Wide-Spread SSD Deployment in 2009?

While many of us who watch Steve Jobs and Apple, among other companies and mobile characters, mourn the passing of an annual event where Mac faithfuls gather in SF for the Macworld keynote, it was at Macworld 2008 that Steve introduced to us the Macbook Air with a 64GB of SSD as its main storage.

Now, Apple is by no means the first company to put an SSD in its laptops.  XO and EEE PC all came out with SSD as their storage.  I think even Dell also had SSD options for its laptop lines.

Then 32GB and 64GB.  The 64GB option from Apple originally cost $1000.  Today, Apple is offering the 128GB option for $500.  Half the price and double the storage.  Now, Toshiba is offering a 512GB SSD option with 240MB a sec read and 200MB a sec write.  Oh, did I mention that its suppose to last over a hundred years?  I wonder what the warranty will be like.

Speed, sturdiness, and power efficiency are all why SSD will likely play in important role in future laptops and mobile devices.  Not only that, it's a backup option making its way into servers as well.  In recent tests by some blogs, the speed and power efficiency are not quite there yet but for studiness alone, it's worth it.

Besides, it's a natural evolution from regular hard drives.  With SSD prices dropping so fast, I'm willing to call 2009 year of SSD.  A cursory check of some online stores show a big drop in SSD prices.  Some are low enough (but nowhere near the price of regular HD) that it is an option for people who are data worth protecting.

Now, I'm not saying SSD drives will overtake regular HD in 2009.  But I certainly do see more SSDs offered as an option.  Besides, with the recession...anyway.

Here are just some examples:

• 32GB - $75 and up
• 64GB - $135 and up
• 128GB - $249 and up
• 256GB
• 512GB - From Toshiba.  No price yet.  Samples will be available for testing in Q1.  

What do you think?  Is there an SSD in your future?

Via Electronista, Toshiba

Another Telecom To Offer Netbooks (US Need To Follow)

GigaOM, via Engadget, reports another telecom offering netbooks in exchange for muli-year subscriptions.

This time, it's an India company who has teamed up with multiple companies to made this deal work.  This is a concept that isn't new but we at Onxo believes strongly in.  Unfortunately, we've yet to see anything like this in the United States.

Why?  Your guess is as good as any financial analysts as mine.  But this is a growing trend among wireless providers who are seeking to expand beyond traditional voice revenue streams.  It is inevitable that American telecoms have to deal with increase number of subscribers.

Sprint will soon unlease additional WiMax-ready mobile devices.  Though we have no idea of subsidies will be involved, it's a no brainer that it will help them attract a customer base.

It's only a matter of time, my friends.  Vodafone is already offering Dell laptops

Via Engadget , GigaOM

Onxo Posts and Others on this matter:

• Should Apple offer subsidized Macbooks with wireless services?
• EEE PC with 3G connectivity.
• 3G modem sales rises.
• Vodafone and Dell offer netbooks with wireless plans.
• Engadget on Wind U120 with 3G connectivity.
• Engadget on T-Mobile's EEE PC offer in UK.
• Wired reports Asus adding 3G to EEE PC.  Coming soon.

State of Installing OS X on Non-Mac Hardware

Will Apple eventually license OS X?

I don't know but I'm beginning to come around to the idea that maybe Apple may offer OS X to 3rd parties.  Why is that?  Intel.  Since the early days of the Apple-Intel partnership, folks started trying how to efficient get OS X installed on non-Mac hardwares.

So, in a word or two, what is the state of this form of Mac jailbreak?

I think Apple will eventually loosen up but we don't know when that'll be. In the mean time, there are a few solutions with netbooks and an unreleased netbook from the maker of EEE PC that is perfect to be the next Hackintosh.

Read here to find out more.

Asustek Shows Apple How its Done

Taking a clue from Apple's iTunes and MobileMe, Asus launched an online service and plans an online store to create demands for its line of EEE laptops.

• EEE Storage:  20GB of online storage
• EEE Downoad:  3,000 free software titles
• Online store planned to sell music and other contends. 
  

This is certainly a take a few PC makers have taken in the last, most noticibly Apple.  Apple offers MobileMe, former .Mac, with 20GB of storage, online services, and online store in the form of iTunes. 

Could Asus follow with EEE mobile handsets as well?  It is likely be studied as the influence of Apple is apparent in this plan.  Furthermore, Asustek will further expand the EEE brand into other electronics like television.

No mention by Asustek if this this free to EEE PC owners.