SanDisk is the multinational corporation which is known for designing and marketing flash memory card products. Now we have word that the company has introduced new products in its gaming card line for handheld video game systems. SanDisk has announced the 16 GB Memory Stick Micro M2 Card for the Sony PSPgo, the 32 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo and Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo Cards for Sony’s PSP system, plus an 8 GB SDHC card for the Nintendo DSi.
“Many of the new portable gaming systems offer substantial downloadable content for gamers to enjoy, and our gaming memory cards give consumers the added storage capacity they need,” remarked Tim Sutton, product marketing manager, gaming, SanDisk. “Downloadable games for the PSP system can consume more than 700 megabytes of memory each, not to mention the large file sizes of movies and TV shows which boost demand for expandable storage.”
“Gamers are increasingly using their handheld systems for non-gaming activities, with nearly half of US PlayStation Portable owners, for example, playing video or music on the device at least once per week,” stated Lewis Ward, research manager, consumer gaming and mobile entertainment, IDC. “Digital content for these platforms is commonly available for download, and it is this evolving delivery mechanism coupled with large file sizes that has transformed memory cards from helpful accessories to something that many teens and young adults use on a regular basis.”
In addition to the SanDisk 16 GB Memory Stick Micro M2 Card, the company is also introducing a gaming compatibility pack (GCP), which makes the card compatible with other Sony M2 compatible devices and Memory Stick Pro Duo readers, as well as with PCs via a USB slot. The 32 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo can be used in the PSP-3000 and PSP-2000 systems, while the 32 GB Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo is capable of high read and write speeds and can be used to capture full HD video with dimensions of 1920 by 1080 pixels at 15 Mbps.
The SanDisk Memory Stick Micro M2 Gaming card comes with a Memory Stick Pro Duo adapter and is available in the US, Europe, Canada and Japan. The 8GB and 16GB variants are priced at 74.99 USD (approx. Rs. 3,580) and 142.99 USD (approx. Rs. 6,830) respectively. The gaming compatibility pack will retail for 17.99 USD (approx. Rs. 860).
The 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo cards are shipping worldwide and are expected to be available for 65.99 USD (approx. Rs. 3,150), 119.99 USD (approx. Rs. 5,730), and 229.99 USD (approx. Rs. 10,985) respectively. The 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB SanDisk Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo cards will ship worldwide in October and are expected to retail at 76.99 USD (approx. Rs. 3,675), 145.99 USD (approx. Rs. 6,970), and 279.99 USD (approx. Rs. 13,370) respectively.
The SanDisk SDHC card for the Nintendo DSi system is available in capacities of 4GB and 8GB from North American, Latin American and European retailers. The 4GB card costs 32.99 USD (approx. Rs. 1,575) while the 8GB card costs 47.99 USD (approx. Rs. 2,290).