Intel's SSD tech and your article's Apple MBA storage references has prompted me to speculate on the new iPad 2 storage options.
How's this for a New Year's Day rumor. The new iPad 2 will gain the same SSD storage tech options as the 11" MBA currently has. That is, the iPad 2 will have an optional 128 GB of flash memory installed in it.
Intel has launched a new solid-state drive that is a mere one eighth the size of a typical 2.5-inch version, which could find its way into new tablet devices and laptops. Lenovo has already confirmed that it plans to include the new drive across its ThinkPad laptop lineup.
The Intel SSD 310 is a mere 5mm thick and comes in 40GB and 80GB capacities. As impressive as the drive’s micro-size is, its performance is equally compelling: Intel claims that the SSD 310 provides the same performance as drives in the company’s X25 lineup of desktop SSDs. (Though Intel doesn’t say if the performance is equivalent to the value, mainstream, or extreme series of X25 drives.)
In addition to serving as a tablet PC’s sole storage source, the SSD 310 is expected to be paired in laptops with a larger hard drive to help speed up boot times. With the drive’s introduction, Intel will compete with Toshiba, which supplies the SSD drives in Apple’s latest MacBook Air laptops, in this emerging market.
