SanDisk To Supply SD Cards For PocketPyro's MP3 Player
By Greg Scoblete -- TWICE, 1/22/2001
LAS VEGAS -SanDisk Corp. announced at CES earlier this month that it will supply Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based PocketPyro Inc. with SanDisk-branded Secure Digital (SD) cards for the new Pyro MP3 player for Palm computers.
The removable postage stamp-size cards will be used to store MP3 files.
The Pyro clips onto the Palm III Series for an additional 16MB to 64MB of removable storage. Up to two hours of music can be stored on one 64MB SD card. The Pyro plays MP3 files on stereo headphones, using the Palm interface to control the player hardware, manage songs, and view lyrics and band information.
The Pyro will initially store digital music files on SanDisk Secure Digital Cards. In the near future, the Pyro will be able to store other multimedia files such as voice recordings.
"The SanDisk SD card gives the Pyro virtually unlimited memory-expansion capabilities for many potential applications," said PocketPyro VP/general manager Don Lipinski. "Since the SD card is also an industry standard, the user gains the flexibility to easily transfer images to and from a desktop computer or other devices."
SanDisk also displayed a working model of its upcoming in-store kiosk at the show. The kiosk will accept all varieties of flash memory and CDs so consumers can download their images and then receive a photo-store quality print.
The kiosk makes the 4 x 6-inch prints with photographic chemicals, not an inkjet printer, and the kiosk is designed to automatically summon a technician to replenish the chemicals.
In addition, the kiosk is attached to the Internet, allowing consumers to upload images to various sites in order to buy enlargements and other products.
Pricing has not been finalized, but SanDisk expects to charge about $5 for 10 prints and 50 cents for each additional print.
The company expects about 2,000 kiosks to be rolled out to retail locations this year, although retailers participating in the program have not been named.
