Advanced Micro Devices is pitching a new low-power memory chip for cellular phones and personal digital assistants.
The chipmaker announced on Wednesday that its new power-stingy flash memory chip is now available to manufacturers. At 1.8 volts, the chip consumes less power than AMD's standard 3-volt flash chips. AMD has sold 1.8-volt flash memory chips before, but the company says the new one, dubbed Am29BDS640G, will consume up to 95 percent less power than competing products. It will be available first in 64-megabit densities.
Flash memory is used to store data in cellular phones, PDAs and networking equipment. The memory is especially suitable for phones and PDAs because it continues to store data even when its power supply is turned off.
Lower-power components are important to cell phone makers, who are designing new phones for faster 2.5G and 3G networks.
Typically, these next-generation phones include larger amounts of memory and faster, more power-hungry processors. By using lower-power components such as flash memory, the manufacturers can hold the line on battery life and maintain the smaller size of their new phones.
News source: Cnet
