SanDisk intros stamp-sized SSD

Ultra-thin tablets, laptops and other mobile devices could be set to look even slimmer with the development of Sata solid state drives no bigger than a postage stamp, says Gizmag.

SanDisk's new integrated SSD (iSSD) device is just 1.85mm thick, tips the scales at a mere 0.83g and is available in sizes up to 64GB. It's not the fastest SSD solution currently available but it's got to be the smallest.

The iSSD is only being made available to selected manufacturers for evaluation at the moment. But with its small dimensions and capacities ranging from 4GB to 64GB, it may not be too long before consumers are being offered capacious, ultra-ultra-thin mobile devices where external storage is thought of as an additional extra rather than an operational necessity.

Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Applied Materials says it's come up with a breakthrough that allows chip makers to more easily separate electrical contacts and transistors on a processor. The aim: Scale Moore's Law, writes ZDNet.

The new product, dubbed Applied Producer Eterna FCVD, is capable of “electrically isolating the densely-packed transistors in 20nm-and-below memory and logic chip designs with a high-quality dielectric film.” In English, the breakthrough will allow chipmakers to cram more independent transistors on one semiconductor wafer.

Bill McClintock, VP and GM of the unit behind the Eterna FCVD, said on a conference call that memory, Flash and logic applications will benefit. NAND flash memory, for example, will increasingly move to 3D designs - think a nano-scale skyscraper of memory.

Sony has introduced two DSLR cameras in its alpha line with the ability to auto focus while shooting both still images and full HD video, reveals Tech News Daily.

The a55 and a33 cameras achieve shooting speeds that are the fastest in the industry for an APS-C size sensor-equipped interchangeable lens cameras under $1 000, according to the company.

The breakthrough was made with Sony's proprietary translucent mirror technology. The cameras are equipped with a stationary translucent mirror, which enables light passing through the lens to be simultaneously received by the image sensor and the auto focus sensor, allowing continuous shooting and continuous focusing at speeds, marking a first for HD video capture.