Sansa Nation

Last September, SanDisk announced that they were developing a new microSD and Memory Stick Micro flash memory cards with storage capacity reaching up to 16GB. Well that day has finally arrived. It has been reported that SanDisk has finally released the 16GB MicroSD and M2 flash memory cards in Canada at participating Best Buy retail and Best Buy Mobile stores. Although they are mostly used for mobile phones, a number of other electronic devices have begun using the microSD card. And with technology progressing, the need for higher capacity microSD cards increases.

“Handsets have become far more than just phones; they’ve become mobile jukeboxes, mobile offices, even mobile movie theatres,” says Avi Greengart, Research Director for Mobile Devices at Current Analysis. “There is an acute need for more mobile storage capacity.”

Now it is important to remember that not all phones will be able to utilize the 16GB MicroSD card. The mobile phone must compatible with high-capacity memory card media (SDHC format) as well as have support for 16G memory cards. Newer Sony Ericsson mobile phones are compatible with the 16GB M2 flash memory cards. Just be sure to check your phone’s manual if it is compatible with these high capacity flash memory cards. The 16 GB microSDHC card has a price tag of $119.99, while the M2 will sell for an MSRP of $169.99. Both types come with five-year limited warranties.

- Geoff

[Source: MarketNews]

Popularity: 39% [?]

Flash memory car maker SanDisk Corp survived many buy out attempts this past year only to be hit hard, just like many other companies, by the slowing economy. They announced that will cut production at their manufacturing facilities in Japan because of slowed projection demand for 2009. They plan to stop all production from December 31 to January 12 at their facilities in Yokkaichi, Japan. The facility is run by SanDisk and Toshiba Corp of Japan. SanDisk also says that they are in talks with Toshiba to restructure their joint venture for 2009

-Ray

[Source: postchronicle]

Popularity: 31% [?]

Looks like SanDisk is at it again when it comes to improving their already stellar products. They’re pursuing a way to create 3D memory device technology that may one day replace the flash drives all use today. This is pretty interesting, we’ll see how this goes in the near future.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — At the Flash Memory Summit, SanDisk Corp.’s top executive provided more details about its efforts to devise a rewriteable 3-D memory device–a technology that could replace today’s flash parts.

SanDisk is developing the technology with its NAND flash partner, Toshiba Corp. The companies recently announced plans to devise rewriteable 3-D memory.

This appears to advance SanDisk’s one-time programmable 3-D technology, which was obtained through the acquisition of Matrix Semiconductor Inc. in 2005. Matrix had been developing a one-time programmable antifuse-based memory.

In a brief interview, Eli Harari, chairman and chief executive of SanDisk, said the company hopes to move beyond the fuse-based technology. Instead, SanDisk is looking to devise ”3-D diode memory arrays,” which are based on a 4F2 architecture, he said during a presentation.

The arrays would make use of a switching element, which could be in the form of phase-change memory or resistive RAM (RRAM), he said. The technology would be ideal for the 32-nm ”half-pitch” node, he said.

“Flash and 3-D is the place to be in the coming decade,” he added. Toshiba and others have also announced various 3-D device technologies as well.

-Ray

[Source: pldesignline]

Popularity: 9% [?]