Microsoft Windows 8 introduced the innovative Windows To Go (WTG) feature, which enables people to enjoy their own applications and access their personal data via any smart display that supports the Windows operating system, as long as they have a thumb-sized flash disk with them. Etron Technology, Inc. today announces that its EV266W Flash Driver Controller has received Windows To Go certification from Microsoft. EV266W employs a dual-channel design and advanced 72-bit Error Check and Correction (ECC) functionality. It supports 8 CE (Channel Enable) pins per channel, with up to a total of 16 CE pins, in a 64-QFN (9x9 mm) package or an 88-QFN (10x10 mm) package. The EV266W Flash Driver Controller and platform enables system manufacturers of USB3.0 flash drives to develop a new generation of USB3.0 device end products and accelerate their technologies to market.

To end customers, Microsoft's WTG delivers the convenience of smart living with Plug In, Boot and Go capabilities. This allows users to travel light anywhere with their familiar Windows operating system, applications and personal data on a thumb-sized flash drive; turn any display that supports the Windows operating system into a dedicated PC; achieve hassle-free Windows usage without the need to sync programs and personal data across multiple devices; stay fully productive despite computer hardware failure since people can connect to any PC of their choice; and prevent data loss and compute securely and with privacy.

Since WTG requires frequent remote dataset access, USB3.0 Flash Drives that support WTG must achieve high levels of system stability and reliability as well as excellent random read and write performance. EV266W exceeds these technical demands. EV266W features Etron's self-developed, proprietary, and high-speed USB Flash Drive (UFD) 3.0 technology which is enhanced by its superb software and firmware development capabilities and its proven world-class circuit design skills. It provides high-speed access technologies that shorten system ON/OFF times, thus accelerating system performance.

Windows To Go is one of the most important new features of Windows 8. WTG enables enterprise users to boot a full version of Windows 8 from an external USB drive on multiple host PCs. Since USB3.0 flash drive technology supports a theoretical data transfer speed of up to 5Gb per second, it is considered the best storage carrier for WTG. Leveraging this great opportunity, Etron's EV266W USB3.0 Flash Driver Controller and development platform enables system developers to speed their USB3.0 flash drive product development. Thus, EV266W meets the need of USB flash driver developers and consumers, allows users to access USB3.0 capabilities, supports WTG and shall accelerate the popularity of the overall USB3.0 flash drive market.