SanDisk today introduced two Hi-Speed USB 2.0, multi-card MobileMate card readers targeted at the rapidly expanding market for new mobile feature phones with memory card slots.

The sleek, stylish, silver-metallic readers were introduced at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2004 trade show at Moscone Center where SanDisk is exhibiting at Booth 924.

The readers, among the smallest multi-card readers in the world, are about the length and width of a stick of gum and slip easily into any pocket. The MobileMate SD+ 5-in-1 reader supports SD(TM), MiniSD(TM), MultiMediaCard(TM), RS-MMC(TM) and TransFlash(TM) while the 4-in-1 MobileMate MS+ reader has one slot for Memory Stick(TM), Memory Stick PRO(TM), Memory Stick Duo(TM) and Memory Stick PRO Duo(TM). The flash memory cards can be plugged directly into the readers. No card adapters are required.

Matthijs Hutten, SanDisk retail product marketing manager, said, "With so many new mobile phones with card slots on the market, and more being introduced every day, there is a genuine demand for these MobileMate card readers. These readers provide a faster and easier way to transfer images, video, music and other data between your mobile phone and a PC."

Research reports from International Data Corp., a leading market research firm, estimate that about 600 million handsets will be sold in 2006 and 330 million (55 percent) of them will have slots for memory cards.

The new readers, which plug into computer USB ports, will be available worldwide starting in November at many of the phone outlets where SanDisk mobile card products are sold. Each reader has a suggested retail price of $19.99.

MobileMate readers are true "plug and play" due to USB Mass Storage Class (MSC) compliance when used with Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Mac OS 9.2.x+ and Mac OS 10.1.2+. The readers are fully compatible with those operating systems and also with Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS 9.1.x+ and Mac OS Xv10.2+. No software installation is required except for Windows 98SE.

Each MobileMate will be sold with two plastic end caps. One cap has an attachment for a key ring, and the other has a clip to attach to a shirt pocket. The 5-in-1 MobileMate weighs 16 grams (0.6 ounces) and is 74 x 26 x 11 mm in size. The 4-in-1 reader weighs 14 grams (0.5 ounces) with a size of 64 x 26 x 11 mm.

SanDisk, the world's largest supplier of flash memory data storage card products, designs, manufactures and market 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.