The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO), the industry consortium dedicated to sustaining the quality, integrity and dissemination of Serial ATA (SATA) technology, today announced it is developing the SATA Universal Storage Module (USM) specification for portable storage applications. The USM specification will enable developers to incorporate slots into televisions, game consoles, set-top boxes, computers, docking stations and other consumer electronics applications that will accept powered, cable free storage modules with integrated standard SATA interfaces for expanding storage capacity. By utilizing SATA, the world’s most widely implemented storage interface, USM devices extend the speed and reliability of volume storage I/O to the consumer electronics market, and eliminate the need for a separate cable or power supply.
The SATA USM specification is the first standard specification to define slots to accept a complete, powered external storage device into consumer electronic devices. Modules, slots and interfaces designed according to the SATA USM specification will enable consumers to instantly access their music, movies, photos and other content from a variety of consumer electronics products, and to seamlessly transfer content between devices without the aid of additional power or cables. The integrated SATA interface supports transfer speeds up to 6 GB/s, offering users the same speed and reliability they’ve come to expect from their hard drives and other SATA-based devices. It gracefully degrades speed to support Gen 1 (1.5GB/s) or Gen 2 (3GB/s) drives.
Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced the innovative Echo MX and ZX backup drives, designed to automatically protect essential files for on-the-go netbook and notebook users. The Echo MX and ZX take mobile data backup to the next level with high-performance read/write speeds and no-touch backup software; additionally, the Echo ZX offers a low-profile design and the Echo MX includes an easy-to-read, always-on capacity meter.
“We continue to observe mobile notebook users seeking added assurance from backup utility tools that protect their files, but they don’t want to deal with extra wires and bulky peripheral appliances,” said Jyh Chau, senior product marketing manager, Lexar Media. “In response, Lexar has built upon the popular, unique Echo ZE and SE backup drives by adding features like an always-visible capacity meter on the Echo MX and a high-performance speed rating on the Echo ZX. The drives will also continue to offer the encryption and continuous backup in a USB format that consumers favored in the previous Echo line.”
Iomega, an EMC company and a leading innovator in digital storage and content management solutions, today announced the new Iomega TV with Boxee, a line of easy-to-use multimedia network devices utilizing Boxee’s innovative software to bring the web to your TV, including thousands of your favorite television shows, movies and other digital entertainment. Iomega TV with Boxee is also a powerful network device that transforms your TV into a media center for all of the video, pictures and music stored anywhere on your home network. The new Iomega TV with Boxee means you never have to leave your TV to enjoy the Internet and your home network.
Two versions of the new Iomega TV with Boxee will be available worldwide in February: one that includes 1TB or 2TB of onboard storage, and another model without an integrated hard drive. Either way, the new Iomega TV with Boxee makes your laptop or desktop a thing of the past for enjoying the web as well as your own videos, photos and music.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) today announced that it has added two new drive families to its cast of consumer electronic (CE) optimized hard drives for the growing digital video recorder (DVR), IPTV set-top-box (STB), video surveillance and emerging hard drive-embedded TV markets. Targeting high capacity CE needs, the new drives include the 3.5-inch CinemaStar™ 5K2000 family, which brings 2TB and 1.5TB capacities, and the 2.5-inch CinemaStar C5K750 family with 750GB, 640GB and 500GB capacities. Each stem from a long legacy of low power, barely audible and reliable line of hard drives, specifically optimized and fine-tuned for the audio/video (A/V) market.
With multiple form factors to address a wide variety of needs, the new CinemaStar family makes it possible for DVR manufacturers to broaden their product offerings to cover the entire spectrum of customer needs – from high capacity, high performance multi-function systems to more economical units – all using the same leading-edge Hitachi GST CinemaStar family of drives. This flexibility allows consumer electronics developers to select the CinemaStar drive that meets the cost, performance, power and capacity requirements of their entire product portfolio.
Marvell, a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, today launched the Marvell 88SE9130 6Gb/s SATA controller powered by HyperDuo embedded processor technology. The 88SE9130 solution enables breakthrough solid state drive (SSD) benefits to consumer desktop motherboards and an array of consumer electronics (CE) products. Powered by HyperDuo technology, the 88SE9130 controller enables SSD-like performance while allowing all data to be stored on a traditional SATA hard disk drive (HDD).
Configured with one hard disk drive and one SSD drive, the 88SE9130 uses intelligent algorithms to automatically pin hot data files and directories to a SATA SSD while enabling all data to be safely stored on a larger capacity SATA HDD. Using industry-standard benchmarks, such as PCMark, on consumer desktop machines, Marvell has demonstrated the 88SE9130 HyperDuo solution can achieve 80 percent of the performance of a SATA SSD while storing all data on a traditional large capacity SATA HDD.
"Our leadership in SATA technology products is reaffirmed with milestones like today's launch of the 88SE9130 SATA controller powered by HyperDuo. Through close integration with our partners, the 88SE9130 enables industry-leading performance levels at ultra-low product and energy costs," said Alan Armstrong, Vice President of Marketing for the Storage Business Group at Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. "Consumer technologies like those shown at CES 2011 desperately need innovations like HyperDuo 6Gb/s SATA controllers to continue meeting and exceeding customer demand, and Marvell is thrilled to be leading the industry with our SSD acceleration technology."
World leading flash manufacturer, Silicon Power is in tune with USB 3.0 product technologies and today announces, the Stream S10 ~ a portable 2.5 inch 750GB hard drive. Silicon Power’s Stream S10 is in semblance with Italian sports car with super fast USB 3.0 read/write speed. It comes in simple curvaceous design and artistry paint treatment on a delicate casing that is elegant, gracious and trendy!
Distinguishing itself from the Armor portable hard drive series, Silicon Power’s Stream series focuses on light weight, trendy design and performance. The Stream S10 is the first release from the Stream series. It serves to satisfy a broader market and customer needs. At the same time, it completes the Silicon Power external hard drive series of products; whether you are after performance, quality craftsmanship or economical value, Silicon Power’s external hard drive series has it all!
Micron Technology, Inc. today unveiled a new portfolio of the industry's most advanced RealSSD solid-state drives (SSDs) for the fast growing flash-based notebook market. A new breed of notebooks are entering the market that have lightweight construction, snappier system responsiveness and a longer lasting battery--all made possible because of the innovations in flash-based storage products.
The new portfolio is the first SSD product line to incorporate Micron's 25-nanometer (nm) NAND flash technology, creating a broad portfolio of capacities ranging from 64-gigabyte (GB) to 512GB. The drives will be available in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch form factors. As with its predecessor, the product line also supports the SATA 6Gb/s interface, which opens up the data path between the host processor and the SSD delivering improved overall system responsiveness including faster boot times and speedier application loads.
Samsung Electronics America today announced three new lines of consumer external hard disk drives, including two new portable drives and a new desktop drive. All of the new drives feature distinctive styling as well as SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interfaces. USB 3.0 provides data transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits per second, allowing users to transfer a 25-gigabyte high-definition movie in just four minutes, compared with 13 minutes for previous USB 2.0 interface drives.
“These new external drives offer outstanding performance and style,” said Reid Sullivan, senior vice president of mobile entertainment marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “With their wide range of capacities, features and price points they offer a variety of attractive choices for today’s storage-hungry consumers looking for mobile and backup solutions.
Samsung’s new portable external drives offer up to 1 terabyte (TB) capacity in a compact, easy-to-transport format with curved sides for a comfortable grip and sleek, Scandinavia-inspired styling. Their wave-like matte finish hides scratches and fingerprints. The new portable drive will be available in four colors; Brown black, Noble beige, Clay orange and Mist gray.
Transcend Information, Inc. today announced the addition of the new JetFlash 700 USB flash drive to its USB 3.0 product portfolio. The new JetFlash 700 has a sturdy, smooth exterior and offers lightning-fast data transfer rates, making it a perfect entry-level USB 3.0 peripheral for users who demand stylish aesthetics with leading technology.
The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 specification boasts optimized interface speeds up to 10X faster than the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 specification. Transcend’s JetFlash 700 USB flash drive takes advantage of this next-generation USB 3.0 and delivers blazing fast data transfer rates of up to 69MB/s—nearly twice the read speed, and provides much quicker and easier access to rich digital content.
Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced new Lexar Professional Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) memory cards. The new high-capacity Lexar Professional 133x SDXC cards enable the capture, storage, and transfer of extended lengths of 1080p high-definition (HD) video and continuous, rapid-fire image capture in a single, high-performance solution. The Lexar Professional 133x SDXC card is the first available in a 128GB capacity, and is also offered in a 64GB capacity. Both cards are speed rated at 133x, providing a minimum guaranteed transfer speed of 20MB per second, and feature a Class 10 speed designation.
“The professional photography industry is at a point where digital photo- and video-capture methods are converging, meaning that professional shooters need a memory solution with the versatility and reliability to safely store both photos and videos,” said Pachi Chen-Wong, senior product marketing manager, Lexar Media. “The 64GB and 128GB Lexar Professional 133x SDXC cards combine high-speed performance with large capacities to offer solutions for professionals who shoot large volumes of high-resolution images and HD video.”