Flash Memory Nearing End Of Its Life?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2009-1040-994240.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed">http://news.com.com/2009-1040-994240.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed</a><br /><br />"Flash memory--the chip technology used to store data and applications inside cell phones, industrial equipment and portable memory cards--is facing a growing crisis, say engineers, analysts and semiconductor executives. Although demand is strong, it will become increasingly difficult to shrink flash memory chips after 2005."<br /><br />The article goes on to discuss alternatives. Of course, I've been hearing for years that microprocessors would run out of steam since 1990 but they always seem to find a way to increase their power.<br /><br />There was also an interesting, and disturbing, comment on NAND Flash ROM. "By betting on NAND flash--a type of flash memory that differs from the NOR flash that has dominated the market for years--Samsung Semiconductor went from the eighth-largest flash maker in 2001 to the world's No. 2 manufacturer in 2002." :roll: <br /><br />I guess NAND memory is ok, but Pocket PC makers need to start pumping out 128MB and higher devices to compensate for the usable RAM lost in a NAND device.

[Janak Parekh]

I guess NAND memory is ok, but Pocket PC makers need to start pumping out 128MB and higher devices to compensate for the usable RAM lost in a NAND device.
I hope we'll see more NOR/NAND combo devices, like the e750, to compensate for the XIP requirements of the OS while providing additional storage space that doesn't need to be duplicated in RAM. NAND is fine for document storage and stuff, and it's cheaper.

--janak

[lurch]

Source: Tim Allen

It's nice to see the "Tool Man" getting into Pocket PCs! :wink:

Seriously though, I think the future is in a combination of 3D memory and Motorola's technique using silicon nanocrystals.

[Ben]

I guess NAND memory is ok, but Pocket PC makers need to start pumping out 128MB and higher devices to compensate for the usable RAM lost in a NAND device.

Anyone know why it is that NAND memory causes a drop in the usable ammount of RAM in Pocket PCs?

I presume the different between NOR and NAND memory is simply the type of logic gate that is used to store the binary data?

[Ed Hansberry]

I guess NAND memory is ok, but Pocket PC makers need to start pumping out 128MB and higher devices to compensate for the usable RAM lost in a NAND device.

Anyone know why it is that NAND memory causes a drop in the usable ammount of RAM in Pocket PCs?

I presume the different between NOR and NAND memory is simply the type of logic gate that is used to store the binary data?
Because you can't execute NAND code in place. It all has to be copied out to RAM, so as soon as the device boots, a 22MB ROM image is immediately copied from ROM to RAM. See http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5227 for more details.

[rubberdemon]

I believe when this article is talking about NAND from Samsung, that they are talking about their flash memory cards more than flash ROM (correct me if I'm wrong). I know that SanDisk's SD cards are using NAND memory, and have been for a couple of iterations - the new 512 and 1GB SD cards are definitely NAND based - and that Samsung and SanDisk recently signed a cross-licencing agreement for Samsung to supply SanDisk with flash memory products for 7 years...

[alex22]

Looks like the 6GB will be the ultimate capacity of CF. No more will be possible before 2005 :evil:

[PapaSmurfDan]

Looks like the 6GB will be the ultimate capacity of CF. No more will be possible before 2005 :evil:

But who said CF had to be flash based. See Microdrive ;) &lt;dream>Just wait for IBM/Hitatchi to release an HoloDrive, 100's of GB of storage space on a CF type 1 card &lt;/dream>. However, I will be very impressed when IBM does work up a holographic storage system on a CF card.

I guess NAND memory is ok, but Pocket PC makers need to start pumping out 128MB and higher devices to compensate for the usable RAM lost in a NAND device.

Well, it is a tradeoff that the OEMs make when they build the device. Cost is a factor, and shave a buck or two off the device may mean millions more in profit and a bonus for some engineer or exec. How do you think HP was able to get the 1910 into a retail chain? But, its a side effect of the PPC OEMs trying to make PPCs cheaper than palms.

Flash memory is not nearing the end of its life. It can take a few years for new advancements in the technology before it is availble on the consumer markets. I am not too worried, by 2006/7 (the time when we can't shrink flash ram down smaller, and all improvements have trickled down into the consumer chain) some other technology will be in place. CF cards will still be the capacity king and some other "standard" will dethrone SD/SDIO using this new technology. I really think there is no fear justified.

-Dan, still remembering when a 4mb linear-flash PC card was lots of space on a Newton.

[StPatrick]

Can't believe it that easy. I remember that about 10 years ago techies said that it will be impossible to create a processor faster than ~600-800MHz (for desktop). Look around, they were totally wrong. A couple years ago people stacked with 100-133MHz bus and said it is impossible to get more. Funny, we have today much faster and not wondering :)

I'm not talking about the middle of 20th century, when someone said "Computers in the future will be much smaller - they'll take only few rooms of space" :) (sorry if I didn't repeated it word-by-word).

So I believe in "human's mind" (uhmmm) :)