Intel’s classmate PC, a machine aimed at educational markets in emerging nations, will be one of the first computers to feature the uSSD 5000.
“The low-cost educational PC category is an emerging market for flash storage where low cost, ruggedness and low power consumption will be the primary factors for broad-based adoption,” (Greg Rhine, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Products Division at SanDisk)
According to SanDisk, the new uSSD 5000 will come in capacities from 2 GB to 8 GB and will be the first SSD product from SanDisk to feature multi-level cell (MLC) technology, which doubles data- storage capacities in the same physical space as single-level cell (SLC) technology.
The new drives won’t be available for separate purchasing as they are designed as USB modules that are to be embedded directly onto the motherboard. They measure 27 mm x 38 mm, about one-fourth the size of a conventional 1.8" hard disk.
The uSSD 5000 solid state drive is compatible with the following operating systems: Microsoft’s Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Embedded, Windows Embedded for Point of Service and Windows CE, as well as Linux. “Why not Vista?”, some might wonder. Well, these are targeted for low-cost PCs, do Vista and the afore-mentioned machines have something in common?