Toshiba, a leading innovator in memory card technologies and solutions, is launching a new line of 16GB microSDHC memory cards that offer the largest capacity available in the market.

The company is extending its range of memory card solutions by adding ultra fast read/write 8GB and 16GB SDHC cards to its line-up.

Mass production of the new SDHC cards will start in December, with production of the new microSDHC slated to start in January 2009.

All of the new SDHC memory cards comply with the SD memory standard Ver. 2.00, and the two new SDHC cards support class 6 ultra fast read/write speed – a maximum write speed of 20 Mbps, delivering high performance for continuous shooting of still images and recording video images.

Key features of the microSDHC cards include 16GB capacity that can store up to 270 hours of music, Class 2 SD Speed and integrated highly secure CPRM copyright technology.

Key features of the SCHC Memory Cards include maximum write speed of 20 Mbps, Class 6 SD Speed and integrated highly secure CPRM copyright technology

The new cards meet strong market demands for cards combining high capacities with high speed data read and write. The new microSDHC can be used with an adapter that allows it to be used in SDHC slots.

Demand is growing fast for larger data storage in portable digital consumer products. MicroSDHC cards provide a solution for mobile phones, while SDHC memory cards support other digital consumer products.

The high-level specifications and wide range of memory cards announced by Toshiba will allow third-party developers to bring applications to future generations of consumer products.

The SD memory card was jointly developed in 1999 by Toshiba Corporation, SanDisk Corporation and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (now Panasonic Corp.) SD memory cards have been widely adopted worldwide. Toshiba has shipped more than 300 million memory cards and is currently the world's second largest supplier of NAND Flash memory.