SanDisk Introduces 20 and 24MB CompactFlash Cards, Industry’s Highest Capacity Small Size Storage Cards
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — April 15, 1997 — Responding to customer demand for higher capacity storage cards, SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced 20 and 24MB CompactFlash (CF) memory cards, the highest capacity small size storage cards on the market today.
Much of the demand for higher capacity CF memory cards is being fueled by the rapid growth of the digital camera market. Eight digital cameras were recently introduced with built-in slots for CompactFlash cards. The cards serve as the removable and reusable digital film in the cameras.
Ed Cuellar, SanDisk's product manager for removable storage products, said, "As more manufacturers introduce small size digital cameras, there is a clear trend towards usage of the small CF cards instead of full-size PC storage cards. Camera vendors also are producing higher-resolution digital cameras which puts greater demands on storage requirements because higher capacity is required to store images. With the new mega-pixel digital cameras, for example, 1MB of memory may be required to store each image when the camera is used in its highest resolution mode." Cuellar also noted that consumers purchasing the new Windows CE-based HPCs and other high-end handheld computers also are requesting higher capacity CF cards.
The 20 and 24MB CompactFlash cards, based on SanDisk's 32Mbit flash semiconductor technology, are available now. The estimated street prices of the 20MB and 24MB cards are $ 349 and $ 429 respectively. SanDisk also markets CF cards in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15MB capacities.
CompactFlash's popularity also is being fueled by the large number of design wins that CF has accumulated in the last year. Thus far, CompactFlash slots have been designed into more than 80 new products including digital cameras, HPCs, handheld terminals, network computers, audio recorders, medical monitors, network routers, pay phone systems, global positioning systems, dictation systems, home control units, dataloggers and automotive telemetry units. About 20 of the new electronic platforms have been introduced while the remaining products will be introduced during the next year.
Global support for the CompactFlash storage standard has been growing significantly since the CompactFlash Association (CFA) was established with 12 member companies in October, 1995. Some 68 leading semiconductor, software, communications, computing and consumer electronics companies belong to the CFA today. New members include IBM, Microsoft and Casio.
CompactFlash cards, based on the industry-standard PCMCIA ATA interface, can operate dynamically on a single supply voltage of either 3.3 or 5 volts making it easy to use the device in 5-volt computers and 3.3-volt cameras and move images between the 3.3 and 5-volt devices. The rugged solid-state cards (no moving parts) are about the size of a matchbook and can be inserted into a low-cost, passive Type II PC adapter card to easily transport date, images and audio between electronic platforms.
SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash data storage products, manufactures and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, image and audio storage products using patented, high density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk has strategic alliances with Seagate Technology, Matsushita Electronic Corp., NEC Corp. and LG Semicon. Seagate holds a 25 percent equity stake in SanDisk. SanDisk is based in Sunnyvale, CA.
NOTE TO EDITORS: CompactFlash and CF are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation SanDisk's web site/home page address: http://www.sandisk.com
CONTACT:
SanDisk
Nelson Chan, 408/542-0456
or
Bob Goligoski, 408/542-0463