There’s no question about it—next-generation mobile computing has completely embraced NAND flash-based storage solutions. Traditional hard-disk drives (HDDs) no longer reign as the preferred storage option in the growing number of new mobile designs. Small and thin is the current computing trend, and for obvious reasons. SSDs based on flash memory created new markets in the past, and now SSD technology is a major driving force of change in the mobile computing industry.

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Do you recall when Steve Jobs stunned the world in January 2008 at Macworld when he pulled the first Macbook Air out of a manila envelope? The product’s thinness wasn’t only about convenience; it also carried a buzz that set new industry standards. Almost three years later, in the fourth quarter of 2010, Apple unveiled an even thinner model. Relying on an SSD for storage, the new Macbook Air has no option for a traditional embedded HDD—a clear example of how flash memory is helping advance the mobile computing industry.

“Computing” once conjured an image of an office filled with people sitting in front of desktop computers. Today, computing has become an everyday activity at nearly any location, whether riding in a train or eating at a dining room table. Although these scenarios seemed like an exaggeration only five years ago, mobile computing is now second nature to a growing part of the population. Recognizing this, computer design engineers are focused on developing the next generation of thin and lightweight mobile computing platforms.

The trending “smaller and lighter” mobile lifestyle has sent sales of these devices into the stratosphere. According to research firm iSuppli Corp., global smart-phone shipments are expected to rise from 246.9 million units in 2010 to 506 million units in 2014—a 105 percent increase. Smart-phone proliferation ties directly to Web connectivity, the takeoff of cloud computing, and widespread use of social media.

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