Sandisk presents FlashCP

SanDisk today introduced FlashCP, a unique proprietary content processing technology designed to let students easily and safely download and store their textbooks, novels, learning tools and more on a USB flash drive. While protecting the copyrighted content of publishers, FlashCP aims to create a "digital backpack" that weighs ounces instead of pounds. The announcement was made at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), where SanDisk is exhibiting in booths 26 and 28 in the Philadelphia Convention Center.

Originally developed under the name of BookLocker , FlashCP was created by MDRM, a privately held Israeli company that SanDisk acquired last December. "In introducing FlashCP, SanDisk has successfully completed the integration of MDRM’s technology into our product line" said Yoram Cedar, SanDisk's senior vice president of emerging markets and engineering. "Our mantra is ‘Store Your World In Ours,’and now that world includes not just photos and files but also copyrighted content," he added.

SanDisk's latest innovation approaches flash cards as part of a content delivery ecosystem, and encourages usage of high capacity flash cards and USB drives. "SanDisk is the first to look at the specific needs of students," said Wes Brewer, SanDisk's vice president of consumer product marketing. "SanDisk is adding FlashCP to the Cruzer USB family, specifically addressing a market segment of over 65 million American students." FlashCP Cruzer USB drives will be launching at selected U.S. retailers for the coming school year.

"With FlashCP, we expect that students will be able to store a year’s worth of textbooks and learning materials on a small, pocket-sized flash drive that can be taken home or carried between classes," said Dan Harkabi, SanDisk's vice president of secure content solutions. "At the same time,” he added, "we believe that FlashCP provides textbook publishers and other content providers with a safe way to electronically distribute copyrighted works directly to consumers. It is also designed to offer secure, web-based updates as frequently as required. This gives publishers new and incremental revenue streams for selling content," he said.

SanDisk is partnering with publishing houses, media providers and educators to create a comprehensive repository of digital content that is both fun and educational. This online library of titles will be directly accessible by FlashCP USB drives each time a device is used on a PC that is connected to the Internet.

"A student carrying a FlashCP-powered drive could use a variety of books and learning tools such as science and math textbooks, reading assignments, dictionary, web content, multimedia clips and applications such as a calculator," said Jennifer Moore- Evans, SanDisk's director of education. A FlashCP-powered drive also can store materials created by teachers, including learning modules, homework, tests and study guides, she said. In fact, instructors and administrators can upload content to SanDisk's servers and thus make course content seamlessly available to their classes and other faculty.

SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world leader of flash storage cards and USB drives, using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half of its sales outside the U.S.