Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/14/sansdisk_flash_drive_for_laptops/
SanDisk has begun offering a 32GB solid-state drive to notebook makers less than a week after it was claimed Apple's rumoured sub-notebook will only contain Flash storage (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/09/apple_subnotebook_claims/).
The launch also comes two months after SanDisk unveiled a similar drive (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/04/sandisk_launches_flash_hard_drive/) based on the 1.8in form-factor favoured by manufacturers of personal media players.
SanDisk's 2.5in SATA 5000 drive connects across a Serial ATA interface. The company claimed the drive has a sustained read speed of 67MBps - fast enough to boot Windows Vista Enterprise edition on 30s, down from 48s on a standard, HDD-equipped notebook.
Power consumption is reduced too: from 1.9W to 0.9W during active operation, SanDisk claimed.
It doesn't come cheap, though - SanDisk is asking $350 a pop, and that's for "large volume orders". That's more than twice the price of a typical 2.5in, 5,400rpm, 160GB SATA hard drive - for a fifth of the storage capacity. Not an easy sell.
Toshiba unveils sub-notebook HDD pair (26 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/26/tosh_unveils_umpc_hdds/
Cheap flash sinks SanDisk's profits (19 July 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/19/sandisk_q2_07_earnings/
SanDisk and DivX shake hands (27 June 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/27/sandisk_divx_sansa/
Hitachi spins up fastest encrypted laptop drive (11 May 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/11/hitachi_preps_fastest_laptop_hdd/
Samsung pitches 'ultra-silent' HDD (4 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/04/samsung_touts_ultra-silent_hdd/
Transcend touts ExpressCard Flash disk (3 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/03/transcend_touts_expresscard_disk/
SanDisk and Hynix buddy up (21 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/21/sandisk_hynix_agreement/
Samsung shiny laptops to sport next-gen Nvidia GPU (19 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/19/samsung_launches_glossy_laptops/
Dutch reject USB flash drive tax (13 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/13/dutch_reject_levy_on_usb_keys/
Intel 'Robson' Flash cache reborn as USB unit (12 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/12/intel_releases_robson/
Apple 'MacBook Mini' to lose HDD, gain Flash? (9 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/09/apple_subnotebook_claims/
Samsung fields Flash cache fitted hybrid hard drive (7 March 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/03/07/samsung_ships_hybrid_hdd/
Sony to bring Flash-only UX1 UMPC to UK (29 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/29/sony_brings_vaio_ux_to_uk/
Intel's Flash cache module wins PCIe thumbs-up (15 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/15/intel_robson_pcie_approval/
Vendors partner to promote Flash-fitted hard drives (4 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/04/vendors_push_flash-fitted_hdds/
SanDisk spins Flash-fitted hard drive replacement (4 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/04/sandisk_launches_flash_hard_drive/