14 DAY TRIAL // We have told you about Intel's NAND Flash-based solid-state drive, called the Z-P140. Some may say that the drive is yet another one in a long row of solid-state drives. Well, Intel's NAND Products Group would heavily disagree here, as their disk managed to squeeze 16 GB of data on a surface the size of a paperclip.
The disk is smaller than a penny and weighs less than a gram. It only measures 12 x 18 x 1.8 millimeters and boasts that it is the smallest device of its kind. At these dimensions, it's hard to believe it even exists, but Intel's NAND Products Group will be showing it off tomorrow at the Storage Visions Conference in Las Vegas.
The disk has a parallel-ATA interface and is optimized for Intel's platforms, such as the Menlow platform to be used in ultra-mobile PC and mobile internet devices (MIDs). The Z-P140 solid-state drive is already sampling in 2GB capacities, but mass production is scheduled for a little later this quarter. Intel has great plans for the device, and it is likely to be included in PDAs, GPS devices, digital phones and portable gaming stations, due to its minimal power requirements.
The Z-P140 solid-state drive is alleged to reach speeds of 40MB per second read and 30MB per second write, about 30 times the speed of the fastest disk in the mobile class. At the same time, it is up to 75 percent more energy efficient, so it may be a dream come true for the mobile devices manufacturers.
Intel has announced that it will display sample devices built with the tiny Z-P140 solid-state drive. Rumors have it that these gadgets are likely to fail the public's expectations, but the show will also include previews of SATA solid-state drives with improved performance to save the day.
Some other rumors whisper that Intel's Z-P140 may find itself a good shelter inside Apple's sub-notebook to be announced at Macworld on 14 January, together with its friends Silverthorne and Poulsbo.