Sony has upped the size of its Memory Stick PRO to 2GB in the standard-size and 1GB in the Memory Stick PRO Duo size. In addition to the higher capacities, the new Memory Sticks and are high-speed read and write capable, and compatible with a vast array of current Memory Stick PRO devices.
The updated media is designed to support both read and write speeds of up to 80Mbps (10MB/s.). Among the fastest in the flash media industry, this higher speed will be especially beneficial for transferring data-intensive images, such as high-resolution digital photos, to and from PCs and other devices that may incorporate a high-speed parallel data transfer interface in the future.
"With the introduction of this faster speed Memory Stick PRO media, we are preparing for the development of new applications and devices that will demand high reading and writing speeds," said Mike Kahn, senior product manager of digital imaging accessories for Sony Electronics. "Higher quality, more data-intensive video capture might be one such application, but engineers now have the latitude to dream up even more."
"By year's end at least one-third of American households will be able to take digital photos," said Chris Chute, senior analyst with IDC. "As the trend for higher-megapixel cameras continues to increase, Sony and other manufacturers who offer large capacity, high-speed memory cards will be at the forefront of the flash memory market."
The high-performance media also offers greater reliability in extreme temperatures with an improved operating temperature range of -13¡F to 185¡F. Whether your Memory Stick PRO media is in your backpack on the ski slopes or in the trunk of your car on a hot summer day, you can trust your media will perform as expected. Sony will offer this expanded reliability on all Memory Stick PRO media beginning this fall.
Easily recognizable by its striking new red color and "High Speed" marking, Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media will be available later this year as follows:
US availability October:
256MB Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media for about US$100
512MB Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media for about US$170
1GB Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media for about US$350
256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed) media for about US$105
512MB Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed) media for about US$175
November:
1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed) media for about US$350
2GB Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media for about US$700
Basic Just Got Better
Sony has also upgraded its standard Memory Stick PRO media to accommodate those who want the advantages of high capacity at lower prices. The enhanced basic Memory Stick PRO media is more competitively priced and offers greater durability with the same expanded operating temperature range as the high speed. Dressed in basic black, the refreshed Memory Stick PRO media will also be available later this year as follows:
October:
256MB Memory Stick PRO media for about US$80
512MB Memory Stick PRO media for about US$150
256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo media for about US$85
November:
512MB Memory Stick PRO Duo media for about US$155
All-in-One USB Device
On top of its improved line of Memory Stick media, Sony has announced the general availability of its versatile three-in-one USB reader/writer. The new MSAC-USM1 USB reader/writer will feature slots that accept standard-size Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO media, the smaller Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo media, as well as MicroDrive and CompactFlash (Type I/II) cards. It will accommodate the petite Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo media without the use of an adaptor.
Along with the flexibility for transferring files among digital devices, the MSAC-USM1 reader/writer will also allow users to transfer content from one media card to another without first saving to a PC. The reader/writer will work with USB 2.0 and parallel interfaces to achieve high-speed data transfers when used with compatible hardware devices. The MSAC-USM1 reader/writer will be about $30.