Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : WDC/Sandisk Corporation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Binx Bolling who wrote (14327)	8/27/2000 10:24:36 AM
From: Ausdauer	Respond to of 60323

"SmartMedia card interface spec opened, available for free" *What does this say about the relationship between Toshiba and SanDisk? Maybe Toshiba and SNDK don't get along as well as we think? Maybe the FlashVision JV and SmartMedia initiatives at Toshiba don't talk to each other? Maybe Samsung pushed Toshiba to open the standard? Maybe Toshiba doesn't have the ultimate say in things presented at SSFDC association meetings? ["The move is designed to give the flash memory card format, initially spearheaded by Toshiba Corp., an edge as it competes for slots in digital cameras, personal digital assistants and other mobile devices."] Maybe the current OEM's using SmartMedia were afraid it would continue to fade in popularity and wanted some reassurances? Afterall, I believe the CF standard has been free to OEM's since the inception of the CFA. Is this a move made in desperation? Is SmartMedia kicking SanDisk's butt??? "The SmartMedia card appeared on the market in 1996 with annual shipments of about 1.5 million units, increasing to 7.5 million units in 1999. The forum expects shipments to surpass 10 million units this year. "No other media card has reached 10 million units per year* [so far]," said Ohara. Now that the spec has been opened, the forum expects the increase in this year's shipments to be even greater." Ausdauer

To: Binx Bolling who wrote (14327)	8/27/2000 10:55:55 AM
From: Ausdauer	Respond to of 60323

SmartMedia I wish that SanDisk would clarify its position on SmartMedia. The article Binx found doesn't speak at all to licensing fees paid by SmartMedia card manufacturers, but only to those fees previously paid by OEM's who incorporate a SmartMedia solution in their host devices (Olympus, Diamond MultiMedia,...) With SanDisk's retail presence I have no doubt that they are a leading SmartMedia reseller. The funny thing is that many other CF assemblers also sell SmartMedia in their product lines. I have several questions which remain unanswered... 1) How does SanDisk benefit from promoting a competing memory card standard such as SmartMedia? 2) Why are SmartMedia sales never reported during SanDisk conference calls? 3) Is the sale of SmartMedia cards under the SanDisk brand name profitable for SanDisk? 4) How is this profitability (or lack thereof) affected by the FlashVision JV? WHAT IS SANDISK'S POSITION ON THE ONGOING PROMOTION OF SMARTMEDIA? Ausdauer