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New Flash Memory Card Holds 4 Gigs

Posted on: Monday, 4 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

FREMONT, Calif. (AP) -- A technology company Monday introduced a flash memory card for cameras that packs 4 gigabytes of storage space, enough to hold thousands of digital photos in the resolutions used by most amateur photographers.

The memory card from Lexar Media Inc. (LEXR) of Fremont was specifically designed with high-quality digital photography in mind. Its list price will be $1,500.

Professional photographers using the newest card can store about 600 photos in the highest resolution mode allowable from the latest 6-megapixel digital cameras. Such high-quality digital image files offer the greatest photo detail and resolution, but each can quickly gobble up to 15 megabytes of storage space.

"By allowing this large number of high-quality images to be saved on one CompactFlash card, we expect professional photographers will increasingly shoot the highest-quality image possible," said John Omvik, director of product marketing for Lexar Media.

Not all digital cameras with CompactFlash slots will be able to use the new high-capacity card. The 4-gigabyte Lexar card uses a file system called FAT32 and most current digital cameras on the market recognize the FAT16 file system, which can only support data cards storing up to 2 gigabytes. Cameras that can use the new card include some models from Canon, Kodak and Olympus.

SanDisk Corp., a rival flash memory maker based in nearby Sunnyvale, plans to start shipping its own 4-gigabyte CompactFlash card in October for $1,000.

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On the Net:

Lexar Media, Inc.

SanDisk

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