Twelve manufacturers from the computing, imaging, communications and consumer electronics fields last week announced support for making the new CompactFlash (CF) storage card system an industry memory standard for digital products.
They say CompactFlash storage disks will become “the film” of forthcoming digital still cameras and will also be used as tiny data storage clips for digital camcorders, computers, and handheld electronic devices such as communicators and pagers.
The CompactFlash system, first shown by SanDisk last October, is billed as “the world’s smallest removable data storage system.” It uses a solid-state CF cartridge that is PCMCIA (PC Card) compliant but measures roughly the size of a matchbook (1.4″x 3.3″x0.13″ thick), or about one-fourth the size of a Type II PC Card. Cartridges will be available in 2, 4, 10 and 15MB capacities, SanDisk said.
Companies endorsing the format include Apple Computer, Canon, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, LG Semicon, Matsushita, Motorola, NEC, Polaroid, SanDisk, Seagate and Seiko Epson. All will be represented on a CompactFlash Association (CFA) board, which is actively recruiting other members.
“One of the goals of the CFA is to encourage other storage or semiconductor manufacturers to develop CF cartridges to meet the anticipated demand,” SanDisk said. SanDisk intends to transfer most CompactFlash rights to the CFA, which will make them available to manufacturers under a royalty free license.
“As a leading provider of communications, PCMCIA and other computing products, we believe a PC Card-compliant storage standard is necessary to encourage the growth of more functionality on smaller, lighter and less expensive devices,” said John Remier, Motorola PCMCIA products division senior operations director, in announcing his firm’s support for the standard.
SanDisk said.
Companies endorsing the format include Apple Computer, Canon, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, LG Semicon, Matsushita, Motorola, NEC, Polaroid, SanDisk, Seagate and Seiko Epson. All will be represented on a CompactFlash Association (CFA) board, which is actively recruiting other members, according to the trade group.
“One of the goals of the CFA is to encourage other storage or semiconductor manufacturers to develop CF cartridges to meet the anticipated demand,” SanDisk said. SanDisk intends to transfer most CompactFlash rights to the CFA, which will make them available to manufacturers under a royalty free license.
“As a leading provider of communications, PCMCIA and other computing products, we believe a PC Card-compliant storage standard is necessary to encourage the growth of more functionality on smaller, lighter and less expensive devices,” said John Remier, Motorola PCMCIA products division senior operations director, in announcing his firm’s support for the standard.
