Joining global efforts to bring affordable personal computers to developing nations, SanDisk Corporation of Milpitas, California, today announced the uSSD 5000 solid state drive (SSD), which can be used as an economical substitute for hard disk drives in sub-$250 PCs. Among the first computers using uSSD solid state drives will be the Intel-powered classmate PC, intended for educational markets in the Third World. SanDisk's uSSD 5000 is a USB module about one-fourth the size of a conventional 1.8-inch hard disk (at left) and not much bigger than a U.S. quarter or a 1 Euro coin (both at right). (Photo: Business Wire)