Windows Vista’s Ready Boost technology will make it possible to speed up a computer quite a lot by storing frequently used information on a flash memory, which sports a lot lower latencies than regular mechanical harddrives. We will see several motherboards with integrated flash memory buffers, but the memory manufacturer PQI has chosen a different approach. It has launched an internal USB memory that is simply connected to a USB motherboard connector, thus attached directly to the motherboard. The big advantage is that you can use it for Ready Boost with all USB-capable motherboards without having to live with a USB memory sticking out from the case. We’ll just have to wait and see if this enough to make PQI DOM (Disk on Module) a hit.
“PQI has taken a different approach and released an internal solution that fits directly onto a USB header on your motherboard. The DOM (Disk on Module) is available in four sizes, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB with prices ranging from US$23 for the entry level model and then increasing by about US$8 for each size up to 1GB, with the 2GB unit coming in at around US$72, making it almost twice as expensive as the 1GB model.”
