Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501) today announced the company's entry into the flash 
MultiMediaCard(TM)*1  market as a further step in strengthening its flash memory business.  
MultiMediaCards are extremely small and lightweight flash cards suitable for use in portable 
multimedia products such as cellular phones and portable audio players.  As the first product in 
this range, Hitachi is releasing the HB288016MM 16-Mbyte flash MultiMediaCard featuring the 
industry's fastest read and write speeds, at 17 Mbits/sec and 7.7 Mbits/sec, respectively.  Sample 
shipments will begin in May 1999.

A MultiMediaCard consists of flash memory and a controller.  Hitachi is the first manufacturer to 
have combined large-capacity  flash memory and a controller on a single chip in order to achieve 
large capacity in a small space.  The new HB288016MM integrates 128-Mbit AND-type flash 
memory*2 using Multi-Level-Cell technology*3 together with a cell-based IC controller with a 
RISC microcomputer "SuperH(TM)*4" CPU core on a single chip.  The specifications of the 
HB288016MM were jointly formulated by Hitachi and Infineon Technologies AG, and a second 
source relationship between the two companies will provide the market with a stable supply of 
fully compatible products.

Current flash card applications include CompactFlash(TM)*5 used as photo data memory in digital 
cameras and external memory for handheld PCs, and PC-ATA*6 cards used as program memory 
for industrial equipment.  However, in terms of size, weight, and ease of use, there are problems 
with the use of such cards in smaller and lighter products such as cellular phones and portable 
audio players.  Developed as extremely small and lightweight flash cards for multimedia data 
storage applications, MultiMediaCards offer improvements in all these areas.

The work of establishing MultiMediaCard standards has been undertaken by the MultiMediaCard 
Association.  With 43 members as of April 12 1999, this association includes manufacturers of 
cellular phones, audio players, and similar products, as well as card manufacturers and producers 
of peripheral components such as socket adapters.  Together with Infineon Technologies and 
other manufacturers, Hitachi serves as a board member engaged in formulating specifications and 
promoting the use of these cards.  (URL of the MultiMediaCard Association -- 
http://www.mmca.org)

MultiMediaCard System Spec Version 2.0 has been announced by the association members.  
The main features of the specification are: (1) postage-stamp size (32 mm x 24 mm) and 1.4 mm 
thickness, (2) system connection using only seven pins, (3) serial interface implementing data 
exchange via a single pin, (4) simultaneous connection of up to 30 cards, and (5) improved 
security through the provision of a built-in serial number.

Cellular phones have made remarkable progress in terms of size and weight, and designs do not 
allow for a single unnecessary cubic centimeter or gram.  Volume and weight figures for a 
conventional flash card-to take the example of a CompactFlash(TM) card-are approximately 5 cc 
and 10 grams, making it difficult to use such cards in cellular phones.  The corresponding figures 
for a MultiMediaCard are 1 cc-approximately 1/5 that of a CompactFlash(TM) card-and 1. 5 
grams?approximately 1/6 that of a CompactFlash(TM) card, making this the world's smallest and 
lightest flash card, small and light enough to be installed in a cellular phone.  And the 
MultiMediaCard's postage-stamp size (32 mm x 24 mm) and 1.4 mm thickness allow great 
flexibility in terms of mounting location.

Ease of use is a major sales point for personal electronic products such as audio players.  
MultiMediaCards offer system connection using only seven pins, plus a notch design to prevent 
incorrect insertion, ensuring ease of use by the average user with no specialized knowledge of 
such devices.

The single-pin serial interface supports both the newly developed MultiMediaCard data exchange 
method and the conventional SPI method, allowing the most appropriate method to be selected to 
suit the product's system design.

Whereas the design of conventional flash cards does not provide for simultaneous connection of 
multiple cards, up to 30 MultiMediaCards can be connected (stacked) and used simultaneously.  
This stacking capability allows memory capacity to be increased as required, and also permits 
different kinds of MultiMediaCards (ROM and flash cards) to be connected simultaneously.

The HB288016MM complies with System Spec Version 2.0, and also offers a 16-Mbyte capacity, 
the industry's fastest read and write speeds for a Flash MultiMediaCard, at 17 Mbits/sec and 7.7 
Mbits/sec, respectively, and operation at a low voltage of 2.7 V to 3.6 V.

The memory is 128-Mbit AND-type flash memory using a 0.25 micro meter process and Multi-Level-Cell 
technology, and the controller employs a cell-based IC with a RISC microcomputer "SuperH"  
CPU core. The integration of these two function in a single chip-an industry first-through the 
use of Hitachi's cutting-edge technology has made it possible to achieve large capacity and high-
speed writing within postage-stamp dimensions of 32 mm x 24 mm.

Valuable support tools for the design of systems using Flash MultiMediaCards include software 
such as card driver software and a file manager to handle created files, as well as hardware such as 
a protocol analyzer for monitoring information exchange between the card and the host.  Hitachi 
offers these support tools in cooperation with third-party suppliers.

As a means of further simplifying system design, Hitachi is also currently developing a SuperH 
microcomputer equipped with a MultiMediaCard interface.

The future road map for Flash MultiMediaCards calls for the development of a 32-Mbyte model, 
stacking two chips of 16-Mbyte flash memories in a Flash MultiMediaCard, in 3Q 1999, a 64-
Mbyte model in 2000, and a 128-Mbyte model in 2001.

Notes:	1. MultiMediaCard(TM): MultiMediaCard is a trademark of Infineon Technologies AG   
                of Germany.
	2. AND-type flash memory: AND-type flash memory is a type of flash memory 
          	designed for good cost/performance, offering large capacity, high speed, and low  
            	cost, and employing Hitachi's proprietary memory cell system.  Since releasing 
            	the first 64-Mbit flash memory in 1996, Hitachi has led the industry with flash 
            	memory products in the form of large-capacity CompactFlash(TM) for digital cameras 
            	and PC-ATA cards for industrial equipment.  In August of last year, Hitachi 
            	announced the industry's first 256-Mbit flash memory, employing this same cell 
            	system, and simultaneously developed 192-Mbyte CompactFlash(TM) and a 640-
            	Mbyte PC-ATA card using this memory.
	3. Multi-Level-Cell technology: Multi-Level-Cell technology is an effective 
            	technology to shrink die size for large capacity flash memory. A memory cell with 
            	Multi-Level-Cell technology stores 2-bits data instead of 1-bit data with 
            	conventional single-level-cell. This means 4 different threshold       
            	levels, "00" "01" "10" "11", within a memory cell.
	4. SuperH(TM)* : SuperH  is a trademark of Hitachi, Ltd.
	5. CompactFlash(TM) : CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation and is 
            	licensed to the CFA (CompactFlash(TM) Association). Hitachi is a member of the
            	CFA.
	6. PC-ATA: The PC card ATA specifications. ATA (Advanced Technology 
          	Attachment) specifications within the card specifications established by the
            	PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association).

< Typical Applications >
Smart phones, pagers, and similar portable communication products
Portable audio players, toys, game machines, and similar portable entertainment products
Portable imaging devices such as digital cameras and camcorders
Palm-size PCs, electronic schedulers, and similar portable information devices


< Prices in Japan >	
Product Name		Capacity		Price       
HB288016MM		16 Mbytes		Open price