Corsair TurboFlash may look like a regular USB memory and even if the basic idea is the one and the same TurboFlash is not meant to be used to for storing and then moving around. TurboFlash has been designed for Windows Vista’s ReadyBoost technology which lets the computer use a USB memory as an extra cache for faster access to data and applications which are frequently used. We’re eager to see if there is any boost and if so how much of a boost you can expect from the ReadyBoost technology, at the same time we’re wondering how much of a difference there will be between units from different manufacturers as they have to follow certain specifications that Microsoft has set.
“Using dual channel controllers and SLC memory, these USB drives offer fast read/write speeds but have been tuned specifically for random read of 4KB files across the entire device. (A requirement for a device to be ReadyBoost capable … and not something the average USB Flash Drive can achieve)”
Corsair now has a tool for ReadyBoost available and as far as we know you will be able to buy the introduction model (512MB) today already. A 1GB model is expected to arrive later next week. But you shouldn’t expect much of a fuss before Windows Vista is finally launched on the retail market. Those who wants to know more about ReadyBoost can take a look at the official ReadyBoost FAQ at MSDN.
