02/09, 4:40am
Google to take on Dropbox in cloud-storage market
Google is said to be close to launching its own cloud-storage service that is set to compete with Dropbox. The tip-off was offered to the Wall Street Journal, which says that it has talked to ‘people familiar with the matter.’ The long-rumored service dubbed 'Drive' will offer users the ability to store all types of files and make the sharing of those files simple by allowing them to stream a video directly from the cloud, for example.
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02/06, 1:00pm
Intel SSD 520 carries 25nm speed and SandForce
Intel picked Monday to bring out its fastest solid-state drive so far. The SSD 520 mixes denser 25-nanometer memory with a specially created SandForce memory controller to get high-end speed. It can peak at 550MB per second for reads and 520MB per second for writes, while mustering as much as 80,000 I/O operations per second at peak and 50,000 in normal use.
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02/04, 8:40pm
Micron extends COO's stay after CEO
Micron has picked its COO Mark Durcan as its temporary CEO in the wake of its CEO Steve Appleton's death in an airplane crash on Friday. Durcan had intended to retire in August but agreed to stay on as CEO until a permanent replacement could arrive. The memory designer hasn't given a clear indication of any short-listed candidates.
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02/03, 2:55pm
Micron CEO Appleton dies in plane crash at 51
The Chairman and CEO of semiconductor maker Micron, Steve Appleton, died in a small plane crash in Boise on Friday morning. Details of the crash weren't immediately known. He leaves behind wife Dalynn and children. Appleton joined Micron in February, 1983, becoming an officer in August of 1989.
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02/01, 9:15pm
Easier checklists, tables, more
Cloud-based snippet and document storage system Evernote has updated its free Mac client to version 3.0.6, which includes a complete redesign of the note panel for viewing previously-stored documents. According to a blog post announcing the new version, the update also makes creating checklists and tables easier, with automatic continuation of checkboxes with each new line after the first one and the ability to add or remove rows and columns in tables.
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02/01, 2:30pm
Seagate talks about hard drive production in 2012
Storage drive maker Seagate has updated its previous outlook on hard drive shortages due to the floods in Thailand. During its latest results call, it said shipments will be affected well into 2012, and the total shortage is to reach about 150 million units. Another storage drive maker, Western Digital, has stated production volumes won't be resumed until the summer.
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02/01, 8:10am
Seagate GoFlex gets DIY Thunderbolt add-on
Seagate has quietly updated its accessory page with a GoFlex Thunderbolt adapter. The add-on now lets any of Seagate's mobile GoFlex drives use the 10Gbps interface on a Mac or upcoming PCs. The storage designers claim that it's about 20 times faster than USB 2.0, although only if the drive itself can maximize the bus speed.
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02/01, 3:00am
Company run by former ZFS Apple engineer
[Update: ZEVO web site is back up after prolonged outage] A former Apple engineer who worked on ZFS integration in Leopard and Snow Leopard has debuted a new software program to implement full ZFS support on the Mac. The alternative disk formatting, which offers a more efficient way to utilize disk space and actively prevents file corruption among other benefits, was touted by Sun Microsystems and considered by Apple as a possible replacement for HFS, but ultimately abandoned due to licensing issues.
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01/30, 6:40pm
May have dropped HD 3000 GPU from 3 new i5 CPUs
Intel has released seven new processors. All are based on its current Sandy Bridge 32nm architecture. The new CPUs include three desktop quad Core i5 processors as well as dual- and single-core Celeron processors for both the desktop and mobile.
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01/27, 6:45pm
Drives demonstrated in a daisy-chained setup
Just weeks after announcing its first Thunderbolt hard drives, Western Digital appropriately brought the offerings to show off at the Macworld iWorld expo in San Francisco. Electronista took a close look at several of the company's My Book Thunderbolt Duo drives, which were daisy chained to a Thunderbolt display.
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01/27, 3:40pm
OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express gets 480GB version
Other World Computing has answered one of the more common calls among MacBook Air owners and has put out a 480GB version of its Mercury Aura Pro Express. The new solid-state drive doubles the storage of its SATA3-based, 6Gbps model line. As with other SSDs, more capacity doesn't mean a sacrifice in speed, and it can deliver as much as 500MB per second in peak transfer speeds.
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01/26, 8:40am
WD My Book Thunderbolt Duo gives pro speed
Western Digital gave a more formal debut to its first Thunderbolt-equipped drive at Macworld|iWorld on Thursday. The My Book Thunderbolt Duo uses the fast 10Gbps port to feed two 3.5-inch hard drives at speeds that would be impractical for FireWire 800. On a 6TB Thunderbolt Duo, peak transfer speeds can hit over 250MBps (2Gbps), making the only bottleneck the drives themselves.
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01/25, 7:20pm
Enables Lion Recovery from an internet connection
Apple this afternoon issued three EFI updates for mid-2010 era MacBooks, MacBook Pros and Mac minis, the sole purpose of which was to enable Lion Recovery from an internet connection. The change allows users who have lost the ability to boot from their hard drive or installed a blank new hard drive and don't have a physical backup to restore Lion by re-downloading it from the Mac App Store.
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01/24, 7:05pm
Part costs may rise in coming months
Last year's flooding of hard drive factories in Thailand had no material effect on cost or supply for Apple's first fiscal quarter, according to CEO Tim Cook. Speaking during a post-results Q&A, Cook added that the company expects no supply problems during the current quarter, although it does anticipate paying more for drives. That problem has been factored into guidance, Cook said.
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01/23, 7:15pm
WD says expects pre-flood capacity by September
In announcing its latest financial results which showed net income of $145 million, Western Digital has offered an update on its ‘significant’ progress in restoring manufacturing capacity and supply following the Thai floods. The major hard drive manufacturer says that is continuing to ramp production in Thailand and had resumed slider production, which had been suspended since October 10.The company now believes its manufacturing capacity will be back to pre-flood capabilities in the quarter ending September 2012.
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01/23, 6:20am
Hitachi and Mitsubishi join Sony in going offshore
Hitachi and Mitsubishi have separately made decisions to cease aspects of their Japanese manufacturing operations. Following reports to the effect, Hitachi has announced that it will cease production of plasma and LCD TVs in Japan sold under its Wooo brand by this September. Mitsubishi has also made the decision to stop its Japanese DVD and Blu-ray optical disc manufacturing operations.
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01/20, 7:05pm
Kingston SSDNow Vplus200 claims high speed
Kingston finished the week by shipping one of its higher-performing solid-state drivs. The SSDNow V+200 uses the combination of a modern SandForce SF-2281 memory controller with the headroom of a SATA3 connection to peak at speeds equal to much of the best on the market. It can peak at read speeds of 535MB per second and writes at 480MB per second.
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01/20, 3:50pm
Eye-Fi says SD Association violates its patents
Eye-Fi has claimed that the SD Association's iSDIO wireless SD card standard illegally breaches the intellectual property of Eye-Fi, the company that already makes Wi-Fi SD cards such as the Pro X2. The draft specification of the SDA that was touted as a new standard was a misrepresentation, Eye-Fi argued. It further insisted the SDA didn't follow its own rules and standards in adopting the new standard.
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01/17, 4:15pm
Sony shows fast SD cards, MicroVault thumb drives
Among other announcements, Sony took the opportunity at CES to reveal its USB 3.0 MicroVault flash drives and new flagship SD cards with the ultra-high speed interface (UHS-I). The MicroVault drives are split into the USM-Q, USM-P and USM-M ranges, with the Q the flagship. It gets USB 3.0 compatibility for up to 120MBps read speeds and 90MBps write speeds.
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01/14, 3:20am
AMD Lightning Bolt in development
AMD is developing a parallel to Intel's Thunderbolt, the chip designer unveiled at a closed-doors demo late into CES. Conspicuously known as Lightning Bolt, what AnandTech saw would similarly use Mini DisplayPort jacks and would share both power, USB 3.0, and video over a lone cable. Unlike Thunderbolt, it would make very minor changes to the cable and cost as little as a dollar premium over a basic Mini DP connection.
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01/12, 8:20pm
Swiss Army intros $3,000 Victorinox 1TB SSD
We stopped by the Victorinox booth to see what's new at CES. The Swiss Army knife maker showed off an upcoming limited edition knife with a built-in 1TB solid state drive. Slightly larger than its smaller-capacity brethren, the drive is capable of 220MBps read and 150MBps write speeds. As with other Swiss Army USB knives, the drive is detachable from the knife, though this process is much simpler here.
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01/12, 1:00am
End-to-end encrypted data mirroring
Secure storage-and-sharing USB key iTwin has been upgraded to allow users to share files stored on a computer with multiple people simultaneously, providing an end-to-end encrypted solution for mirroring files that are on one part of the two-part USB key instantly to its mates. The free update lets multiple iTwin keys "belong" to each other, making transfer of data easy without the constraints of e-mail, the technical complication of VPN or the ongoing fees of cloud services.
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01/10, 12:45pm
Proof of concept creates 4G-capable storage hub
Seagate has teamed with Verizon to demonstrate 4G LTE integrated into a Seagate Mobile Wireless Storage device (not yet pictured) for use with smartphones and tablets. The unit can download music, movies and photos without needing another host network. It can then stream the stored content using Wi-Fi to up to three devices.
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01/09, 5:55pm
2Big drive, eSATA hub coming late winter
Drive maker LaCie has announced an expansion of its line of Thunderbolt-supporting peripherals on the eve of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In addition to its existing Little Big Disk Thunderbolt drive, the company will be adding a 2Big dual-disk model as well as an eSATA hub that lets users connect two eSATA external hard drives, and offers the possibility of daisy-chaining more at full eSATA 3Gb per second speeds.
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01/09, 5:10pm
Adds update kits with SATA III SSDs
Verbatim has released new 2.5-inch SSD upgrade kits. The kits include SSD drives plus the hardware and software needed to install the new drive and clone the old drive. The kits are available with either Verbatim's 64GB, 128GB and 256GB SATA II drives or its 120GB or 240GB SATA III SSD drives.
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01/06, 4:50pm
Analyst says Apple uses flash to its profit edge
An investor note from Bernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi has estimated that Apple bought 23 percent of all flash memory made in fall 2011. Going by the estimated storage for each product category and the shipment volumes, he believed that Apple had bought over 1.4 billion gigabytes' worth of NAND flash for storage in the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Air. In pure parts costs, it may have spent $392 million, he said in Fortune's copy of the note.
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01/06, 3:05pm
Lexar shows 256GB CF card, Crucial outs 512GB SSD
Memory card maker Lexar has added a new capacity to its
Professional 400x series CF cards, with the industry's first 256GB example. It will write at 60MBps at a minimum and is compatible with UDMA 7 devices. It's said to be ideal for those who capture large amounts of 1080p video.
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01/06, 4:55am
Sony XQD cards arrive to complement Nikon D4
Sony has officially launched the first XQD flash memory card , a new high-speed format designed to replace CompactFlash cards. The new format is primarily aimed at high-end SLR cameras and uses the PCI Express serial communications link interface from computers to achieve transfer rates as high as 125MB/s initially.
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01/06, 2:30am
Free updates adds NAS-to-NAS backup, more
Drive maker LaCie has announced a free update for its d2 Network 2, 2big Network 2 and 5big Network 2 network-attached storage (NAS) external drives that work with Mac OS X (10.5 and higher) and Windows (XP or 7). The update, billed as "NAS OS 2" actually brings the operating system to v2.2 and adds new features such as NAS-to-NAS direct backup (either locally or via the Internet), and easier remote access from a browser or iOS app.
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01/05, 4:30pm
Crucial and Lexar roll fast storage for CES 2012
Crucial and Lexar together put out a pair of high-speed storage options ahead of CES. Topping the two is a special 50GB Adrenaline version of Crucial's m4 SSD intended as a cache for an existing drive. While it doesn't have to be used that way, the combination of a 2.5-to-3.5-inch adapter bracket and special software turns the SATA drive into a buffer for frequently accessed files on a larger hard drive, speeding up the OS and apps without having to sacrifice space.
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01/05, 9:35am
Starts at 4TB of storage
Western Digital has released the My Book Live Duo, a new external backup drive for Mac and Windows systems. The Duo takes its name from twin hard disks, which allow it to span or mirror content, depending on a user's preference. To support this it includes its own 800MHz processor, and a lid which opens to let people replace or upgrade a drive without screwdrivers.
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01/04, 6:55pm
Faster uploading, browsing also added
SugarSync has updated its apps for both iOS and Android devices. The new releases provide enhanced backup, synchronization and access of photos, videos and files across multiple platforms (free, Android Market, App Store). SugarSync offers the apps in conjunction with its cloud storage service.
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01/04, 5:55pm
Freemium service overlays Google Docs storage
Software developer Insync is offering a free front-end to Google's cloud-based storage service. The company claims that its app in conjunction with Google storage provides enhanced sharing capabilities at a lower cost than rival Dropbox. Insync hopes to derive its revenues through offering value-added services such as secure remote wiping of local Google Docs at a premium.
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01/04, 10:30am
Velocity Micro Cruz Tablets, Shine arrive for CES
Velocity Micro promised five new devices as its contribution to CES. Two new Cruz Tablets, the seven-inch T507 and 9.7-inch T510, will both ship with Android 4.0 from the start (not yet shown). The pair both run on a 1.2GHz, single-core ARM Cortex-A8 chip with fast Mali-400 graphics, 8GB of built-in storage, and HDMI video out.
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01/04, 5:20am
Hitachi takes the wraps off new Mac hard drives
Hitachi has introduced a slew of new hard drive solutions for Macs ahead of CES 2012. Among the options for Mac users include new internal hard drives as well as desktop and mobile hard drive solutions. The new drives range variously in capacity from 750GB through to 8TB.
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01/03, 8:15pm
Sets record for overclocking multiplier
An Intel Core i7 processor has been paired with a Gigabyte motherboard to set a world record for overclocking multipliers. A six-core i7 3930K, which normally runs at 3.2GHz, was overclocked to 5.6GHz with a record multiplier of 57x. The Motherboard used with the i7-3930k was a Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 with an Intel X79 chipset and showed the relative headroom the gaming-focused platform has.
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01/03, 8:10pm
Samsung can spend 4b on China flash plant
Samsung late Tuesday was cleared by South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge and Economy to build its flash memory plant in China. The factory, likely to be worth $4 billion, was considered safe enough by regulators to avoid leaking industry secrets. The company hadn't yet settled on a location, but hoped to start full-scale production in late 2013.
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01/03, 4:25pm
StoreJet Cloud HDD streams to iOS devices, at FCC
An upcoming StoreJet Cloud wireless external hard drive from Transcend has shown up at the FCC recently. It uses a free iOS app to connect to portable Apple devices and stream media thanks to built-in Wi-Fi. PCs can also access content wirelessly, and Android support is due soon.
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01/02, 11:10pm
Elpida and Toshiba could make memory powerhouse
Japanese memory firms Elpida and Toshiba were reported as talking to unite or even being pushed together. Industry tips to Digitimes had the Japanese government acting as a broker to have Elpida match its RAM business with Toshiba's flash memory. The government would hope to hedge against the incursions of Korean and American companies like Hynix, Intel, and Samsung.
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12/30, 12:45pm
SuperTalent outs external Storage POD Mini SSD
Flash storage maker Super Talent Technology on Friday unveiled its latest product, the portable Storage POD Mini. The drive uses USB 3.0 and flash memory to make it no bigger than an internal 2.5-inch hard drive. It uses a SandForce SSD processor and reaches 260MBps read speeds as well as peak write speeds of 174MBps.
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12/28, 8:10pm
RunCore Falcon and Pro V 7mm due at CES
RunCore in the run-up to CES has brought out two new solid-state drives each tailored at a different side of notebooks. The Falcon line uses a newer Marvell memory controller that promises faster performance than the existing Pro V line. RunCore hasn't given performance claims for the 2.5-inch SATA3 drive, but the Pro V Max hits 559MB per second in peak read speeds and 521MB per second in writes.
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12/28, 12:55pm
Apple power cutoff technology blamed
Toshiba's Canvio-series USB 3.0 hard drives are failing to connect properly with the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, according to PhoneNews. The site says it tested five Canvio drives with a new 2011 Air; none of them mounted, and in most cases, the drives are said to have failed to even spin up. The issue appears to be Mac-centric, since it was otherwise reproduced only on a Sony VAIO notebook and a current-generation MacBook Pro.
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12/27, 6:55pm
App available for Windows, Mac, Linux
Dropbox has introduced a test build of its desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux machines. The beta release now enables users to automatically import photos and videos. The system initiates the upload process when a camera, phone or SD card is connected to the computer.
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12/24, 1:30am
Hynix and Micron worried Anobit no longer a choice
Hynix and Micron are purportedly looking to alternatives for flash memory controllers in the wake of Apple's purchase of Anobit. The two are believed by Digitimes to be talking to Phison, Silicon Motion Technology, and Skymedi for alternatives to the longevity- and speed-boosting chips Anobit has been supplying. The two are thought by tipsters to be worried that Apple will either wield all the bargaining power or make Anobit an exclusive.
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12/22, 11:05pm
Preview shows tweaked UI, new features
Dropbox has announced that it is set to release an updated version of its Android app, which brings a range of optimizations for Google's latest Ice Cream Sandwich builds. The interface has received a number of tweaks, including an improved gallery view, single-tap acces to file and folder actions, and separate tabs for 'Dropbox', 'Uploads' and 'Favorites'.
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12/20, 10:20am
Seagate, Samsung complete acquisition process
Hard drive maker Seagate has completed its buyout of Samsung's hard disk drive business first announced back in April. Seagate will take over Samsung's M8 product line of high-capacity, 2.5-inch drives and employees such as senior managers, designers and engineers from Samsung's Korean plant. They will continue to focus on small form-factor drives for notebooks and similarly small ahrdware.
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12/20, 9:00am
Apple deal for Anobit said sealed
Apple's rumored deal to buy Anobit appeared to have been confirmed on Tuesday. Along with a new claim from Israeli news outlet Calcalist, the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Apple to the country following the apparent acquisition. Terms of the deal weren't made public, but were said to be the equivalent of $400 to $500 million.
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12/19, 1:35pm
Next Generation Secure Memory standard detailed
A coalition of companies have proposed the Next Generation Secure Memory standard to lock down movies and other content stored on flash memory. Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba are working on a system that would put unique IDs on embedded and removable storage like SD cards and encrypt content based on public keys. The move would let studios offer movies on a non-disc physical format but theoretically keep it from being freely copied without relying on protection in the file itself.
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12/19, 10:05am
Some warranties reduced from 5 years to 1 year
Late last week, Seagate cut the warranty period for many of its popular hard drives. Western Digital (WD) has now followed suit. In some cases, the length of time has been cut from five years to one.
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12/16, 2:35pm
Monster Digital hints at first SSD for CES
Monster Digital, so far only known for its cards, said Friday that it's planning to enter the solid-state drive space. The LeMans series will use some of the faster memory controllers on tap, peaking at 550MB per second in read speeds and 515MB per second in writes. Most details have been left out until the unveiling, which is slated for the CES expo in mid-January.
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