Sony, Nikon, SanDisk plan faster Compact Flash cards

Sony, Nikon and SanDisk have developed a new specification for CompactFlash memory cards that promises photographers the ability to continuously shoot high-quality RAW images, they said Tuesday.

The proposed new format, which doesn't yet have a name, supports data transmission at up to 500MBps, the three companies said in a joint statement. This is roughly three times faster than CF6.0, the latest version of the CompactFlash-card format that was announced in mid-November.

The new format proposed by Sony, Nikon and SanDisk is not just intended for cameras. Use of the PCI Express interface should also speed up transfer of images from a card to a personal computer.

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NDS and SanDisk introduce Solid State Drive-based DVRs

This is the first time I've heard of SSD-based DVRs, but NDS and SanDisk think that 4, 8, and 16 GB set-tops that enable trick-play (pause, rewind) and VoD capabilities will help operators seeking lower-cost DVRs that can create new revenue streams.

Wake Up My Phone? It’s Asleep?

Mobile phones in my world are used in place of watches, for text messaging, playing games when bored in line, taking pictures when I don’t have a real camera with me, a little video taping (Is it still called that without any tapes involved?), and get this – making calls. SanDisk is saving me, however. Apparently, my phone is not living up to its potential. SanDisk has the Wake Up Your Phone ™ initiative to educate consumers on adding memory to their mobile phones through the memory slots. Previously they had 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB memory cards available for mobile phones. This week they just released a 16GB microSDHC™ and a 16GB Memory Stick Micro (M2)®. These tiny cards are giants of storage, making the phone’s transition to a music warehouse, portable office or mini movie theater easy. They can hold an estimated 88 hours of video, 4000 songs, or 54,400 pictures. This new size will be available at Best Buy Mobile stores in October and in Verizon Wireless stores in November. With the ringtone creator application and downloads available on their website, I am going to have to wake up my phone and fill my memory slot!

Samsung Bids for SanDisk and Is Denied

In a public move, Samsung offered $26 per share to acquire SanDisk and add flash memory manufacturing to its repertoire. With the patents on flash memory technology that SanDisk holds, Samsung currently pays over $350 million in annual royalties, but by purchasing SanDisk, Samsung would no longer pay the costly fees and be more closely tied to the products using its chips. SanDisk did not feel that Samsung was adequately assessing the company’s value and declined the offer. However, it is willing to keep negotiations open, looking for an offer from Samsung that is equal to its believed worth.