How does a 16GB USB drive store data without power?

[jackmell]

So it seems they have 16 GB devices. So that's 16 billion bytes probably on some storage element no bigger than a postage stamp and very thin. So that's what 128 billion bits?

So does that mean we have a single memory device, postage-stamp size, with 128 billion transistors? How exactly is the memory being saved without power?

 

[IMP]

You can purchase 256GB USB thumb drives now, but they are not cheap. I use a 32GB drive everyday. They use non-volatile memory. All the info you can eat is right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb_thumb_drive

 

[jackmell]

Thanks for the link. :)

 

[berkeman]

Yeah, IMP's link has a further link to the NAND Flash memory chip technology that is being used to store the bits. And yes, basically one transistor per bit, with row and column transistor pass gates and other decoding transistor logic as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAND_flash#NAND_flash

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