Prophet and Thread,
Check this out! Sounds like a further expansion for the flash market to me.
Jim
SmartDisk Announces New Technology That Extends
Internet Digital Music To Millions of Audio Cassette Player
Users
NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2000--
New FlashTrax(TM)Technology Bridges the Gap Between
`Silicon Audio Players' and Automotive Cassette Players,
`Boom Boxes,' and Personal Stereos
SmartDisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SMDK), a company whose products simplify the digital
lifestyle, announced today that it has developed a breakthrough prototype based on
innovative patented technology that will extend digital music to users of traditional audio
cassette players. FlashTrax(TM) resembles a conventional audio cassette but has a slot
that accepts a removable flash memory card on which digital audio files are stored.
FlashTrax will enable traditional audio cassette players, particularly those installed in
automobiles, to play music downloaded from the Internet or copied from an existing CD
collection. FlashTrax is protected by a United States patent which has a priority date of
1989.
SmartDisk recently demonstrated the FlashTrax technology in a working prototype model
that uses MultiMediaCard flash memory cards. FlashTrax plays MP3-formatted music stored
on the cards through standard cassette players, without additional accessories. SmartDisk
is planning to deliver FlashTrax to the market later this year. Support for other flash memory
card formats is planned.
"SmartDisk believes that FlashTrax will bring the enticing world of digital music to millions of
consumers who already own one or more audio cassette players," said Douglas Kraul, Vice
President, Audio/Video Products Division for SmartDisk. "Consumers can now listen to
digital music easily and conveniently, without headphones, at home, in the car, or at the
office. In short, with FlashTrax, consumers can enjoy their digital music in any cassette
player."
FlashTrax builds on SmartDisk's leadership in flash memory and removable memory
adapters. The company's FlashPath(TM) floppy disk adapter is used primarily with digital
cameras from such well-known manufacturers as FujiFilm, Olympus, Sony and Toshiba.
"FlashTrax will link removable flash memory cards with audio cassette players already
installed in millions of automobiles, personal stereos, and boom boxes, much the same as
FlashPath serves as a bridge between digital cameras and PCs," said Michael S. Battaglia,
SmartDisk's President and CEO. "As an enabling technology, FlashPath accelerated the
growth of the digital camera market. We believe that FlashTrax will have an even greater
effect on the escalation of the digital music marketplace."
"One of the key features of FlashTrax is its use of removable flash memory cards to store
digital audio files," said Nelson Chan, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SanDisk Corp.
(Nasdaq: SNDK), the world's largest supplier of flash data storage products. "This feature
provides users with virtually unlimited versatility and storage capacity. SmartDisk's FlashTrax
will broaden the market for flash memory cards such as the MultiMediaCard and potentially
the Secure Digital Memory Card, both cards that SanDisk co-invented, because FlashTrax
will make digital music and other audio files more accessible to the consumer."
About SmartDisk Corporation
SmartDisk's products are designed to simplify the transfer and storage of digital
photographs, video, music, voice and data among personal computers, the Internet and
digital appliances. The company is using its proprietary and patented technologies to
capitalize on the growing demand for digital applications and increased usage of the
Internet. SmartDisk's investors include Toshiba, Hitachi, NEC, SanDisk, SCM Microsystems
and others. For more information, go to www.smartdisk.com.
This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Although SmartDisk Corporation believes the expectations contained in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such
expectations will prove correct. These statements may involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Such risks include,
but are not limited to: "We depend on a limited number of contract and offshore
manufacturers, and it may be difficult to find replacement manufacturers if our existing
relationships are impaired;" "Our ability to sell our products will be limited if the OEMs's
products do not achieve market acceptance or if the OEMs do not adequately promote our
products;" "We will not be able to sell sufficient quantities of our products to sustain a
viable business if the market for flash memory products does not develop or if a competing
technology displaces flash memory products;" and the other risk factors all as more fully
described in SmartDisk's Registration Statement on Form S-1 and in other reports and
periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: SmartDisk Corporation
Katharen Chamberlain, 941/436-2556
Katharen@smartdisk.com
or
Edelman Worldwide
Audrey Merwin/Lawrence Greenberg, 212-704-8130/8277
audrey_merwin@edelman.com
lawrence_greenberg@edelman.com |
