Samsung’s big news today may have mostly involved huge phones , but that’s not all the hardware giant is unveiling today: The company today announced a 16 terabyte flash memory drive.
The announcement is particularly significant because though flash memory is known for its speed, it doesn’t generally produce the highest capacity drives. By comparison, the largest magnetic spinning drives typically top out around 8-10 TB.
ArsTechnica explains that the drive uses Samsung’s newest 256 gigabit NAND flash die technology. This is combined with a 3D stacking technique to effectively fit more storage into the same space. Traditionally, flash chips are arranged flat on a two dimensional plane, but Samsung now instead stacks several layers of memory cells next to one another to achieve greater storage density.
Samsung boasted the tech with a server containing 48 of these drives. It’s capable of around 2 million input/output operations per second, whereas the average consumer SSD maxes out at around 90,000.
This all fits into a 2.5-inch hard drive enclosure – albeit thicker than the modules typically found in laptops.
Samsung did not announce a price, but it’s currently aimed at the enterprise. ArsTechnica estimates the drive will cost more than $5,000. For reference, a 2.5 TB drive from Samsung currently retails for $1000 . That much storage doesn’t come cheap.
➤ Samsung unveils 2.5-inch 16TB SSD: The world’s largest hard drive [ArsTechnica]
Read next: Hands-on with the Galaxy Note 5 | Hands-on with the Galaxy S6 Edge+
Nexus 5 and 1-year Unlimited Talk-and-Text from FreedomPop: 65% off
Google’s version of Android offers a great mobile operating system experience, and the Nexus series of phones matches it with great hardware.
In particular, the Nexus 5 offers high-end looks and specifications at an affordable price. It runs on a 2.26 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, powering a pixel-packed 1080 × 1920 display. It also sports an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 1.2MP front-facing camera, and a battery which can last for thirteen hours of talk time.
Over at TNW Deals , it is currently being bundled with FreedomPop, a wireless service with generous allowances. It offers unlimited texts and calls, along with 500MB of 4G LTE data each month, and there is no contract or early termination fee. Other features include voicemail, tethering, and usage alerts.
Together, a certified pre-owned Nexus 5 and one year of FreedomPop service is $199.95, with free shipping to the Continental US. The deal takes 65% off the standard price for a limited time, so if you’re looking for a new phone, you should check it out.
➤ Get this deal
Grab 60% off the Sound Step Lightning 2, a portable Bluetooth speaker with full-bodied sound
Audiophiles are often challenged in small spaces, but the remarkably rich sounds of Sound Step Lightning 2 prove that true quality can be found in a compact Bluetooth speaker.
Despite being only 3.6 inches thick, the Sound Step has a 2.1 speaker configuration, meaning it has a dedicated sub-woofer for a rich bass. The output is further enhanced by UQ3 spatial sound technology, which works to provide real stereo separation.
Along with Bluetooth, the speaker has three other input methods: the in-built Lightning dock, an FM tuner that you control via the Soundfreaq app, and a line-in jack. The speaker has physical controls, but it also comes with an infrared remote.
In addition to being lightweight, the speaker is truly portable thanks to an internal rechargeable battery. This can provide for other devices, too, either via the Lightning connector, or the USB port on the reverse.
Over at TNW Deals , you can currently grab the Lightning 2 for $59 with free shipping to the Continental US. The deal takes 60 percent off the MRSP of this highly rated speaker.
➤ Get this deal