Got a tip for us? Share it...
• • RSS

Apple Researching Flash Memory Technology

Friday November 16, 2007 9:25 am PST by Arnold Kim
Hrmpf provides details about Apple's latest patent applications. This time, Apple has filed for nine patents related to Flash memory, memory controllers, circuit boards and their applications.

This technology may provide data storage in various portable devices, such as digital cameras, other image storing devices, portable audio devices, personal digital assistants (PDA), and digital video recorders, desktop computers, servers, wireless routers, or embedded applications (e.g., automotive), particularly in situations where quick access to data is desirable.


Apple, of course, is using significant amounts of Flash memory for their iPod and iPhone product lines, but rumors have suggested that Apple will be using Flash memory in upcoming Mac notebooks.
[ 28 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
lofight
55 months ago
Intresting... one of the hundred patents..
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
TheSpecialist
55 months ago
Quite interesting in my opinion. I wonder how they will use the flash memory if they use it in Macbooks.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
lofight
55 months ago

Quite interesting in my opinion. I wonder how they will use the flash memory if they use it in Macbooks.


or, how much they will put in of it? ;)
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
nigrunze
55 months ago
They're probably going to have it be optional in the MacBook Pro. The Dell XPS M1330 has an option for a 64 GB Solid State Drive instead of a hard drive.

Costs $1000 extra. But it does have no moving parts though, so it's super reliable.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
TheSpecialist
55 months ago
More of in a way, will it be used for booting, or applications.. I wonder...
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
twoodcc
55 months ago
i hope they do put this in the next notebook update
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
Manatee
55 months ago
I'm hoping to see high-end notebooks with the OS (at least the part needed for startup) in flash (SSD), and a big disc drive for everything else -- at least until solid-state gets cheap enough to replace spinning drives entirely.

I presume they'd have to engineer the OS and boot process to make the most of this idea so that it boots very quickly.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
dvkid
55 months ago

I presume they'd have to engineer the OS and boot process to make the most of this idea so that it boots very quickly.


It isn't likely much would have to be done to it. An editor over at Engadget posted on his personal blog a video of the same 64 GB SSD in the Dell product line being placed in a MacBook Pro. The system booted in 22 seconds. There are times my MBP takes longer than that to wake up from sleep :P

I'm intrigued by the part that mentions the use of the SSDs in cars. They sure beat HDDs due to all the shaking and rattling around, but how do they fare in heat I wonder. I'm still hoping for some sort of "iCar" in-dash/headrest multimedia system from Apple. With a UI similar to the iPhone/Touch, but also controllable via paddles on the steering wheel. Hmm... :D
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
That-Is-Bull
55 months ago

I'm still hoping for some sort of "iCar" in-dash/headrest multimedia system from Apple. With a UI similar to the iPhone/Touch, but also controllable via paddles on the steering wheel. Hmm... :D


http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/16/is-the-vw-space-up-interface-developed-by-apple/

Wouldn't that be kind of distracting and hard to control while driving though?
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar
DMann
55 months ago

They're probably going to have it be optional in the MacBook Pro. The Dell XPS M1330 has an option for a 64 GB Solid State Drive instead of a hard drive.

Costs $1000 extra. But it does have no moving parts though, so it's super reliable.


The high cost has been the primary reason for the delay. Sure hope Apple can partner in development of PMC memory, which blows flash out of the water:

'Programmable-metallization-cell (PMC) memory, or nano-ionic memory could start replacing flash memory in 18 months'

http://advancednano.blogspot.com/2007/10/programmable-metallization-cell-pmc.html
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives

[ Read All Comments ]