SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2005
Israeli Firm Developed BookLocker(TM) Secure TextBook Application
For Students From Kindergarten Through High School
SanDisk(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today announced the
acquisition of MDRM, a privately-held Israeli company that is focused
on developing end-to-end solutions for distributing secure content
through flash memory cards.
With offices in Israel and Sunnyvale, MDRM was founded in 2002 by
CEO Dan Harkabi and CTO Gidi Elazar, both pioneers in developing the
USB flash drive category, a portable device that has large memory
capacities and attaches to the USB port of a personal computer. MDRM
has worked closely with SanDisk and has adapted the SanDisk flash
controller to create a version of SanDisk's Cruzer(TM) USB flash drive
that is capable of delivering valuable content in a protected and
secure environment.
The first application of this technology is BookLocker(TM), which
allows students in grades K-12 to carry electronic versions of their
textbooks on a device weighing less than 1 ounce. Thus, they can bring
home schoolwork without toting heavy books or knapsacks. And for
textbook publishers, BookLocker offers a proven end-to-end system
solution that keeps the content secure.
MDRM has been renamed SanDisk Secure Content Solutions and will
continue to promote BookLocker with other partners through the U.S.
educational system.
In making the acquisition announcement, Yoram Cedar, SanDisk's
senior vice president of engineering and emerging market business
development, said, "We are excited about MDRM's vision and impressed
with the powerful technology that they have developed which, we
believe, is readily adaptable to a broad range of applications in the
distribution of protected content through our cards and flash drives."
Joining SanDisk, said Harkabi, provides his company with an
instant global reach and superior flash card technology. "This will
enable us to accelerate the penetration of our technology for content
distribution in the PC and mobile worlds," he said.
Added Elazar: "BookLocker, which we have developed in the past two
years, is applicable for content far beyond textbooks, and I look
forward to working at SanDisk to create the next level of such
value-added flash devices."
The transaction was completed on December 2, 2004. Terms were not
disclosed.
SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the
world's largest supplier of flash data storage card products, using
its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology.
SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations
worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S.
SanDisk's product images can be downloaded from
http://www.sandisk.com/about/media.asp#photos. SanDisk's web site/home
page address: http://www.sandisk.com.
SanDisk, the SanDisk logo and Cruzer are trademarks of SanDisk
Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries.
Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes
only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
CONTACT: SanDisk Corporation
Bob Goligoski, 408-542-0463
bgoligoski@sandisk.com
SOURCE: SanDisk Corporation
