I don’t know a lot about computer hardware. But I do know that if I stick more memory in it, I get work done faster. I also know that if I create a ram drive, I can edit video faster. For a while the ram cartels (I just like saying that) kept the price of ram high as long as they could. Production was limited and only after other companies started producing ram, did we get the drop in price and speed increase in our machines.
Now we’re starting to see Flash drives combined with hard disk drives to create hybrid drives. Hybrid drives like the one announced by Intel for Vista? seem to be an interim step but what we really need are full-on Flash memory drives like SanDisk released earlier this month. The SanDisk drive has no moving parts and at 32 gigs, should be big enough to load Vista.?
So far these Flash? drives are only available to laptop manufacturers but this time there’s competition so look for change soon.
From Aloha Workshops on the Big Island of Hawai`i this is Brent Norris for the World Organization of Webmasters and the Wow Technology Minute.
Additional Research?
Intel’s Flash cache module wins PCIe thumbs-up
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/15/intel_robson_pcie_approval/
SanDisk rolls out flash hard drives for laptops
http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-6147032.html
Storage vets push new hybrid technologies, 1TB disk drives
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/010507-storage-vets.html
Hybrid Storage Alliance
http://www.hybridstorage.org/index.html
Seven new processors promise cheaper, faster storage – September 27, 2006
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9003686