Cruze memories from SanDisk

7th January - 2002
By Ian Burley

It’s annual Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES) time in Las Vegas and the first item of news we have received is from SanDisk, of memory card fame.

SanDisk’s new gadget is the ‘Cruzer’ - a USB memory device with a difference that should prove popular with digital camera users who use SD/MMC cards. Unlike, now commonplace, USB flash memory ‘key fobs’ the Cruzer is actually a fob-sized memory card reader. It is supplied with a MMC (SD-compatible) memory card and can this be swapped with other cards as required.

SanDisk describes the device as about three inches long, one and three-fourth inches wide and about three-quarters of an inch thick. It’s a good example of where the extra compact dimensions of a MMC/SD card makes such a small device possible. A Compact Flash card-based version would simply be too bulky.

Wes Brewer, SanDisk's director of business development, commented: “It is rare that a new storage product can be described as 'unique'. Cruzer is unique because it is the first pocket-size, personal data storage device that is fully compatible with both PCs and consumer electronic devices.

“Up to now, all small flash storage devices were either PC-centric or consumer electronic-centric and could not be upgraded by the user. Cruzer provides the connectivity to both the PC/notebook environment and the consumer electronic appliance and also has a unique, stylish, highly ergonomic design.”

Cruzers will initially be supplied with 32MB up to 256MB cards, ranging in price from US$59.95 (Approx £45) to US$199.95 (£145). The 128MB version is set to be priced US$99.95 (£73). Expect them to hit the stores some time in Q2 this year.

www.sandisk.com

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