New Cards Result In Faster Capture of High-Resolution Images and Quicker Card-to-Computer Transfers

Dubai July 22nd 2006 - SanDiska Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today introduced the new SanDisk Extreme IV line of CompactFlash digital film cards for professional photographers. The line is targeted at photographers who require the highest possible performance and the largest capacities for their medium format and high-end digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras. The SanDisk Extreme IV cards are available in capacities of up to 8-gigabytes (GB)[i] and deliver minimum read and write speeds of 40 megabytes per second (MB/sec.)[ii] making these the fastest flash memory cards in the world. This exceptionally fast card speed is critical when shooting large numbers of high-resolution images.

SanDisk also introduced the new SanDisk Extreme FireWire reader that can transfer images from the SanDisk Extreme IV cards to a computer at up to 40MB/sec. for significantly improved workflow efficiency.

The SanDisk Extreme IV cards are targeted at the professional photographer who needs the absolute highest performance and maximum reliability. The company will continue to offer the SanDisk Extreme III and SanDisk Ultraa II lines.

"The new SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card and SanDisk Extreme FireWire reader offers photographers a number of key benefits," said Tareq Husseini, Sales Manager Middle East and Africa at SanDisk. "First of all, the new cards are twice the speed of the current SanDisk Extreme III cards and offer performance that is ideal for medium format cameras, digital backs and other high-resolution cameras that require the combination of high performance and large capacities. In addition, they are available in industry-leading capacities so that photographers can capture a larger number of RAW or other high-resolution images. Lastly, photographers can quickly transfer gigabytes of images from the card to the computer for greatly increased workflow efficiency, an important consideration when working under deadline pressures." 

SanDisk Extreme IV cards use SanDisk-developed ESP (Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing) technology that combine fast NAND flash memory chips and controller designs, 32-bit RISC processing and advanced algorithms in an architecture that streamlines every aspect of read and write data transfer operations. In addition, SanDisk works closely with major camera manufacturers to ensure the speed and compatibility of its cards.

Tareq Husseini, Sales Manager Middle East and Africa at SanDisk, said, "SanDisk has led the market for high performance/high reliability cards for imaging professionals since the introduction of our original SanDisk Extreme I card in 2003. Our SanDisk Extreme III cards have provided the highest performance in the industry at 20MB/sec., minimum read and write performance for CompactFlash and SD formats, since their introduction in 2004. It's taken nearly a year and a half for our competition to match that performance level. Now, with the introduction of the SanDisk Extreme IV line at 40MB/sec., we believe that SanDisk will continue to be the preferred choice of professional photographers based on our performance advantage as well as our commitment to the photographic market as a whole."

High-end digital SLRs may also show increased performance with the SanDisk Extreme IV cards.

Available in 2-, 4- and 8GB capacities, the SanDisk Extreme IV cards are ideal for photographers who shoot RAW and JPEG images that are typically very large and can quickly fill up a card. 

While the speed of the card is important for in-camera performance, card-to-computer transfer rates are becoming an increasingly important workflow consideration. The time it takes to transfer images to a computer can be a bigger bottleneck now that card capacities have expanded into the multi-gigabyte range.

The SanDisk Extreme IV cards and SanDisk Extreme FireWire 800/400reader combine to form a high-speed "system" that dramatically decreases card-to-computer transfer time. Images are transferred at up to the 40MB/sec. speed of the SanDisk Extreme IV cards. For a limited time, the company will offer an introductory bundle pack that includes a 4GB SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card and a SanDisk Extreme FireWire reader.

SanDisk Extreme IV cards are designed to withstand the industry's widest guaranteed operating temperature range from a freezing minus 13? F (minus 25? C) to a scorching 185? F (plus 85? C). The cards also include RescuePRO software that allows photographers to easily recover accidentally deleted images, lost digital images or data. The included software is compatible with both Windows and Mac platforms.

SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world's largest supplier of flash data storage card products using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S.

-Ends- 

About SanDisk:
SanDisk's web site/home page address: http://www.sandisk.com

SanDisk, the SanDisk logo, SanDisk Extreme, RescuePRO and SanDisk Ultra are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries. The ESP Technology logo is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective holder(s).

[i] 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes

[ii] Performance based on SanDisk internal testing.  1 megabyte (MB) = 1 million bytes.

Contact:
The CONTENT Factory,
Dubai 
Charu Thakkar
Office: +97143372824
Mobile: +971505254700
E-mail: Charu@tcf-me.com                    

Solid Ground B.V
SanDisk PR EMEA
The Netherlands
Office: +31 20 419 84 00
E-mail: sandisk@solidground.nl

© Press Release 2006