Single Level Cell (SLC) Flash is faster and more reliable, but is also very expensive.
Multi Level Cell (MLC) is chepaer, slower and less reliable.
So, if Sandisk can sort out the reliability with intelligent controllers then using MLC will allow for a fairly drastic drop in flash drive prices with a bit of a compromise in speed, but still a lot faster than hard drives.
As a comparison my understanding is that most USB Flash drives are MLC and that's why you can get 8BG USB drives so cheaply.
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It's the mutli-level bit that's interesting
Single Level Cell (SLC) Flash is faster and more reliable, but is also very expensive.
Multi Level Cell (MLC) is chepaer, slower and less reliable.
So, if Sandisk can sort out the reliability with intelligent controllers then using MLC will allow for a fairly drastic drop in flash drive prices with a bit of a compromise in speed, but still a lot faster than hard drives.
As a comparison my understanding is that most USB Flash drives are MLC and that's why you can get 8BG USB drives so cheaply.
Roll on the SATA version.