After some reports pegged this event has likely and upcoming, Toshiba has now confirmed that they will be spinning off their NAND production business, whilst simultaneously parting with a 20% minority stake on the resulting business. This would inject Toshiba's coffers with enough liquidity to keep the company afloat, whilst letting them keep a hold of their most profitable business.

While details are still scarce (namely regarding the structuring of this spin off and who will be the investor to buy the reported 20% stake that Toshiba is willing to part with (with it most likely being Western Digital, as we've mentioned in our previous piece), the company has announced that they want to complete the transaction by the end of this quarter, March 31st.

In an AMD-like move to generate more short-term liquidity so as to strengthen its somewhat precarious position, Toshiba may be moving towards one of the most interesting shakeups in the NAND production field: a possible spin-off of its NAND production business into a separate company.

This move to restructure comes in the wake of recent snags and strategic mistakes for the company - such as the $1.2 billion dollar accounting "misstated" earnings, which created difficulties for the company to refinance itself in the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Also not negligible was a gross miscalculation on the amount of debt of the CB&I Stone and Webster company that Toshiba acquired so as to facilitate its U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric nuclear plant subsidiary investment. This "miscalculation", where Toshiba considered the "goodwill" booking charges at $87 million, where recently restated as a roughly-defined "several billion U.S. dollars."

Patriot, a global leader in performance memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals and flash storage solutions, today announced the release of two new Type-C USB drives. The Stellar-C Vertical (STC-Vi) and the Stellar-C Pass-Through (STC-Ti) will provide users with high capacity, portable storage solutions for the ever growing Type-C technology.

WDLabs, a business growth incubator and accelerator of storage solutions leader Western Digital Corporation, today announced availability of the WD PiDrive Foundation Edition products, which combine microSD card and USB drive functionality with operating system installation software to provide the Raspberry Pi community an integrated and highly affordable storage system solution for fast project creation.

"It is similar to about 30 years ago when hard disk drives went mainstream in PCs - no more swapping floppy disks in and out to load the OS, applications and data," said Dave Chew, chief engineer, WDLabs. "This third generation WD PiDrive solution uses a USB HDD or USB Flash drive to run the OS and host multiple Raspberry Pi projects instead of having to do this on a collection of microSD cards. We have combined our technologies to work as a team."

ASUS today announced that all 100-series motherboards will now support next-generation Intel Core processors. A quick and easy UEFI BIOS update unleashes the full potential of the next-generation high-performance CPUs for socket LGA 1151, reaffirming ASUS as the BEST leading motherboard brand - Best Selling, Easy to Use, Stable and Trusted. Owners of ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG), Pro Gaming, Signature and TUF Z170, H170, B150 and H110 motherboards are able to take advantage of the easy upgrade to the award-winning ASUS UEFI BIOS, which is available today via the relevant ASUS Support web page.

All ASUS 100-series motherboards that include the ASUS USB BIOS Flashback feature allow users to apply UEFI BIOS updates with ease. For other ASUS 100-series motherboards the necessary UEFI BIOS update takes just one click in an easy-to-use Windows-based BIOS updater application, ASUS EZ Update, which is available to download from the ASUS website.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today unveiled the industry's first removable memory cards based on the JEDEC Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 1.0 Card Extension Standard, for use in high-resolution mobile shooting devices such as DSLRs, 3D VR cameras, action cams and drones. Coming in a wide range of storage capacities including 256, 128, 64 and 32 gigabyte (GB), Samsung's UFS cards are expected to bring a significant performance boost to the external memory storage market, allowing much more satisfying multimedia experiences.

"Our new 256GB UFS card will provide an ideal user experience for digitally-minded consumers and lead the industry in establishing the most competitive memory card solution," said Jung-bae Lee, senior vice president, Memory Product Planning & Application Engineering, Samsung Electronics "By launching our new high-capacity, high-performance UFS card line-up, we are changing the growth paradigm of the memory card market to prioritize performance and user convenience above all."

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD220-2 Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Card Extension Standard. The new removable memory card standard standardizes functionality that aligns with the popular UFS embedded device standard. JESD220-2 is available for free download from the JEDEC website.

UFS is a high performance interface designed for use in computing and mobile systems such as smart phones and tablets where power consumption needs to be minimized. Its high speed serial interface and optimized protocol enable significant improvements in throughput and mobile system performance. The new UFS card standard provides a leading-edge removable storage solution while maintaining sequential and random IOPS performance that is critical for future mobile markets. Even using a single lane the UFS 1.0 card offers 600 MB/s interface speed in both directions and a state-of-the-art queuing mechanism to further increase system throughput.

Patriot, a leading manufacturer of consumer flash storage solutions, computer memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals and mobile accessories, today announced the release of the 200GB LX Series and 200GB Instamobile microSDXC. A natural evolution fueled by the ever growing and dynamic storage needs of today's mobile device users, these new high capacity cards offer an almost limitless storage solution for large HD movies, pictures, music, and productivity files.

Consumers will never miss a moment while on the go. These large capacity cards enable Android smart phone and tablet users to capture life's precious moments in stunning high definition while expanding the storage space of their device. Capable of recording over 18 hours of 1080p HD video and capturing up to 36,000, 3MB photos, users will never have to worry about running out of storage space on their action camera or mobile device.

OWC Digital, a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, today announced the all-new Aura SSD for Mid 2013 and Later Mac laptops, the most anticipated SSD upgrade release in OWC's history. In an era of ever-expanding storage needs, this long-awaited upgrade allows users, for the first time ever, to expand the stock storage that came with their Mac laptops and reuse their original factory drive to transfer data and as a high-performance external storage solution.

Available in 480GB and 1TB capacities, Aura SSD upgrade kits are the first and only PCIe-based flash storage upgrades available for MacBook Pro with Retina display (Late 2013 and newer) and MacBook Air (Mid 2013 and newer) models.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash storage solutions, today introduced the SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C Flash Drive designed specifically for next-generation devices. The sleek, new drive features a versatile and powerful USB Type-C connector for quick file transfer between USB Type-C enabled mobile devices, laptops, tablets and future devices.

"We expect to see many new USB Type-C supported devices released in 2016," said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk. "As more consumers purchase ultra-mobile PCs, smartphones and tablets that feature this new, more advanced USB standard, it is critical to offer a complete ecosystem of compatible products. New offerings, like our SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C Flash Drive, will give consumers the capabilities they've come to expect from traditional Type A ports, but with the added benefit of better performance."

Team Group Inc., the world's leading memory brand, today announced the launch of MoStash- The world's first flash drive for iPhone that can also transform into a mobile viewing stand. Team MoStash is using Lightning/USB 3.0 dual connector and has the world's first patented smart stand as cover structure. MoStash is able to transform into a phone stand through interlocking its smart cover. It is an external storage device for iPhone/iPad, and it can improve user's multimedia entertainment experience as well. With careful and thoughtful design, it's not only a flash drive, but also a must-have mobile accessory that helps users to enjoy multimedia entertainment.

Team MoStash is made from combination of metal and rubber material. It not only brings out the perfect visual art, but also improves its protection. The "Double Arc" design of the body and the cap is making MoStash easier for mobile storage usage and also symbolize that your wonderful memories are perfectly well stored. If you interlock the body and the cap of MoStash, it can transform into an iPhone stand, which saves you the trouble of holding the phone and allow you to fully enjoy your multimedia collection without experiencing the hand soreness even after you finish a whole movie. Instead of an unrealistic creation, the elegant design is also highly functional.

At the 2015 Flash Memory Summit, Samsung announced the fruition of its swanky new 48-layer 3D V-NAND chips, the PM1633a. Built in the 2.5-inch form-factor, and featuring a SAS 12 Gb/s interface, this drive offers an unformatted capacity nearing 16 TB (15,360 GB to be precise). The drive relies on ten 48-layer stacks of 256 Gb 3-bit NAND flash dies, making up 15,360 GB of unformatted capacity. Samsung showed off a system with 48 of these drives, making up 720 TB of total storage.

Besides the largest SSD, Samsung also showed off the fastest. The PM1725 SSD, designed for servers with high-traffic databases, where throughput is the king, is built in the 2.5-inch form factor (up to 3.2 TB) and HHHL form-factor (up to 6.4 TB). It features a PCI-Express 3.0 host bus, and talks to the OS over the modern NVMe protocol. The two offer random access throughput of up to 1,000,000 IOPS.

Today, Micron Technology, Inc. announced a new addition to its expansive portfolio of flash storage products, providing a purpose-built solution for cost-sensitive consumer applications seeking high performance and reliability. The new TLC NAND is built on their 16-nanometer (nm) process and delivers a balanced set of features for applications like USB drives and consumer solid state drives. The market appetite for TLC is projected to be strong throughout 2015, constituting almost half of the total NAND gigabytes shipped.

Micron's 16 nm process-recognized by TechInsights as the Most Innovative Memory Device and 2014 Semiconductor of the Year-is a mature and proven storage technology, making it an excellent foundation for a reliable TLC design. TLC, or triple-level cell, is a technology that fits three bits in every flash data cell, creating greater cost and size efficiency. Customers of the technology will benefit from Micron's extensive design support team, who act as trusted advisors to ensure smooth qualification and optimal end-solution performance. Key flash customers and ecosystem partners worldwide have already begun working to integrate this new NAND with their latest designs, ensuring quick adoption in end applications.

PNY Technologies, world renowned manufacturing giant for USB and Memory products, has officially released the new Duo-Link OTG USB 2.0 flash drive. The Duo-Link is your on-the-go companion with advanced feature of micro USB combined with normal USB drive only for you to enjoy your data over the go and at your home. With the Duo-Link, you can transfer data between your smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops at your own comfort without any glitch at fast speed.

The Duo-Link OU5 connects to your Android mobile device via the built-in micro-USB connector to quickly and easily transfer files. The standard USB connector on the other side of the flash drive plugs directly into the USB port on any USB 2.0 PC or laptop.

Enjoy lightning speed and high-performance with the HP's latest USB flash drive-the HP x715w. PNY Technologies, world renowned manufacturing giant for USB and Memory products, has officially released the durable and stylish HP x715w USB 3.0 flash drive for storing and sharing your digital files. This thumb-sized drive is extremely lightweight and compact and can be easily carried around anywhere you go. Equipped with USB 3.0 hardware, you can transfer HD movies, images and documents in mere seconds.

The x715w comes encased in a shock-resistant and dustproof durable metallic casing. Its high-quality mirror finishing with electronic plating after printing technic features the HP logo engraved on the drive, which is present only on genuine PNY products and helps in distinguishing between counterfeit replacements. This ensures originality and PNY's top quality performance as promised, is not tampered with in any ways.

Patriot, a leading manufacturer of mobile accessories, computer and USB memory, announces the development of a Type-C USB Flash Drive for the new MacBook, Google Chromebook Pixel and other Type-C equipped notebooks and systems available on the market. With the recent release of the latest MacBook, which has been upgraded with the new Type-C port, consumers will now be able to use the Type-C USB Flash Drive to transfer data from any other form factor using a single robust and small solution.

Outfitted with a polished metal exterior, the dual-sided Type-C / Type A USB Flash Drive will feature both a small Type-C at one end and a standard USB 3.0 connector at the other end allowing seamless data transfer from traditional devices to the new Type C based device. Patriot solves the problem of compatibility, providing a solution that is compatible with all devices.

Now store and transfer large files faster than ever with plenty of room to spare with the HP x755w. PNY Technologies, world renowned manufacturing giant for USB and Memory products, has officially released the massive 128/256GB memory sized HP x755w on the global market. With USB 3.0 specification, enjoy next generation speed performance with transfer speeds up to 10X faster than any other standard USB 2.0 Flash Drives available. With up to 128/256GB of memory space, it's the perfect solution for easily storing and quickly transferring all your large documents, high-resolution photos, HD videos, and more.

The drive is ideal for students or working professionals who need to store large amounts of data everyday for school projects or work projects. The HP x755w is a high-capacity pen drive that comes packed inside a sleek and smooth high-grade plastic casing. It comes in a cool shade of blue and white, a classic yet modern look. The drive incorporates a cap less sliding design that eliminates the worries of a misplaced cap. To connect the drive, simply push it to the end to reveal the USB port underneath it. Designed with portability and convenience in mind, the x755w features a key hole located at the end of the drive, which can be easily attached to key chains, mobile straps, wallets or backpacks.

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a leading manufacturer of industrial-grade products, is proud to announce the launch of the new EMC210 e.MMC (embedded Multi-Media Card) storage solution. The MLC-based EMC210 features simplified interface design, enhanced storage capacities, upgraded performance and a set of comprehensive functions. The small factor e.MMC is an embedded storage ideal for mobile devices, embedded devices and industrial applications, and is compliant with JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) version 4.51 standards.

The e.MMC is comprised of the NAND Flash and the Flash Memory Controller in a 153-ball BGA package. By integrating the controller into the flash memory package, the e.MMC supports the MMC interface and streamlines the development of new products that comply with a simpler set of industry-standard specifications for memory management. Transcend's e.MMC solution provides greater flexibility with interface voltage of either 1.65~1.95V or 2.7V~3.6V. Consequently, manufacturers can benefit from a more efficient design process, lower costs, and reduced time-to-market for end products.

PNY Technologies, world renowned manufacturing giant for USB and Memory products, has officially announced the release of their latest OTG flash drive, the DUO-LINK OU4 OTG USB 3.0 drive. It provides an alternate external storage solution for adding digital content and transferring it from a computer to your smartphone, tablets, iPads and more. The drive offers fast transfers of photos, videos, and music to any computer with a USB 3.0 port, making it easy to free up space on your Android device.

The OU4 comes manufactured in durable metal casing and features a swivel design cap that can be rotated to the side to reveal the microUSB 2.0 placed underneath it. The swivel plastic cap is cleverly attached to the drive, which makes it convenient to slide it back when not in use and protect the port from dust and scratches. For added mobility, it features an integrated strip hole located at the cap, so it can be securely attached to your mobile straps, keychain, wallets or it can be looped around a lanyard and adorned as an accessory.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced its 4th generation HS4 All-In-One Media Reader. The multi-function reader improves upon the previous model as it reads all major card format types including the latest SD card speeds (UHS-I, UHS-II) and CF Type I and II (UDMA 0-7).

Users can easily back up and transfer music, photos, videos and other digital data with USB 3.0 high-speed performance. This allows users to save time transferring files as USB 3.0 allows up to 5Gb/s data transfer speed - almost 10x faster than USB 2.0. The portable, small form factor reader has a brushed nickel case and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

Micron Technology, Inc., and Intel Corporation today revealed the availability of their 3D NAND technology, the world's highest-density flash memory. Flash is the storage technology used inside the lightest laptops, fastest data centers, and nearly every cellphone, tablet and mobile device.

This new 3D NAND technology, which was jointly developed by Intel and Micron, stacks layers of data storage cells vertically with extraordinary precision to create storage devices with three times higher capacity than competing NAND technologies. This enables more storage in a smaller space, bringing significant cost savings, low power usage and high performance to a range of mobile consumer devices as well as the most demanding enterprise deployments.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today introduced a high-performance mobile memory storage based on Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) 5.0 technology. The new 128-gigabyte (GB), 3-bit NAND-based eMMC 5.0 storage is targeted at the smartphone and tablet mass markets.

"With the introduction of our value-focused, 3-bit NAND-based eMMC 5.0 line-up, we expect to take the lead in the expansion of high-density mobile storage," said Dr. Jung-Bae Lee, Senior Vice President of Memory Product Planning and Application Engineering Team, Samsung Electronics. "We are continuing to enhance our next-generation embedded mobile memory offerings with improved performance and higher densities to meet increasing customer demand across the mobile industry."

The world's leading memory brand, Team Group Inc. released the all new exquisite USB flash drive Team C151. Team C151's minimal design with a clean white color shows us what smart living with a fashionable twist is all about. C151 is made out of one round piece, which creates a close feeling for the users. The thoughtful design of a loop and a fashion strap makes it easy for users to carry it around and store the precious memory at any time.

Team C151 are made by COB assembly process which offers an all-around protection in waterproof and dust-proof. Consumers are able to store their precious memory at ease. C151 provides a wide range of capacity available for different needs, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. By giving each capacity its own color, we make it easier for consumers to choose and purchase a mobile storage that has their own personal style.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, announced today that it is now mass producing the industry's first 128-gigabyte (GB) ultra-fast embedded memory based on the much-anticipated Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.0 standard for next-generation flagship smartphones. The new embedded memory's UFS 2.0 interface is the most advanced JEDEC-compliant, next-generation flash memory storage specification in the world.

"With our mass production of ultra-fast UFS memory of the industry's highest capacity, we are making a significant contribution to enable a more advanced mobile experience for consumers," said Jee-ho Baek, Senior Vice President of Memory Marketing, Samsung Electronics. "In the future, we will increase the proportion of high-capacity memory solutions, in leading the continued growth of the premium memory market."

Corsair, a worldwide leader in high-performance PC hardware, today announced the immediate availability of new USB 3.0 flash drive families - Flash Voyager Slider X1 and Flash Voyager Slider X2. Corsair also unveiled a rugged new look for the ultra-performance Flash Voyager GS and Flash Voyager GTX families with the addition of a 512GB size for Flash Voyager GS. Equipped with new bold styling and offering a wide range of performance and capacities to suite any budget, these new drives bring the Flash Voyager line up-to-date and ready for the demands of 2015.