SandForce breaks into SSD market with speedy SF-1000 processors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/13/sandforce-breaks-into-ssd-market-with-speedy-sf-1000-processors/

With SSD prices still well above the point of affordability, we're thrilled to see more entrants joining the burgeoning market. Big players like Western Digital and Corsair are being greeted by small timers such as PhotoFast, Fusion-io and SandForce, the latter of which has just escaped "stealth mode" in order to launch its first solid state drive processor family. The chips utilize DuraClass technology and promise to address "key NAND flash issues allowing MLC flash technologies to be reliably used in broad based, mission critical storage environments." More germane to our discussion is the nice boost in transfer rates and lower cost of production; we're told that the SF-1000 crew sports a standard 3 gigabit-per-second SATA host interface connecting up to 512 gigabytes of commodity NAND flash memory, and that it delivers 30,000 IOPS and 250MB/s performance (sequential 128KB read or write transfers) with 100 micro-second latency. If all goes well, select OEMs will be launching SSDs based on this processor later this year, so we'll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled.

[Via GadgetMix, thanks Kamal]

Filed under: Storage

SandForce breaks into SSD market with speedy SF-1000 proc! essors originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Studio Spotlight: Bulletproof

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDieline/~3/Mefh_h2yYzk/studio-spotlight-bulletproof.html

 
 

Bulletproof is a firm in London that focuses on packaging, branding and shopper marketing. Take a look at their varied body of packaging design.

More after the jump.

 

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New Shuffle Costs Apple $21.77 to Build [Apple]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/EoS2t1B6060/new-shuffle-costs-apple-2177-to-build

According to a new teardown report by iSuppli, the $79, third generation iPod shuffle costs Apple a total of $21.77 to build and box. Here's the cost per component:

Main Processing Chip (Samsung)
$5.98

4GB Flash Memory (Samsung)
$6

Lithium Ion Battery (Smallest iSuppli had ever seen)
$1.20

Various Capacitors and Resistors (Smallest iSupply had ever seen, a grain of salt a pop)
Less than a penny each

The prices of the headphones, body and case were unspecified, but apparently those components make up the other half of the shuffle's component cost to Apple. And with the build price at just 28% of the sale price, the shuffle should be Apple's most profitable iPod ever, even if iSuppli's report doesn't account for expenses like R&D. [BusinessWeek and image]

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Carriers could be forced by EU to support VoIP services

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/13/carriers-could-be-forced-by-eu-to-support-voip-services/

We've seen it time and time again -- carriers using their power to strong-arm consumers into paying services that could very well be free. Over in Europe, the almighty EU is considering "binding guidelines" that could force wireless operators to allow VoIP services such as Skype to run over their cellular networks. It should be noted that all of this is still very preliminary at the moment, but if the Union can somehow force carriers to support these so-called "innovative services," we could see a very favorable (for consumers, anyway) domino effect. As it stands, each EU country has the ability to decide individually on how they deal with blocked internet services, but obviously an EU-wide mandate would seriously shake things up. Or cause unstoppable riots, one.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Cellphones

Carriers could be forced by EU to support VoIP services originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bloggers Be Warned: Proposed FTC Plan Would Hold Web Writers Liable for False Brand Discourse - http://ping.fm/wIu1A

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