Apple orders 50 million iPhone NAND chips from Samsung, rest of world put on hold?

Daaaamn, talk about clout. If DigiTimes' sources are correct, then Samsung, the world's primary supplier of flash memory, just told its non-Apple customers to suck it in favor of a "large batch of orders" it received from Cupertino. The order is said to be for 50-million "8Gb-equivalent" (we assume they mean gigabyte, or GB) NAND chips "mainly for use in Apple's iPhone." This order follows a June procurement for 25 million of the same chips. In response, Samsung has reportedly told its lesser customers that it would "sharply cut supply" of NAND to them while the order is being fulfilled. The shortage is compounded by Samsung lowering its manufacturing output in April and May in an attempt to reduce oversupply. Still, if these numbers are true (they seem high and DigiTimes can be hit or miss with its Apple sources) then the world is about to be awash in iPhone 3Gs come July 11th.
Update: We've given the Gigabits vs. Gigabytes a bit more thought. If it's 50 million 8Gbit chips as stated, they would divide evenly across about 2.1 million 8GB iPhone 3Gs plus another 2.1 million 16GB models. A reasonable production run for Apple's global launch but an order which shouldn't be so taxing on Samsung's production capability. Something doesn't add up.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple,digitimes,flash,iphone,iphone 3g,Iphone3g,nand,rumor,samsung ]

Raidon rolls out STARAY S Series data encryption boxes

Those that somehow still haven't found a drive or drive enclosure that meets their security / paranoia needs may want to take a gander at one of Raidon's recently released STARAY S Series "data encryption boxes," which offer a number of different security measures to keep your data away from prying eyes. That includes plain-old software password protection on the S1 Series device, fingerprint protection on the S2 model, and keypad-based password protection on the S3 box (pictured above). Otherwise, each one will give you a so-called "X-Zone" partition on the drive that is invisible without the key, along with "S-Code" technology that encrypts the data in the X-Zone. You will have to supply your own 2.5-inch hard drive, however, although the enclosure's screw-free design should at least make that a relatively easy process, assuming you can find one, that is -- it seems like retailers are a little slow to pick these up.



[Via: BIOS ]
[Tag: drive enclosure, DriveEnclosure, encryption, raidon, staray, staray s, StarayS ]

Creative could pay class-action settlement over exaggerated MP3 capacities

Couldn't fit those last two Oingo Boingo albums on your Zen when you thought you had enough space? Get ready for payback, because if you own a Creative Labs MP3 player made between May 5, 2001 and April 30, 2008, you could be entitled to a class-action settlement over this very issue. The proposed settlement -- not the first of its kind -- will force Creative to "make certain disclosures regarding the storage capacity of its hard disc drive MP3 players" and give a 50% discount on a new 1GB player or 20% off any item purchased at Creative's online store, if it's approved by the court. For its part, Creative denies any wrongdoing, but it looks like it's offering up the settlement to smooth thing over with consumers -- but you know it's going to fight the $900,000 requested by plaintiffs' attorneys in fees. Applications are due by August 7, 2008, so start digging up those serial numbers.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: class action, ClassAction, creative, creative labs, CreativeLabs, lawsuit, settlement, suit ]