SanDisk and Microsoft have decided to team up and cooperate to build the next generation of USB memories. The basic idea is to replace today’s memories using the U3 Smart technology, which makes it possible to transfer your profile and make every computer act and look like your own. Microsoft will develop new software that takes U3 even further, while SanDisk will supply the hardware, which includes encryption technology through TrustedFlash. Microsoft will not be working solely with SanDisk though, but it seems that the coming technology will be available with quite a lot of USB memories in the future. The first memories from SanDisk are expected to appear in the second half of 2008.
“The U3 platform was established with the vision of giving customers a consistent and portable computing experience. The existing 20,000 U3 software developers that joined us show the potential for smart flash memory devices,” – Yoram Cedar, executive vice president of the mobile business unit and corporate engineering at SanDisk. “We expect this relationship with Microsoft will raise the overall experience for consumers given Microsoft’s unique software expertise, and grow the momentum given the large community of 3rd party companies capable of utilizing Microsoft’s technologies.“
