Intel introduces tiddly flash drive

CHIP SHOP, Intel has introduced a solid-state hard drive that is about the size of a fingernail.

The Z-P140 Flash drive measures 12mm x 18mm x 1.8mm and weighs just six-tenths of an ounce. The device is described as a key part of Intel's Menlow mobile platform.

Don Larson of Intel's Nand Flash chip branch, said the chip, available in 2GB and 4GB sizes, is coupled with an even smaller hard drive controller chip.

The controller can be used to manage three additional Flash chips, allowing for up to 16GB of storage which appears in the operating system as a single hard drive.

Intel said it plans to use the new drives in mobile internet devices, which can require relatively large amounts of storage space.

Larson told reporters that the Z-P140 could allow device makers to store the all the code for a sophisticated operating system while taking a minimum amount of space.

"The trend is toward making things more mobile," he said. "With this device, we can provide the capacity, size and performance required."

The new drive is a key part of Intel's Menlow mobile platform. Menlow combines Intel's Silverthorne processor with its Poulsbo chipset in an effort to keep power consumption down to a minimum while still providing enough processing power for smartphones or other mobile devices. µ