What Makes 16GB Thumb Drive Memory So Impressive?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the impressive capabilities of 16GB USB thumb drives, highlighting their compact size and the advanced technology behind them. These devices utilize NAND Flash memory, which allows for non-volatile storage of data, retaining information without power. The conversation emphasizes that each bit of data is stored using a single transistor, supported by row and column pass gates for efficient data management. The mention of 256GB drives indicates the growing storage capacities available, albeit at a higher cost.

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  • NAND Flash memory technology
  • Understanding of non-volatile memory
  • Basic knowledge of transistor functionality
  • Familiarity with USB thumb drive specifications
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  • Research the architecture of NAND Flash memory chips
  • Explore the differences between various USB thumb drive capacities
  • Learn about the manufacturing process of non-volatile memory
  • Investigate the future trends in USB storage technology
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This discussion is beneficial for technology enthusiasts, hardware engineers, and anyone interested in the advancements of portable storage solutions.

jackmell
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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?
 
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Computer science news on Phys.org
Thanks for the link. :)
 
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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