Super Talent Unveils World's Smallest 32 GB USB Drive

[btarunr]

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, has succeeded in squeezing 32GB of NAND Flash storage into a thumbnail sized USB drive that is water resistant and supports data transfer speeds up to 200X (30MB/sec). Six new models of 32GB Pico drives will begin shipping this week.

Just 15 months after launching the 8GB Pico drive, then hailed as the world's smallest 8GB USB drive, Super Talent is now able to pack an astounding 32GB of NAND flash into the same small dimensions. "Our customers have an insatiable need for higher capacity flash drives, but they don't want a big and bulky drive", Super Talent Director of Marketing, Joe James said in a statement. The Pico C drive measures only 31 x 12 x 3 mm and weighs less than an American nickel (~5g). Super Talent uses a COB manufacturing process for its Pico series to achieve the smallest possible size.



Pico drives are water resistant. These drives also support blazing fast read speeds up to 200X (30MB/sec). The 32GB Pico C is offered in either a nickel plated or 24K gold plated steel casing, while the 32GB Pico E, with a patent-pending sliding lid, is available with 24K gold plating. "Pico drives are feature rich and have an unmistakable aura of quality", Mr. James added. For the first time ever in the Pico series, Super Talent now offers three new models that include AES-256 hardware encryption for the highest level of data security. 32GB Pico drives will begin shipping this week to online retailers worldwide.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Bundy]

It's good that the pins are gold plated, then I could use a metal detector to find it.

 

[Mussels]

it is the perfect size for hanging with your keys.

 

[steelkane]

I Have a 32gb flash drive that was put through the washer & dryer, I use it everyday. I have all the sizes,, never had any trouble.

 

[BazookaJoe]

I love the Idea - the product looks great - and I'm sure it's tough enough.

I would really like one, however the PROBLEM is price :\

No that this is a bad price as far as such drives go - but the whole market is on its ass.

This thing is 32GB for ~90$ when you can buy a 1000GB Hdd for ~ 90$ - and the HDD has a S#!TLOAD more metal, motors, moving parts, circuitry, connectors, WEIGHT, SHIPPING COSTS, blah blah blah...

I just don't see how we get to ~$90 for 32GB of flash ram other than somebody is having a good old rape sale in the back room. (FOR ALL VENDORS - not just Supertalent, who I actually am a fan of...)

And its not just flash drives - SSD's are in the same boat.

A heck of a lot less ANYTHING goes into making them , and the chips are all super easily mass batch tested by machines, but yet they cost these insane amounts. I KNOW the flamers are going to have a baby over this statement, but dudes, just seriously.. THINK about it for a minute.

Getting back to THIS product for a second - USB2.0 is also already beginning to show it's age, but at least this drive is maxing its potential

 

[human_error]

*snip*

While it does look like chips vs a whole HDD argument the price of the chips seems bloated you have to look at the new SSDs (and high capacity USB drives) use very advanced production processes to fit more capacity into a smaller space - 34nm in intel SSDs now. This costs money to invest in and develop.

You also have the problem that memory chips are 100% memory - this seems a redundant statement however when you look at the price of a cpu and say "well it's a bigger die area and they don't cost the earth" - but the cache in a cpu is the most expensive section on a $ per mm basis in the cpu to manufacture - and these memory chips in SSDs and flash drives are 100% memory, which is why these cost so much.

OT i will be buying one of these 32gb drives - been after a new drive to buy to replace my 2gb drive and i can't say no to this form factor, i'm not keen of those larger drives as they all look a bit fugly and have odd shapes for no reason.

 

[Mussels]

well, look at DDR2 - its cheap, its memory.

I can buy 4GB of 667Mhz ram for about $30-$40 around here (specials can get me 800Mhz)

Assuming the cheapest ($30 for 4GB) - 64GB is still going to cost me $480 - and then you have to factor in that its smaller and needs a controller.

rams ram - its just not that cheap.

 

[h3llb3nd4]

wow,they're cheap!!

 

[Mussels]

wow,they're cheap!!

it is pretty cheap for flash memory - but since its only USB, you can guarantee they used some slow ass stuff. its probably 10-15MB/s write speed

 

[BazookaJoe]

I'm sorry - but I will simply not accept that more work & cost goes into a single 32GB flash drive than does into an entire ATI HD4650 , because I can buy those for less than $90 and they are TENS of times more expensive just to ship and warehouse and assemble, never mind the research & development and the ENORMOUS array of far far FAR more complicated components that they require.

Non-volatile memory manufacturers are screwing the customers because they can & because so many ppl are foolish enough to just swallow the media hype and simply pay the premiums "just because".

In another year or so this same drive will be $20 or less, just like every other drive before it that was considered large and expensive at launch, because it only ever cost $9 to make in the first place..

But yeah, perhaps I'm just crazy...

 

[Mussels]

how much ram is on a 4850 vs a 32GB flash drive?

Its memory and cache which is expensive.

 

[BazookaJoe]

Meh :\

We'll see what happens when USB3 is in full swing this time next year, and all of this old USB2 stock is getting dumped at $25 a piece on clearance sales, and the vendors are STILL making a profit.

I promise a full public admittance of error on that day if I'm wrong

 

[human_error]

Meh :\

We'll see what happens when USB3 is in full swing this time next year, and all of this old USB2 stock is getting dumped at $25 a piece on clearance sales, and the vendors are STILL making a profit.

I promise a full public admittance of error on that day if I'm wrong

You may see that from some vendors in the future when usb3 is in full swing - this doesn't prove anything. The sticks have already been made, the cost of production has already been taken and so instead of just burying all the sticks in the desert the companies will try to reduce their losses by selling the sticks for whatever they can get.

This happens in business where if you have stock which you can't sell for a profit anymore you'll sell it for a loss to try and cut your losses.

They won't be making a profit from the sales, but they'll be making less of a loss.

 

[BazookaJoe]

You may see that from some vendors in the future when usb3 is in full swing - this doesn't prove anything. The sticks have already been made, the cost of production has already been taken and so instead of just burying all the sticks in the desert the companies will try to reduce their losses by selling the sticks for whatever they can get.

This happens in business where if you have stock which you can't sell for a profit anymore you'll sell it for a loss to try and cut your losses.

Well again you have kinda made my entire point

Yes you take a loss to move the stock if you have to - OR do you take advantage of gullible thoughtless sheep who will follow your pricing structure no matter what, and simply milk the hell out of the early adopters to offset the later decline in potential sales price, so that when you start dumping excess stock later on you are actually not making a loss at all.

You will find that any company that has been in business for a few years will favor the latter, as it keeps them around to do it again next year, unlike taking a loss on each and every new product at the end of its line, that will eventually put most business OUT of business.

Anyhow - bored now... lets go argue about the penguin USB drive thing a bit... that's nice & fresh.

EDIT : Better yet, lets get a new Poll up - Ppl rather enjoy them but they seem to stagnate for ages after being posted - Maybe we need a poll regarding how long a poll stays up? An active poll encourages user interaction... I'm sure someone around here has the Mussels to arrange that