Flash memory

Shanghai-based Plant to Assemble and Test Flash Memory Chip Packages for Use In Mobile Phones

SHANGHAI, PR CHINA, Sep. 27, 2007 – SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the world’s largest supplier of flash storage card products, today announced the opening of its production facility in Shanghai, the company’s first in the People’s Republic of China. Based in Zizhu Industrial-based Science Park, SanDisk Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (SDSS) is expected to play a critical role in SanDisk’s worldwide operations as the plant will focus on the assembly and test of its advanced flash memory products for mobile and other consumers in markets worldwide. SanDisk’s worldwide operations function will also reside at the Shanghai facility. The announcement was made today at a press conference held at the facility.

The new SanDisk manufacturing plant produces a flash memory-based chip package called System-in-a-Package (SiP), which is particularly valuable in mobile phones where there is limited space due to their small size.

Worldwide Launch of Highest Capacity, Fingernail-Size Memory Card Includes U.S. Rollout in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores for Full-Featured Mobile Phones

4GB SanDisk microSDHC card

From the CTIA WIRELESS 2007® show, Verizon Wireless and SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) announced a 4-gigabyte (GB)1 microSD™ High Capacity (SDHC™) card will be available on May 1.

Using the 4GB SanDisk microSDHC card with a V CAST-capable phone and V CAST Music, Verizon Wireless customers can store more than 2,000 digital songs for use on their LG VX9400 and VX8700 phones. For picture and video aficionados, the 4G microSDHC offers the capability to store more than 4,000 high-resolution pictures or up to 16 hours of MPEG 4 video.2 The card will be sold with an adapter that fits into a standard-size SD™ slot of other devices and will be available at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.

Flash memory

A component used for memory that can retain information without power. (Cingular)

Flash memory is a form of EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) that allows multiple memory locations to be erased or written in one programming operation. It is an example of Non-Volatile Read Write Memory (NVRWM)—a form of rewritable memory chip that, unlike a Random Access Memory chip, holds its content without the need of a power supply. The memory is commonly used in memory cards, USB flash drives, MP3 players, digital cameras and mobile phones.

Overview

Flash memory is non-volatile, which means that it does not need power to maintain the information stored in the chip. In addition, flash memory offers fast read access times (though not as fast as volatile DRAM memory used for main memory in PCs) and better shock resistance than hard disks. These characteristics explain the popularity of flash memory for applications such as storage on battery-powered devices.

Principles of operation