Hey guys

whats the difference between the two:

- 64 MB flash memory
- 16 MB SRAM

thanks!

48MB

Flash memory is non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It is a technology that is primarily used in memory cards and USB flash drives for general storage and transfer of data between computers and other digital products. It is a specific type of EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) that is erased and programmed in large blocks; in early flash the entire chip had to be erased at once. Flash memory costs far less than byte-programmable EEPROM and therefore has become the dominant technology wherever a significant amount of non-volatile, solid-state storage is needed. Example applications include PDAs (personal digital assistants), laptop computers, digital audio players, digital cameras and mobile phones. It has also gained popularity in the game console market, where it is often used instead of EEPROMs or battery-powered SRAM for game save data.

SRAM is a type of semiconductor memory where the word static indicates that, unlike dynamic RAM (DRAM), it does not need to be periodically refreshed, as SRAM uses bistable latching circuitry to store each bit. SRAM is still volatile in the conventional sense that data is eventually lost when the memory is not powered.

(definitions from Wikipedia)

ok, so which is the OS on...

The specs for the 8820 say - 64 MB flash memory - 16 MB SRAM so does the OS go on the Flash or the SRAM...


BTW thanks fonejunkie

I would guess that the OS goes on the 64MB flash memory - because when you remove the battery (or it runs down), you don't 'lose' it. I have an 8800 that I keep as a spare - with the battery removed. I pull it out from time to time, upgrade the OS and use it for a day or two, then pull the battery and stick it back in storage. Based on the Wikipedia definitions, I'd say that's the FLASH memory... the SRAM memory is volatile memory, so it will lose its contents when power is removed.

I don't know what the SRAM memory would be used for... 16 MB is not much, perhaps it is some sort of scratch memory for WiFi or something? But that's just a wild guess.

Update:
I just checked a couple of reviews/specs (CNET and eaccess.com) and neither mentioned SRAM - both said simply 64MB Flash RAM + Micro SD slot.

weird, yeah i got that from GSMarena.com

I always thought the difference was that the flash memory was like your hard drive, and the SRAM was like your memory (as in, temporary, cleared when reset, etc.). I'm sure it's a bit more complex than that, but is that the bare bones of it?

SRAM is more expensive, so it's typically only used for cache and video memory functions. So, like on a Core 2 Duo processor with 2MB cache, that cache memory is of the SRAM type. There is no SRAM on a bb.