Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, maker of cellular phones and wireless broaband cards, recently announced a new wireless broadband deviced with a USB interface.

The Sony Ericsson MD300 is the joint venture's newest wireless broadband device which is capable of supporting multiple types of wireless networks within a module the size of a USB "thumb" drive. The USB interface makes it easy for users with laptops and other mobile devices to access the internet wherever they go.

The MD300 features a USB 2.0 interface with an integrated antenna. The MD300 supports triple-band HSDPA/UMTS networks (850/1900/2100MHz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS networks (850/900/1800/1900MHz). Data downoad speeds of up to 3.6Mbps can be achieved while on the HSDPA network.

Other features of the MD300 include 128MB of addressable memory that includes drivers and software for Microsoft Windows which should make installation quick and simple. The specifications also lists a multi-color LED similar to a network or USB activity light and Sony Ericsson update services (for possible updates to software/hardware firmware). For aesthetics, the MD300 will come in black and silver finishes but the option will ultimately depend on which wireless carriers will offer the hardware.

Pricing information for the MD300 has not yet been announced but we can expect this device to be available in the first few months of the 2008 calendar year.

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Solid-state disks (SSDs) are seen as the next plateau for mobile computing. Companies like Alienware and Dell offer the high-performance drives in their notebook computers and end-users can add SSDs to their own notebooks thanks to online retailers like Newegg.

Samsung first starting making waves in the SSD arena with its 32GB drive in March 2006 and followed up with a faster 64GB unit in June of 2007. Today, Samsung is once again stepping up its efforts in the SSD arena.

The company has announced a new generation of 64GB SSDs which use 8Gb, 50nm single-level-cell (SLC) flash memory chips. The drives, which will be available in 1.8" and 2.5" form-factors, also feature a new SATA II interface for faster performance.

The faster chips and SATA II interface gives the new SSDs sequential write speeds of 100MB/sec and sequential reads of 120MB/sec. These numbers completely obliterate the previous Samsung 64GB offering which is rated at 45MB/sec write and 65MB/sec read. Samsung's first-generation 32GB SSD is rated for 30MB/sec writes and 53MB/sec reads.
"The 64GB SATA II SSD is based on Samsung’s cutting-edge NAND technology with dramatically improved performance specs that are taking system performance to a whole new level of efficiency," stated Samsung director of NAND flash marketing Jim Elliott.

Samsung's new SSDs also now compare favorably with Mtron's family of SSDs which are available in 2.5" and 3.5" form-factors. Those drives feature write speeds of 90MB/sec and read speeds of 120MB/sec.

Samsung is currently sampling the new SATA II SSDs and production examples should follow in early 2008.

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