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SNDK - SanDisk Introduces New Line of Portable Digital Music Players in Time for the Holiday Season
Affordable Digital Music Players In 256-Megabytes, 512-Megabytes and 1-Gigabyte Capacities Store and Play Digital Music Purchased From Popular Windows Media Audio Music Sites
10/12/2004 12:04:00 PM

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct 12, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- SanDisk(R) Corporation (SNDK) today introduced the SanDisk Digital Audio Player, a small, portable player that uses embedded flash memory instead of a rotating hard drive and plays for up to 15 continuous hours on a single AAA battery. The new Digital Audio Players combine crystal-clear sound with a sleek design and sport a three-button/one-joystick design and easy-to-navigate user interface. They feature MP3, Windows Media(R) file and Windows Media-based DRM file playback, FM radio and voice recording and can double as a USB data storage device. Because the players have the ability to play Windows Media-based DRM files, they can be used with any of the popular music purchase sites, such as Musicmatch(R) music store.

"The new Digital Audio Player line offers all of the key features you need in a portable music player at a highly affordable price," said Eric Bone, director of retail product marketing at SanDisk. "It uses reliable flash memory which offers greater durability and ruggedness, smaller size, no noise of a rotating drive, and the ability to play hundreds of songs on a single AAA battery. In addition, it is designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of music sites that offer popular music formats such as MP3 and Windows Media as well as Windows Media-based DRM files from music subscription sites. This will make an ideal gift for the holidays."

Ida Rose Sylvester, senior semiconductor analyst at IDC, said, "Leaders in flash memory cards and USB flash drives are leveraging their expertise into flash-based compressed audio players, and control over memory sourcing could be the critical competitive difference in the market. SanDisk has ownership in a NAND flash fab, and can leverage that to their advantage."

The SanDisk Digital Audio Player is available in 256MB (red), 512MB (blue) and 1GB (silver) capacities. Additional features include:

-- Hi-Speed USB 2.0 for fast music transfer speeds

-- Up to 1GB internal storage

-- Support for MP3, Windows Media file and Windows Media-based
DRM music files

-- Up to 15 hours of continuous use with a single AAA battery

-- Digital FM radio with 20-presets

-- Integrated voice recorder with built-in microphone

-- Four-line Indiglo Backlit LCD that display song titles and
artist names

-- Compact design and shape


Playback # of Playback # of
Model time(a) songs(b) time(a) songs(b)
------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------
Red, 256MB 4 hours MP3 60 8 hours, WMA 120
------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------
Blue, 512MB 8 hours, MP3 120 16 hours, WMA 240
------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------
Silver, 1 GB 16 hours, MP3 240 32 hours, WMA 480
------------ --------------- ------------ --------------- ------------


The SanDisk Digital Audio Player is available now with suggested retail prices of $99.99, $149.99 and $199.99 for the respective 256MB, 512MB and 1GB capacities. They are sold at many of the 80,000 stores worldwide where SanDisk sells its products.

The Digital Audio Players are "plug and play" with PCs and the Macintosh(R) due to USB Mass Storage Class (MSC) compliance when used with Windows(R) XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Mac(R) OS 10.1.2+ and Mac OS9.2.1+. A driver is included for Windows 98SE support.

The Digital Audio Players include the following accessories: stereo headphones, carrying case with armband, USB 2.0 cable, AAA Battery and Install CD with Musicmatch 9.0 basic and Windows 98SE driver.

SanDisk, the world's largest supplier of flash memory data storage card products, designs, manufactures and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, digital imaging and audio storage products using its patented, high density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is based in Sunnyvale, CA.

The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as described under the caption, "Factors That May Affect Future Results" in the company's annual report on Form 10-K-A and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The companies assume no obligation to update the information in this release.

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

Images of SanDisk products are available at http://www.sandisk.com/corporate/media.asp

SanDisk and the SanDisk logo are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Musicmatch is a registered trademark of Musicmatch, Inc. Windows and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Mac and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective holder(s).

(a) Approximate playback at 128kbps MP3, 64kbps WMA
(b) Approximate


MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=4739344

SOURCE: SanDisk Corporation

SanDisk Corporation
Mike Wong, 408-548-0463
mwong@sandisk dot com


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