BiTMICRO NETWORKS, LEXAR MEDIA AND WYSE CHOOSE TOSHIBA’S NAND FLASH MEMORY DEVICES FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE

BiTMICRO NETWORKS, LEXAR MEDIA AND WYSE CHOOSE TOSHIBA'S NAND FLASH MEMORY DEVICES FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE

Designing with Toshiba enables these companies to maintain technology leadership

IRVINE, Calif., April 3, 2000 - Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) today announced increasing support for their NAND flash memory devices with design-ins from BiTMICRO NETWORKS, Inc., Lexar Media, Inc. and Wyse® Technology Inc. These companies have selected Toshiba's NAND high-density flash memory solutions for use as solid state storage because of Toshiba's flash memory technology leadership, cost-effectiveness and time-to-market.

"Toshiba is at the forefront of NAND technology with the highest densities and finest geometries currently available on the market," said Jackie Traeumer, business development manager for TAEC's NAND flash memory products. "As a result of our commitment to the NAND market we are able to provide BiTMICRO NETWORKS, Lexar Media and Wyse Technology with high-performance solid state storage solutions for next-generation digital products."

BiTMICRO NETWORKS, Inc. chose Toshiba's 128 megabit (Mb) and 256Mb NAND TSOP devices to provide a solid-state storage solution for the company's E-Disks™. The E-Disk is a flash-based solid state disk storage solution created using BiTMICRO's patented FlashBus™ technology. Designed to deliver industry-leading performance and extreme reliability while retaining form, fit and function of conventional hard disk drives, the E-Disk is used for Storage Area Networks, Network Attached Storage, networking appliances, internet, server and audio/video applications as well as industrial and military applications.

"Toshiba's NAND flash technology enables BiTMICRO to manufacture reliable, low power, high performance, high capacity and non-volatile products like the E-Disk," said Roland F. Portman, vice president of operations for BiTMICRO NETWORKS, Inc. "This technology, coupled with BiTMICRO's patented wear-leveling technique enables the write life of our solid-state disks to be significantly longer than our competitors."

Lexar Media has implemented Toshiba's 64Mb, 128Mb, 256Mb and 512Mb NAND flash memory into the company's CompactFlash™ (CF) card designed for the consumer and professional digital photography markets. This enables Lexar to offer USB-enabled CompactFlash cards with up to 256MB in the Type II format. Additionally, Lexar's USB-enabled CF cards are available with 4X or 8X write speeds, which reduces wait-time and minimizes the chance of missing the opportunity for a live action or spontaneous shot (X=150KB/sec., 4X=600MB/sec., 8X=1.2MB/sec.). Lexar's USB-enabled CompactFlash digital film cards feature USB functionality built directly into the card to quickly and easily transfer photographic images to the computer via the USB port.

"We chose Toshiba's NAND flash memory due to its high density technology, extreme reliability, low current program and erase operations," said Mike Assar, senior vice president of technology, Lexar Media. "Our USB solution is a breakthrough in CompactFlash design that not only meets storage and performance needs, but enables host device manufacturers to pass along the added value of USB connectivity."

Wyse Technology chose Toshiba's 64Mb and 128Mb NAND TSOP devices for use as a solid-state storage solution for their Wyse Winterm™ 3320SE, 3720SE, and 3360SE Windows®-based terminals. Wyse's Winterm solutions enable applications to run on the server, not on the client, allowing centralized management, enhanced security, and exceptional, cost-effective performance. Wyse selected Toshiba's NAND flash because it provides them with the best technology for high density data storage needed to enable complete enterprise-wide access for 16- and 32-bit Windows-, Java™ -, browser- and legacy-applications.

"Toshiba has been able to maintain their leadership in NAND flash technology by product cycle improvements that can be seen with the constant increase in density of their NAND devices," said Curt Schwebke, vice president of engineering for Wyse Technology Inc. "That leadership, coupled with Toshiba's competitive pricing, is why we chose to partner in the development of our Winterm Windows-based terminals."

About Toshiba's NAND Flash Memory
As a recognized pioneer in flash technology, Toshiba was a principal innovator of NAND- and NOR-type Flash technology in the 1980's. Today, as a leading developer of both NAND and NOR flash, Toshiba understands the unique advantages associated with each architecture. By offering both types of flash memory, TAEC is able to meet the needs of a vast array of growing NOR

flash applications that require lower power and faster access times for mobile and handheld devices. The company also focuses on developing high-density NAND flash for use in emerging solid state storage applications.

Toshiba's NAND flash memory products are optimized for general solid state storage, image file storage and audio. The company currently offers 3.3V and 5V solutions in 32Mb, 64Mb, 128Mb, 256Mb and 512Mb densities, with a roadmap leading to gigabit devices. Toshiba's single-bit-per-cell 128Mb and 256Mb NAND EEPROM devices, operate at low power, and boast a small chip size of about 130 square millimeters. These devices are ideal for use with flash memory cards as well as in such applications as solid state disk drives, digital cameras, set-top boxes, audio recorders, solid-state devices, industrial storage applications and an array of emerging applications which require fast and reliable storage.

About Toshiba
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) is the North American engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales arm of Toshiba Semiconductor Company and Display Devices and Components Company. TAEC is recognized as one of the world's largest suppliers of semiconductor, electronic component and storage solutions. Toshiba's Semiconductor Company is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of semiconductor products including LSIs, microprocessors and controllers, and advanced memory products, in addition to discrete and bipolar components. The company is also responsible for global sales and marketing of other major electronic components including liquid crystal displays, color display and picture tubes, lithium-ion and other secondary batteries. For additional information, please visit TAEC's web site at, http://www.toshiba.com/taec.

TO-078