Look at the companies mentioned (bolded)-iam ..

 

FLASH MEMORY INDUSTRY



The Company's technology employs flash ("Flash") memory as the storage media.
The traditional data storage market encompasses several types of memory and
storage devices designed primarily for specific components of computer systems.
Dynamic random access memory ("DRAM") provides main system memory; static random
access memory ("SRAM") provides specialized and high speed memory; hard disk
drives provide high capacity data storage; and floppy disk drives permit low
capacity removable data storage.

In recent years, digital computing and processing have expanded beyond the
boundaries of desktop computer systems to include an array of electronic
systems. These new devices include handheld data collection terminals, medical
monitors, mobile communication systems, highly portable computers, digital
cameras, cellular telephones, communications switches, wireless base stations,
network computers, pay telephones, digital audio recorders and other electronic
systems. These emerging applications have storage requirements that are not well
addressed by traditional storage solutions. Important

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requirements include small form factor, high reliability, low power consumption
and the capability to withstand high levels of shock and vibration and extreme
temperature fluctuations. In the late 1980s, a new memory technology, known as
Flash memory, was developed as an extension of ultraviolet erasable programmable
read-only memory ("EPROM"). Flash memory is non-volatile, unlike DRAM and SRAM,
requiring no power to retain data and is electrically reprogrammable, unlike
EPROM.

Flash memory-based products are solid-state devices, making them very reliable.
Flash products are non-volatile, meaning that no on-going source of power is
required in order for the products to retain data, images or audio indefinitely.
Flash is noiseless, considerably lighter, more rugged and consumes less than 10
percent of the power required by a rotating disk drive. The use of Flash memory
is seen by the Company as the most practical solution for storing data on
removable and interchangeable modules, given that other memory technologies
either require battery back-up, draw too much power, are physically too large,
or are mechanically or magnetically sensitive.

Flash products are produced by a large number of firms including Intel Corp.,
SanDisk Corporation, AMD, M-Systems, Samsung, TDK, Toshiba and others. Industry
estimates indicate Flash cartridge shipments exceeded 859,000 units in 1995 and
are projected to exceed 10.7 million units in 1999 according to Disk/Trend, Inc.
Recent product applications by the Company have focused on CompactFlash a
product of SanDisk Corporation. CompactFlash products provide full PC Card ATA
functionality but are only one-fourth the size of a standard Type II PCMCIA card
(a CompactFlash cartridge is approximately 1.7" x 1.4" x 0.13"). CompactFlash is
compact, rugged and has low-power requirements. CompactFlash is available in
capacities ranging from 2 megabyte to 24 megabyte with higher capacities
expected to be available during calendar 1997 and at reduced unit costs over
time.

CompactFlash is being promoted as a standard form factor by the 70+
corporations, including the Company, who are members of the CompactFlash
Association ("CFA"). The CFA is actively promoting the development of products
using CompactFlash. Founding members of the CFA were SanDisk Corporation, Apple
Computer, Inc., Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Co., Hewlett-Packard Company, LG
Semicon, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Panasonic), Motorola, NEC
Corporation ("NEC"), Polaroid Corp., Seagate Technology, Inc. ("Seagate") and
Seiko Epson Corp.