With today’s release of the 433X CF card, Pretec is breaking its own world record of previous fastest CF card (333X) by more than 30%. Using a specially-crafted controller IC and SLC NAND flash technology, the Pretec 433X CF card reaches 65MB/s read speed and 50MB/s write speed. The Pretec 433X CF card is sampling now to key customers, with volume delivery by March, 2009.

Pretec, creator of the highest capacity CompactFlash card in the world (64GB) and the fastest CF card in the world (333X) will demonstrate the new Pretec 433X CF card, another speed breakthrough in flash memory at “Focus on Imaging 2009”, Europe’s biggest annual imaging event in Birmingham's NEC. The Pretec 433X CF card will be on display at stand Q20 together with Peartree and Leaf, a world leading manufacturer of digital medium format camera systems and digital backs.

The Pretec 433X CF card is the newest member of Pretec’s family of innovative flash memory cards, consistently first to market in high speedand capacity products; 233X and 333X CF cards were launched by Pretec at Taipei in 2007 and 64GB CF cards started shipping in Sept. 2008. With today’s release of the 433X CF card, Pretec is breaking its own world record of previous fastest CF card (333X) by more than 30%.

Using a specially-crafted controller IC and SLC NAND flash technology, the Pretec 433X CF card reaches astounding 65MB per second read speed and 50MB per second write speed, making it the fastest CF card on earth. Delivering breathtaking data transfer speed and excellent reliability, the 433X CF card was created for professional digital cameras users who need and desire a single device like Pretec 433X CF that offers great features for fast, safe, and reliable data storage.

With the new Pretec 433x CF card, photographers can now confidently reduce workflow time with faster file uploads, be able to enjoy taking more pictures at a single time and be certain that they are taking full advantage of maximum in-camera write speed. Leaf, creator of the Leaf AFi-II digital medium format camera system, is one of the world's most respected names in studio photography. In digital medium format systems and backs like the ones made by Leaf, with the fastest in-camera write speed a practically unlimited burst depth, CF card speed is a critical factor. “The Leaf AFi-II 10, with 56 million pixel resolution and 112MB RAW files, demands fast throughput to satisfy professional photographers and their assistants who are always working against the clock,” said Seth Greenberg, Leaf Marketing Director. “We are pleased again to team up with Pretec to offer their unique, high-quality memory products with unparalleled performance and exceptional value.”

CF cards use the PATA standard with a maximum transfer speed of 133MB/s, which will soon become the bottleneck for the ever increasing speed demands of SSDs. As the speed of Pretec CF cards approach the theoretical maximum speed of the CF specification, Pretec has announced the availability of the next generation CF cards in January, 2009, called CFast™, which was developed by the CompactFlash Association (http://www.compactflash.org/) to boost the speed limit from 133MB/s (PATA) to 375MB/s (SATA) while keeping the small and popular original CF mechanical form factor. The Pretec 433X CF card is sampling now to key customers, with volume delivery by March, 2009.

Intel and Micron today announced mass production of their jointly developed 34nm, 32 gigabit multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory device.

Developed and manufactured by the companies? NAND flash joint venture, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), the process technology is the most advanced process available on the market and enables the industry?s only monolithic 32 Gb NAND chip that fits into a standard 48-lead thin small-outline package (TSOP). The companies are ahead of schedule with 34nm NAND production, expecting their Lehi facility to have transitioned more than 50 percent of its capacity to 34nm by year?s end.

The 34nm, 32 Gb chips are manufactured on 300 mm wafers. Measuring just 172mm², less than the size of a thumbnail, the 34nm, 32 Gb chip will enable high-density solid-state storage in small form factor applications including digital cameras, personal music players and digital camcorders. Additionally, the chip will enable more cost-effective solid-state drives, increasing their current storage capacity.The companies also plan to begin sampling lower density multi-level cell (MLC) and single-level cell (SLC) products using the 34nm process technology in early 2009.

Toshiba, one of the leading manufacturers of computer NAND flash memory devices, has just announced that it plans to launch a new line-up of 43nm Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND flash memory solutions. The new devices are slated to debut on the market sometime in the first quarter of 2009.
The new 43nm-built SLC NAND flash memory will be made available in densities ranging from 512MB to 64GB in no less than 16 versions. The new range includes three products with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, all of which are built using 43nm monolithic 16GB chips, the highest density SLC NAND chips available. The new devices are set to hit the market in Q1 2009, while lower-capacity products will be made available in the third quarter of next year.
The company has specifically built the new devices to meet the requirements of different applications. Its product offering delivers support for mobile phones, office automation equipment and servers, providing increased read and write speeds as well as high levels of reliability.
Toshiba has been promoting the expansion of the NAND flash memory market by accelerating development of high density MLC chips that can be used for high capacity data storage in memory cards, MP3 players and other storage devices. SLC chips haven't been adopted by Toshiba because of the limitations of its 56nm and 70nm process technologies. However, the new 43nm process technology allows the company to expand its wide range of advanced SLC flash memories designed for high-performance storage applications.Toshiba is one of the leading providers of storage-based and consumer electronics products, which, aside from its range of magnetic hard drives, has also introduced a line of solid state drives for consumers that require a higher-performance storage solution. With the introduction of its 43nm SLC flash memory line-up, the company plans to expand its selection of high-value added products for a wide range of embedded applications.