SONY

SONY TURBOCHARGES AIT WITH NEW LOW-COST LINE

AIT Turbo Extends Industry's Most Comprehensive Tape Format

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2004 - Sony Electronics has extended the versatility of its wide-ranging Advanced Intelligent Tape™ (AIT) format with a new line of enhanced "Turbo" drives and data media, which offer new performance and capacity options.

Dubbed AIT-E Turbo and AIT-1 Turbo, the new drives feature enhanced capacity and performance at a cost-per-gigabyte (GB) that favorably compares to DDS products. AIT-E Turbo has an entry-level 20GB native storage capacity (52GB with 2.6:1 compression) and a 6MB/second sustained native transfer rate. AIT-1 Turbo features a 40GB native storage capacity (104GB compressed) with the same 6MB/second transfer rate.

"The introduction of AIT-E Turbo and AIT-1 Turbo demonstrates our steadfast dedication to earlier AIT generations, while opening new doors into the AIT family," said Alan Sund, marketing director for tape storage solutions in Sony Electronics' Component and Business Solutions Division. "Our new Turbo drives will be a perfect fit for cost-conscious users looking to migrate to a robust technology that can grow with their future storage needs."

With more than 10 million drives installed worldwide, DDS technology has experienced tremendous success. However, Sund pointed out that the format is reaching its viable performance limits. Sony's new AIT Turbo line is a "compelling option" in Sund's words for DDS users looking to migrate to a newer platform, since it delivers nearly double the capacity and performance of DDS technology.

Sony AIT Turbo drives use the same compact 3.5-inch drive mechanism and dust-resistant design as standard AIT drives. The dimensions and mounting procedures, as well as connection positioning, have not changed. AIT Turbo media also uses the same Advanced Metal Evaporated (AME) formulation and 8mm form-factor as standard AIT media.

"AIT-4 is driving the Sony format forward, yet we also want to provide for the large number of users with needs on the lower end of the spectrum," Sund added. "And because it's AIT, users can rest assured that their investments will be protected through Sony's ongoing technology roadmap."

To reduce ongoing end-user storage costs, AIT-E Turbo and AIT-1 Turbo data cartridges are not equipped standard with Sony's Memory-In-Cassette (MIC) chip. However, Sony is offering specially marked cartridges that do include MIC chips for performance-sensitive customers as an option for AIT-1 Turbo drive users. AIT-1 Turbo drives are also compatible with standard AIT-1 media.

This release is taken from Sony Electronics Limited press release website

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