BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Flash memory isn't just for cell phones anymore. Flash drives are moving up into PCs and servers, and Intel has joined the trend to solid-state drives based on NAND flash memory with 1, 2, 4 and 8G models, news reports said Tuesday.

Intel's NAND-based solid statedrive.(File Photo)

Photo Gallery>>> The company has opted to use a USB interface rather than ATA or SATA, which would have allowed manufacturers to readily employ the drives as direct replacements for rotating magnetic disks.

Intel expects the parts to be used in "servers, emerging market notebooks and low-cost, fully featured PCs. In addition, it will be used in Intel embedded solutions for routers and point of sale terminals."

Unlike the commonplace "thumb drives", the Z-U130 Value Solid State Drives come as small printed circuit boards designed for internal mounting.

Intel claims high performance -- write speeds up to 20M/sec -- and high reliability. "This higher performing solid state drive is a faster storage alternative that speeds through common PC or embedded application operations such as locating boot code, operating systems and commonly accessed libraries," Intel officials said.

Price is important for small storage devices, and Intel claims the Z-U130 family would cost less than half the price of a 40 dollar to 50 dollar low-end PC hard drive.

The 8G model won't go into production until the end of 2008, but higher capacity versions are expected within a year or so.

(Agencies)