Week 7 Tech Roundup – Backblaze Winter Update, SanDisk PCIe 5.0 SSDs, Seagate 36TB HAMR Drives, and More!

Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage Winter Update Enhances Security and Streamlines Workflows
Backblaze has rolled out its Winter Release for B2 Cloud Storage, introducing new enterprise security features and workflow automation tools. Key updates include scalable and scoped application keys, enhanced CLI credential management, event-triggered notifications, and custom upload timestamps for compliance. Backblaze aims to improve enterprise security and streamline cloud storage management.

SanDisk to Launch PCIe 5.0 SSDs with 14.5 GB/s Speeds in Q2 2025
SanDisk has announced a new lineup of PCIe 5.0 SSDs, promising 14.5 GB/s read speeds and 14 GB/s write speeds at only 7 watts of power consumption. Leveraging BiCS8 TLC and QLC NAND with Phison E26 and SM2508 controllers, these SSDs will be available in 512GB to 4TB capacities, with deliveries expected in Q2 2025.

Western Digital Ordered to Pay $553M in Patent Dispute Before Company Split
Western Digital has been ordered to pay $553 million to SPEX Technologies for patent infringement, just days before its planned corporate split. The penalty stems from a 1997 patent violation involving Ultrastar and My Book drives. Despite plans to appeal, Western Digital must secure a bond or pay within seven days.

SanDisk Unveils High-Bandwidth Flash (HBF) Technology for AI GPUs with 4TB VRAM
SanDisk introduced its High-Bandwidth Flash (HBF) memory technology, combining 16 stacked BiCS8 NAND dies to achieve up to 4TB of VRAM for AI workloads. Designed for large AI model storage, HBF offers significantly higher capacity than HBM, targeting read-intensive inference tasks.

Seagate to Acquire Intevac in $119M All-Cash Deal
Seagate has announced an agreement to acquire Intevac, a thin-film processing systems supplier, for $4.00 per share. The deal, valued at approximately $119 million, is expected to close by April 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

Western Digital Presents Future Strategy, HAMR Development Update at Investor Day 2025
During its Investor Day event, Western Digital shared its roadmap for future growth, emphasizing AI-driven storage demand and advancements in HDD technology. The company highlighted its accelerated HAMR testing with hyperscale clients and projected a 23% CAGR for HDD exabyte shipments from 2024 to 2028.

Seagate Announces 3.6TB per Platter Hard Drives, Up to 36TB Capacity with HAMR Tech
Seagate unveiled its new Exos M hard drives featuring HAMR technology, achieving 3.6TB per platter and up to 36TB capacity. The drives promise 25% lower TCO and 60% reduced power consumption per terabyte, with samples shipping to select customers.

Hackers Target Unpatched OwnCloud Instances Despite Long-Available Security Patch
Security researchers have detected a surge in attacks on unpatched OwnCloud instances, exploiting CVE-2023-49103. The vulnerability, rated CVSS 10, allows remote access without authentication. Users are urged to update the Graphapi app to version 0.3.1 immediately.

Western Digital Reveals HDD Roadmap, HAMR Drives Planned for 2026 and Beyond
Western Digital announced its HDD roadmap, confirming that its first HAMR drives will arrive by late 2026, with mass production in 2027. The company aims for 40TB capacities using UltraSMR and plans to replace ePMR technology beyond 36TB.

QNAP Releases USB4 to 10GbE Network Adapters for Mac and Windows Users
QNAP introduced the QNA series USB4 to 10GbE network adapters, offering plug-and-play high-speed networking for Mac and Windows systems. Models include single-port and upcoming dual-port versions with support for Thunderbolt 3/4 devices.

Synology Updates Docker to Version 24.0.2 with New Features and Fixes
Synology has upgraded Docker to version 24.0.2 on DSM, adding container duplication, enhanced terminal resizing, and status tooltips. The update also resolves IPv6 and container port issues but restricts post-creation modifications to container settings.

Synology Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities Fixed in Active Backup for Business (DSM 6.2 to 7.2)
Synology has patched multiple vulnerabilities in Active Backup for Business, preventing file manipulation exploits by authenticated administrators. Users are advised to upgrade to version 2.7.1 immediately.

X86-P6 Mini NAS Unveiled with Intel N355 CPU, Four M.2 Slots, and Dual 2.5G LAN
A new ultra-compact X86-P6 NAS has been launched, featuring an Intel N355 CPU, four M.2 slots, and dual 2.5GbE ports. Ideal for home offices, the NAS is priced from $198 for the barebones model.

Seagate Investigates Used HDD Fraud Linked to China and Cryptocurrency Mining Farms
Seagate is investigating reports of fraudulent resales of used hard drives with reset SMART values. The scam, traced to former Chia mining farms in China, has affected customers globally.

Global Semiconductor Sales Hit Record $627 Billion in 2024
The Semiconductor Industry Association reports that global semiconductor sales reached a record $627.6 billion in 2024, marking a 19.1% year-over-year increase, driven by strong growth in logic and memory segments.

Gigabyte Launches Brix BTIP-N250 Mini PC with Quad-Core Intel N250 CPU
Gigabyte has unveiled the Brix BTIP-N250 mini PC, powered by an Intel N250 CPU and supporting up to 16GB DDR5 RAM, M.2, and 2.5″ drives. The compact PC is ideal for office tasks and local backups.

UK Government Demands Apple Backdoor Access to iCloud Backups Worldwide
The British government has ordered Apple to provide backdoor access to iCloud backups under the Investigatory Powers Act. Apple may disable Advanced Data Protection in the UK but faces pressure to extend access globally.

Next-Gen MRAM Breakthrough: Electric-Field Tech Could Replace DRAM in Future Computers
Researchers at Osaka University have developed electric-field-controlled MRAM, enabling non-volatile memory with lower power consumption, potentially replacing DRAM in future devices.

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