Flash Drives are getting big.

pokeplayer984 · **on:** May 16, 2009, 12:53:30 AM

A 64 GB Flash Drive currently out?

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-DataTravele...42449275&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-DataTravele...42449275&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-64GB-Flash-V...42449275&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-64GB-Flash-V...42449275&sr=8-2

And a 128 GB Flash Drive coming soon?

http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tec...-by-2009-145842

OMG! Who would've guessed you could fit this much into something so small? :blink:

Kor · **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2009, 02:00:59 AM

It is amazing. Also micro sdhc cards, so tiny and they can hold so many gig. I read in the recent issue of Popular Science magazine that Panasonic is working on coming out with what is called sdxc cards, which will start at 64GB and who's theoretical maximum will be 2TB.

The small space they can put flash memory into is amazing.

Mumbling · **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2009, 02:22:16 AM

That... is bigger than my normal harddrive.. >.<

Kor · **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2009, 03:17:14 AM

The 128GB one is almost the size of my current one.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2009, 12:21:31 PM

Flash memory works on the subatomic level. The potential there is amazing. The next leap over flash memory is a new type of material (other than silicon) to put the memory chips on. Right now, flash memory is limited in its speed. However, if they find a new type of material, flash memory can and will be MUCH faster.

Petrie. · **Reply #5 on:** May 16, 2009, 04:53:09 PM

I've yet to see a need for anything larger than 2gb. If you want something like 64gb it makes sense to go with regular hd models because of limited access speeds.

Kor · **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2009, 05:05:00 PM

I'm sure they will find a new material eventually. They may even have 1 material in mind but it may be way to expensive to produce for the mass market use, and some body somewhere may have or may someday soon discover a way to manufacture it cheaper using a new technique which may revolutionize flash memory.

I can see the need for larger then 2GB and I've had bad luck with external hdd's. They never seem to last long, unlike discs and flash memory, and flash memory takes up less room then discs, and may last longer too.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2009, 05:15:23 PM

Quote

I've yet to see a need for anything larger than 2gb.

I need my 16gb drive.

It's a pain in the butt to carry around a portable hard drive and I sometimes download things that are 6gb or more in size (like mac os 10.5).

I also have a 32gb flash drive that I use as an extra server. The computer that hosts the LBT server also hosts a mini server runs exclusively from that 32gb flash drive. I might think about upgrading it to a 64gb sometime soon if the price is right.

EDIT: I just looked and 64gb flash drives aren't that expensive. I might get this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820220370

Though maybe I should wait a year until they come out with a 1tb flash drive?

Well maybe I won't get one. I've done some research and there are MANY issues with these drives as well as every other 64gb drive on the market. I think the guys up in corporate made a HUGE mistake and are trying to keep it quiet. I won't be getting a 64gb flash drive for quite some time at this rate.

Petrie. · **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2009, 09:15:23 AM

That's another thing...there seems to be many issues with these huge drive flash drives. Trying too hard to pack too much in too little?

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2009, 11:13:53 AM

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Trying too hard to pack too much in too little?

No, it has something to do with the latency of the signals that go across the surface of the flash drive's readable surface. It's my understanding that they need a certain amount of sealing, however that sealing takes time and they were probably rushing to push out like 20 million of them in a week and didn't give the necessary time to seal them. That would cause the errors described by so many people who have purchased these large flash drives.

No it's definitely not a problem with packing too much into too little space. Flash memory has potential in the high terabyte range (I think it's like up to 648tb).

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2009, 12:40:25 PM

Quote from: landbeforetimelover,May 17 2009 on 09:13 AM

Flash memory has potential in the high terabyte range (I think it's like up to 648tb).

I hope that's a typo. Otherwise, I could see Flash Drives replacing Hard Drives in up to 5 years.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2009, 01:11:22 PM

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I hope that's a typo. Otherwise, I could see Flash Drives replacing Hard Drives in up to 5 years.

That wasn't a typo and flash memory will replace the hard drives we know today pretty soon. Not flash drives per say, but SSD's. SSD's and flash drives work on basically the same principle. They both use flash memory. The 648tb (or around that amount) cap is due to the fact that the microscopic chips that store the memory can't transmit memory fast enough to have it be actually usable after 648tb. It would make the computer seem pretty slow because it would take so long to access and write information.

Flash memory is the future. I can't see conventional HD's reaching past 2tb (maybe 3tb). I personally can't wait till the switch. Now I've never personally seen or worked with an SSD, but if they would make them compatible with all computers that have SATA, I would definitely be switching soon. It's just a much better technology.

Kor · **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2009, 04:32:34 PM

I look forward to dropping hdd's also. I would assume that ssd will last longer then most hdd's & may be lighter and maybe require less power. & as for the upper limit I'm sure that by the time technology reaches it they'll come up with new tech to increase the upper range again.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2009, 07:00:30 PM

Quote

as for the upper limit I'm sure that by the time technology reaches it they'll come up with new tech to increase the upper range again.

You've got that right. They've already found a type of material they could make microchips in that would reach into the terahertz range. They'll eventually go past the terabyte too.

Kor · **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2009, 07:18:33 PM

I wonder how long till that comes out. I wonder if that would be part of what may help SSD's to replace hard drives.