Microsoft announced today a partnership between themselves, Intel and Dell that will see the development of a standard NAND Flash Memory interface for PCs. The new group, called the Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Group, is led by Intel and is designed around using flash memory to accelerate functions in a modern operating system, such as with ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive in Windows Vista. The idea is to help adoption of this idea increase, so that the benefits of using it can be realized. Whether or not Intel or other companies will be providing this interface for software other than Windows isn't mentioned, though the wording is such that it seems likely that it will be an open specification. The new interface is designed to operate with software drivers, so it may be up to third parties to develop on top of it:
"ONFI formed last year to standardize the interface between the Flash controller and the NAND itself, and standardizing the register level interface between the Flash controller and the operating system driver is the logical next step."
They expect to have a standard specified before the end of the year. You can read the full press release at Microsoft's site.