Valve today announced its first big splash into the console market with Steam Deck, a device out to eat the Nintendo Switch's lunch. The announcement comes as yet another feather in AMD's cap for its semi-custom SoC business, benefiting from being the only company with an x86-64 CPU license and having a cutting-edge graphics hardware IP. Built on the 7 nm node at TSMC, the semi-custom chip at the heart of the Steam Deck is designed for extended gameplay on battery, and is a monolithic silicon that combines CPU, GPU, and core-logic.

The yet-unnamed semi-custom chip features a 4-core/8-thread CPU based on the "Zen 2" microarchitecture, with a nominal clock speed of 2.40 GHz, and up to 3.50 GHz boost. The CPU component offers an FP32 throughput of 448 GFLOP/s. The GPU is based on AMD's latest RDNA2 graphics architecture—the same one powering the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and Radeon RX 6900 XT—and is comprised of 8 RDNA2 compute units (512 stream processors). The GPU operates at an engine clock speed of 1.10 GHz to 1.60 GHz, with peak compute power of 1.6 TFLOP/s. The silicon uses a unified memory interface, and a cutting-edge LPDDR5 memory controller.

The recent wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in India has weakened sales of retail storage products such as memory cards and USB drives, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. However, demand remains fairly strong in the main application segments due to the arrival of the traditional peak season and the growth in the procurement related to data centers. Hence, the sufficiency ratio of the entire market has declined further. NAND Flash suppliers have kept their inventories at a healthy level thanks to clients' stock-up activities during the past several quarters. Moreover, the ongoing shortage of NAND Flash controller ICs continues to affect the production of finished storage products. Taking account of these demand-side and supply-side factors, TrendForce forecasts that contract prices of NAND Flash products will rise marginally for 3Q21, with QoQ increases in the range of 5-10%.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. For the first quarter, net sales (GAAP) increased sequentially to $182.4 million from $143.9 million in fourth quarter 2020. Net income (GAAP) increased to $34.4 million or $0.98 per diluted ADS (GAAP) from net income (GAAP) of $1.4 million or $0.04 per diluted ADS (GAAP) in fourth quarter 2020. For the first quarter, net income (non-GAAP) increased to $38.7 million or $1.11 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP) from a net income (non-GAAP) of $29.9 million or $0.86 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP) in fourth quarter 2020.

"As we had previously communicated, we are seeing very strong demand for our SSD and eMMC+UFS controllers," said Wallace Kou, President and CEO of Silicon Motion. "Customer demand was well in excess of our ability to supply as both our foundry supply and inventory on hand are limited."

AAEON, an industry leader in embedded AI Edge systems, announces new software support for the BOXER-8200 series of embedded PCs featuring NVIDIA Jetson System on Modules (SOM). AAEON has officially signed an agreement with Canonical to provide customers with the NVIDIA Ubuntu operating system pre-installed on new BOXER-8200 systems. Systems with the NVIDIA Ubuntu OS will also ship with the Jetpack 4.5 drivers and toolkit package preinstalled. Additionally, AAEON announces a new customization services to provide Secureboot to clients in addition to other customization options.

AAEON is dedicated to delivering the most comprehensive platform solutions powered by NVIDIA Jetson SOMs. To meet the needs of their clients, AAEON has signed an agreement with Canonical to provide the official NVIDIA Ubuntu OS image on the entire range of BOXER-8200 series systems. Developers and customers who purchase new BOXER-8200 series systems can receive the system with the OS preinstalled, with no need to flash the image before starting the system up for the first time. The BOXER-8200 series includes the BOXER-822x platforms with Jetson Nano, BOXER-8240AI with Jetson AGX Xavier, BOXER-825x platforms with Jetson Xavier NX, and BOXER-823x platforms with Jetson TX2 NX (currently under development).

Kingston Digital, Inc., the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is partnering with NXP Semiconductors on their new i.MX 8M Plus applications processors. NXP is a leading applications processor developer for creating infrastructure solutions involving smart technology, and Kingston is proud that its eMMC embedded memory solution is part of the reference board for its latest application processor.

Smart device makers requesting NXP's engineering verification kits featuring the i.MX 8M Plus chipset will see Kingston's eMMC onboard. This creates a terrific opportunity to expand the relationship with NXP and also further showcase Kingston embedded memory solutions to other IoT manufacturers. Kingston's discrete memory and storage solutions were also embedded on NXP's previous-generation i.MX 6 and i.MX 7 series processor boards.

With Samsung, YMTC, SK Hynix, and Intel leading the charge, NAND Flash suppliers will maintain an aggressive effort to expand their production capacities throughout 2Q21, during which NAND Flash bit output will likely increase by nearly 10% QoQ, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. On the other hand, orders from PC OEMs and Chinese smartphone brands since 1Q21, as well as recovering procurement activities from clients in the data center segment during 2Q21, will generate upward momentum propelling NAND Flash bit demand. Furthermore, buyers are actively stocking up on finished products, such as SSDs and eMMC, due to persistently limited NAND Flash controller supply. TrendForce therefore expects NAND Flash contract prices to increase by an average of 3-8% QoQ in 2Q21 after experiencing a 5-10% decline QoQ in 1Q21. In particular, as Samsung's Line S2 fab in Austin has yet to resume full operation after the Texas winter storm, the supply of NAND Flash controllers going forward may be at risk, and Samsung's ability to manufacture client SSDs will be further constrained as a result. In light of these factors, TrendForce is not ruling out the possibility that NAND Flash contract prices may increase by even more than current forecasts.

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions, today announces the ADATA IEM5141A embedded multi media cards. Ideally suited for industrial and IoT applications, the ADATA IEM5141A meets JEDEC eMMC 5.1 HS400 standard that delivers high read/write speeds of up to 300/170 MB/s,and low-power consumption of optimized performance.

The IEM5141A is a fully integrated device with built-in controllerand NAND Flash for higher capacities, durability, and perfectly suited for space-constrained IPCs and server boot-up applications. Furthermore, the IEM5141A offers Auto sleep on/off mode for low power consumption, Partitioning Management, and Thermal Throttling. It also features wide-temperature operability (-40°C - +85°C) and a 3,000 P/E cycle for excellent stability and reliability.

ASUS North America today announced the launch of the Pilot the Future program for the K-12 education-focused ASUS BR1100C laptop, which was recently announced at CES 2021. ASUS North America will be kicking off the Pilot the Future Campaign today to provide select K-12 schools in North America with the opportunity to receive a set of 30 ASUS BR1100C clamshell laptops, enough to equip a full class of students for learning remotely and in the classroom. To be considered for the ASUS BR1100 Pilot the Future program, school faculty can submit videos to share with ASUS how their school is preparing students for better collaboration in-person and remotely, as well as how the ASUS BR1100 laptops can help promote learning in their classroom.

From the batch of submissions, ASUS will select a number of schools to move onto the community voting round from March 5 through March 22, where schools with the most votes will be selected as a participant in the program. The Pilot the Future program starts today with initial school nominations through February 26 and concludes when the selected K-12 schools are announced on March 29.

Embedded storage has gradually matured over its years of development. However, as technology has developed, market demands towards the stability of embedded storage products has also increased. Only by improving their products and technologies and pushing the boundaries of technology can storage enterprises weather the storm of the rapidly changing market.

In 2020, FORESEE, Longsys' embedded storage brand, launched a compact eMMC packaged in BGA 153, with dimensions of only 9.0 x 7.5 x 0.8 mm. This is in stark contrast to the standard dimensions of 11.5x13x1.2 mm. The operating temperature ranges from -25°C to 85°C, reaching the standards seen in industrial-grade products, and the maximum capacity can reach up to 64 GB. It meets all market requirements for high performance, low power consumption, slimness, and multiple capacities, and satisfies the needs of terminal equipment such as tablets, smart phones, smart speakers, dash cams, and smart watches.

In the upstream semiconductor industry, the major foundries such as TSMC and UMC are reporting fully loaded capacities, while in the downstream, the available production capacity for OSAT is also lacking, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Given this situation, suppliers of NAND Flash controller ICs such as Phison and Silicon Motion are now unable to meet upside demand from their clients. Not only have many controller IC suppliers temporarily stopped offering quotes for new orders, but they are also even considering raising prices soon because the negotiations between NAND Flash suppliers and module houses over 1Q21 contracts are now at the critical juncture. The potential increases in prices of controller ICs from outsourced suppliers (IC design houses) are currently estimated to be the range of 15-20%.

With regards to the demand side, demand has risen significantly for eMMC solutions with medium- and low-density specifications (i.e., 64 GB and lower), for which NAND Flash suppliers have mostly stopped updating the NAND Flash process technology, while maintaining support with the legacy 2D NAND or the 64L 3D NAND process. This is on account of strong sales for Chromebook devices and TVs. As older processes gradually account for a lowering portion of bit output proportions from NAND Flash suppliers, these companies are exhibiting a lowered willingness to directly supply such eMMC products to clients. As a result, clients now need to turn to memory module houses, which are able to source NAND Flash components and controllers, to procure eMMC products in substantial quantities.

The percentage distribution of 2021 NAND Flash bit demand by application currently shows that client SSD accounts for 31%, enterprise SSD 20%, eMMC/UFS 41%, and NAND wafer 8%, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. TrendForce expects NAND Flash ASP to undergo QoQ declines throughout 2021, since the number of NAND suppliers far exceeds DRAM suppliers, and the bit supply remains high. As Samsung, YMTC, SK Hynix, and Intel actively expand their NAND Flash bit output in 1Q21, the oversupply situation in the industry will become more severe, with a forecasted 6% QoQ increase in NAND Flash bit output and a 10-15% QoQ decline in NAND Flash ASP in 1Q21.

Greenliant has secured major design wins with its EnduroSLC solid state drives (SSDs) in a wide range of demanding, extreme environment applications for customers that need best-in-class reliability and product longevity. Greenliant's proprietary EnduroSLC Technology substantially enhances data retention and extends the write endurance of 1-bit-per-cell SSDs with advanced hardware ECC capabilities and NAND flash management algorithms. EnduroSLC SSDs not only offer superior data retention capabilities under complex temperature conditions, but also support 50K, 100K and industry-leading, ultra high 250K+ program-erase (P/E) cycles, which are at least a 5x improvement over pseudo-SLC (pSLC) SSDs and a 50x improvement over MLC NAND-based products.

For systems that are in remote locations and costly to maintain-from satellite to subsea communications-customers recognize the value of EnduroSLC SSDs; they can reliably operate and retain data for long periods of time in harsh conditions. Long-life, write-intensive products, such as transportation black box recorders and industrial data loggers, have also benefitted from the enhanced features of EnduroSLC SSDs. EnduroSLC storage products are designed with Greenliant's advanced SATA, NVMe PCIe and eMMC controllers, operate at industrial temperatures (-40 to +85 degrees Celsius) and are backed by the company's Long-Term Availability program (http://bit.ly/SSD-LTA-program), providing an extra level of support.

Total NAND Flash revenue reached US$14.5 billion in 3Q20, a 0.3% increase QoQ, while total NAND Flash bit shipment rose by 9% QoQ, but the ASP fell by 9% QoQ, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. The market situation in 3Q20 can be attributed to the rising demand from the consumer electronics end as well as the recovering smartphone demand before the year-end peak sales season. Notably, in the PC market, the rise of distance education contributed to the growing number and scale of Chromebook tenders, but the increase in the demand for Chromebook devices has not led to a significant increase in NAND Flash consumption because storage capacity is rather limited for this kind of notebook computer. Moreover, clients in the server and data center segments had aggressively stocked up on components and server barebones during 2Q20 due to worries about the impact of the pandemic on the supply chain. Hence, their inventories reached a fairly high level by 3Q20. Clients are now under pressure to control and reduce their inventories during this second half of the year. With them scaling back procurement, the overall NAND Flash demand has also weakened, leading to a downward turn in the contract prices of most NAND Flash products.

Acer today launched Enduro, its new line of rugged notebooks and tablets specially designed to provide the durability, portability and performance needed by professionals working in the field. First responders and industrial manufacturing workers will find the Acer Enduro N7 to be a reliable companion, while event producers and outdoor hobbyists will appreciate the thin-and-light yet durable Enduro N3. A series of Enduro tablets are also available for retail, warehouse and manufacturing usage scenarios.

"With an increasingly modern workforce, more and more mobile devices are being deployed in the field where they are subject to harsher handling. Enduro, our new line of rugged notebooks and tablets, was created to provide our customers with the durability and performance that gets the job done," said Andrew Chuang, General Manager, Rugged Computing, Acer Inc.

ASUS today announced Tinker Edge R, a single-board computer (SBC) specially designed for AI applications. It uses a Rockchip RK3399Pro NPU, a machine-learning (ML) accelerator that speeds up processing efficiency, lowers power demands and makes it easier to build connected devices and intelligent applications.

With this integrated ML accelerator, Tinker Edge R can perform three tera-operations per second (3 TOPS), using low power consumption. It also features an optimized neural-network (NN) architecture, which means Tinker Edge R can support multiple ML frameworks and allow lots of common ML models to be compiled and run easily.

SK hynix Inc. presents its innovative semiconductor technologies leading the 4th Industrial Revolution at CES 2020, the world's largest trade show for IT and consumer electronics in Las Vegas, USA, from January 7-10, 2020. In line with its "Memory Centric World" theme, SK hynix depicts a futuristic city which effectively utilizes enormous amounts of data. The Company also showcases its semiconductor solutions across six crucial business fields - artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR), automotive, Internet of Things (IoT), big data and 5G.

Headlining at CES 2020 are SK hynix's memory solutions including HBM2E, DDR5 for servers, and SSD, which are already highly regarded and widely used in 4th industrial fields such as 5G and AI for their stability, speed, power consumption and density excellence. Other cutting-edge products set to make headlines in January are the Company's highly durable LPDDR4X and eMMC 5.1, which are optimized for automobiles. What's more, SK hynix is displaying its LPDDR5 and UFS that enhance the performance of 5G smartphones as well as CIS (CMOS Image Sensor) which is essential in establishing effective environments for AR/VR and IoT.

Greenliant is now sampling its SATA 2.5" EnduroSLC Industrial Enterprise EX Series solid state drives (SSDs) for primary storage applications that require ultra high endurance under extreme temperature conditions. Designed with Greenliant's EnduroSLC Technology, SATA 2.5" Industrial Enterprise EX Series SSDs provide ultra robust data retention and ultra high system-level lifetime endurance of 30 drive writes per day (DWPD) for 5 years.

"Greenliant has brought its SLC NAND expertise to the enterprise with its new line of EnduroSLC Industrial Enterprise EX Series SSDs," said Xuanhui Li, Vice President of Business Development, Datacenter Products, Greenliant. "With high reliability and outstanding quality of service, Greenliant's industrial enterprise storage products are ideal for mission critical, I/O intensive applications in aerospace, defense, transportation, energy and power, communications and industrial control."

Greenliant is now sampling its new high-reliability SATA 6 Gb/s ArmourDrive EX Series products to customers that need ultra robust data retention, ultra high endurance data storage capable of operating under heavy workloads in extreme environments. Designed with Greenliant's EnduroSLC Technology, SATA ArmourDrive EX Series solid state storage modules achieve 50K, 100K and industry-leading 250K+ program-erase (P/E) cycles and provide enhanced data retention. EnduroSLC-enabled SSDs offer high data storage integrity and can withstand wide temperature operations without losing data.

The SATA ArmourDrive EX Series expands the EnduroSLC product family, which also includes SATA 6Gb/s NANDrive and 100-ball/153-ball eMMC NANDrive ball grid array (BGA) solid state drives (SSDs). "SSD and memory card users that need super-high endurance and long-term data retention over a broad temperature range have limited options, since today's NAND flash marketplace is highly focused on consumer applications," said Jim Handy, principal analyst, Objective Analysis. "Greenliant's EnduroSLC products should find a warm reception among these elite users."

Western Digital Corp. is addressing the automotive industry's increasing need for storage by equipping vehicle manufacturers and system solution providers with the technology and capacity to support both current and future applications including e-cockpits, Artificial Intelligence (AI) databases, ADAS, advanced infotainment systems, and autonomous computers. As the first 256GB e.MMC using 64-Layer 3D NAND TLC flash technology in the automotive market, the new Western Digital iNAND AT EM132 EFD extends the life of e.MMC beyond 2D NAND to meet evolving application needs and growing capacity requirements.

According to Neil Shah, partner and research director, Counterpoint Research, "Storage is one of the fastest growing semiconductor applications in a connected autonomous car. The advanced in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), AI and sensor-driven autonomous driving systems generate large amounts of data that needs to be processed and stored locally at the edge. The average capacity of storage required per vehicle is expected to balloon beyond 2TB by 2022."

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass producing the industry's first 512-gigabyte (GB) embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS) 3.0 for next-generation mobile devices. In line with the latest eUFS 3.0 specification, the new Samsung memory delivers twice the speed of the previous eUFS storage (eUFS 2.1), allowing mobile memory to support seamless user experiences in future smartphones with ultra-large high-resolution screens.

"Beginning mass production of our eUFS 3.0 lineup gives us a great advantage in the next-generation mobile market to which we are bringing a memory read speed that was before only available on ultra-slim laptops," said Cheol Choi, executive vice president of Memory Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. "As we expand our eUFS 3.0 offerings, including a 1-Terabyte (TB) version later this year, we expect to play a major role in accelerating momentum within the premium mobile market."

Toshiba Memory America, Inc. (TMA), the U.S.-based subsidiary of Toshiba Memory Corporation, today announced that it will begin sampling new JEDEC e-MMC Ver. 5.1 compliant embedded flash memory products for consumer applications next month. The new products integrate the company's BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and a controller in a single package. The company will continue to reinforce its market-leading position by delivering a broad, high-performance product lineup, including for applications that continue to need e-MMC as an embedded memory solution.

During our visit with ECS at CES 2019, we had the opportunity to check out some of their Mini-PCs. The first one we looked at during our tour was the M520 which comes equipped with an Intel Apollo Lake SoC and support for up to 8 GB of DDR3L via 2 SODIMM slots. Expansions options consist of an M.2 E key 2230 slot (PCIe, USB) and an M.2 M key 2242/2280 PCIe x1 slot. It offers HDMI and mDP for video output and even has two Gigabit LAN ports along with wireless connectivity and Bluetooth 4.0. Onboard storage consists of eMMC configured as 64 GB or 32 GB, and a 2.5-inch HDD/SSD as an option. It also has 4x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports for peripherals and device connectivity along with an ES-232/422/485 port. In general, this particular system is quite tiny, but even with that in mind, we have to wonder why a 32 GB version is also an option considering Microsoft has gone so far as to say 32 GB of storage is inadequate for Windows 10.

Next up was the LIVA M520 not to be confused with the model previously discussed this option is quite a bit larger but features similar specifications. It comes equipped with a Celeron N3350 and up to 8 GB of DDR3L via 2x SODIMM slots. Storage consists of the same 32 GB, or 64 GB of eMMC and a 2.5-inch HDD/SSD is optional. The rest of the specifications are also quite similar with the LIVA M520 having an HDMI + mDP for video output, 4x USB ports, and 2x Gigabit LAN ports. Where it differs is the USB ports are only USB 3.0, not 3.1. For expansion, it includes the same M.2 E key and M.2 M key slots as the other M520 system.

ECS today rolled out the LIVA Z2L, a palm-size compact desktop with something in it for electronics hobbyists - a GPIO header. Driven by Intel Pentium/Celeron "Gemini Lake" SoCs, these desktops measure 132 mm x 118 mm x 56.4 mm (WxDxH), and feature VESA mounts, so you could tuck them away behind your display. The unit is completely fanless, and draws power from an external power adapter. Connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports, including a type-C, two USB 2.0 ports, D-Sub and HDMI display outputs, gigabit Ethernet, and 802.11ac WLAN. Under the hood, the "Gemini Lake" SoC is wired to 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory over two SODIMM slots (single channel), and storage is care of a 64 GB eMMC device that can juggle hot data from a 2.5-inch HDD. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Greenliant has introduced a new class of ultra-high endurance solid state drives (SSDs) that can reach up to 250,000 program/erase (P/E) cycles. These 1-bit-per-cell (SLC) SSDs are part of Greenliant's new EnduroSLC product line, which offers various endurance specifications-50K, 100K and 250K P/E cycles-for demanding industrial applications.

NANDrive SSDs, enabled by Greenliant's EnduroSLC Technology, now provide embedded systems designers with more options when choosing data storage products for long life applications. Using advanced NAND flash management algorithms and hardware error correction code (ECC) capabilities, Greenliant can significantly increase the life of its high reliability NANDrive SSDs for customers requiring superior endurance and data retention for extended periods of time.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the global leading motherboard, Mini-PC, Notebooks, mobile device and smart city solutions provider, is pleased to announce the LIVA Z2 and Z2V silent, energy efficient multi-functional mini PC designed for digital signage, workstation, and noise sensitive situations. The LIVA Z2 and Z2V are available with three Intel Gemini Lake based options, for varying processing needs. Both models are supported by 64GB of on-board eMMC, with a 2.5" HDD bay available for expanded storage options, 3 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0 and a high-speed USB type C connector. The LIVA Z2 features HDMI 2.0 for high bandwidth needs while the Z2V has HDMI 1.4 and D-Sub connectors for legacy and presentation situations. The all new LIVA Z2/Z2V Mini PC features a fanless design, allowing power saving and complete silence. It provides stunning 4K / UHD high quality playback with the full function of a desktop in a space-saving design.

The LIVA Z2 fits a lot of tech into its small size. The case is only 0.48 liters yet provides a multitude of connectors including one reversable USB type C, two HDMI, 802.11ac Wi-Wi, Bluetooth 4.1 and a Kensington lock. For the maker and professional developers, the LIVA Z2 includes a GPIO, an uncommitted digital signal pin whose behavior is controllable by the user at run time. The LIVA Z2/Z2V is easier to upgrade than many mini PC despite its small size. Simply remove four screws and the user can access the M.2 Wi-Fi, memory modules and 2.5" HDD storage slots.