lower power consumption – consumers are eager to adopt this cutting-edge technology. Until this point, one of the main hurdles slowing widespread adoption has been the price of chips. However, NEC, the first company to ship a SuperSpeed USB host controller, is looking to change that. The company reportedly plans to significantly reduce prices for its first- and second-generation USB 3.0 chips later this year.

NEC’s third-generation USB chip models are scheduled to start shipping in Q1 2010, priced at less than $2. Other companies, including ASMedia (an Asus subsidiary), Etron, VIA and Fresco Logic, have all introduced price cuts for SuperSpeed USB products as well, with ASMedia dipping as low as $1.70 per chip for bulk orders.

Market watchers are predicting that 20 million SuperSpeed USB chips will ship by the end of the year, followed by 40 million shipments in 2011. With these dramatic price drops and a growing number of USB 3.0 certified devices, it’s likely that consumers won’t have to wait much longer for widespread adoption.

Lower prices and an increasing number of shipments mean manufacturers have the tools they need to take advantage of the demand for lower-cost SuperSpeed USB products. But despite the falling price of chips, developers still need to be aware of the costs associated with test development and product design validation. By pairing with a certified product development and testing company such as Allion, offering end-to-end validation solutions, developers can improve time-to-market and reduce overall costs, a savings which can then be passed on to consumers eagerly awaiting new SuperSpeed USB devices.

New DisplayPort Cable Adapter Certification Program

The Video Electronics Standards Associate (VESA) recently introduced a new certification testing and DisplayPort Certified Logo for Dual-mode DisplayPort cable adaptors. These dual-mode cable adaptors allow for seamless interoperability between a Dual-mode DisplayPort PC or graphics card and a DVI monitor or HDMI TV. The certification program was designed to help customers identify cable adaptors that have been thoroughly tested and certified for proper functionality with other DisplayPort products through the use of a distinctive logo and product packaging.

The DisplayPort standard, developed as a replacement for digital (DVI) and analog component video (VGA) connectors, uses simple adaptors to provide interoperability with DVI, HDMI and VGA displays. When plugged into a Dual-mode DisplayPort PC or graphics card, these adaptors can output either Single Link DVI or HDMI signaling. Almost all DisplayPort PCs with integrated graphics or discrete Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have Dual-mode DisplayPort capabilities.

Certification testing is available for both DisplayPort-to-HDMI and DisplayPort-to-DVI Dual-mode cable adaptors. Dual-mode DisplayPort cable adaptor certification and testing follow the DisplayPort Interoperability Guideline Adaptor Checklist. The checklist was designed to help developers ensure display interoperability and achieve adapter certification. Allion Testing Labs in Taiwan is certified to offer Dual-mode DisplayPort adapter certification testing for both VESA members and non-members for a nominal fee. Once a product passes certification testing, a logo license agreement is available through VESA at no cost for VESA member companies and for $1500 USD for non-members.

For engineers, this certification program represents a new opportunity to distinguish your product. Thorough testing and validation, such as industry standard certification, helps ensure product quality; this can save manufacturers from the high cost and headache of managing customer complaints and merchandise returns. And by choosing a certified testing lab with full engineering support and services, developers can produce the highest quality product while significantly reducing cost and time-to-market.