In May this year, the SD Card Association introduced the SD Speed Class, defining three minimum data transfer rates for next generation SD Cards: Class 2 supports a minimum data transfer rate of 2MB per second; Class 4 supports 4MB per second; and Class 6 - 6MB per second.

Therefore, Toshiba, one of the leaders of the market and the first maker to create a specialized SD facility, has launched two new series of high-speed Class 4 SD Cards and ultra high-speed series Class 6 SD Cards which will be made available in 512MB, 1GB and 2GB capacities.

The SD Speed Class will be clearly stated on the card and its packaging, enabling you to select the card that makers specify for use with your digital products. Applications will include video recording with high performance digital cameras.

But what is more important is the fact that the "high-speed series" will offer a maximum data transfer rate of 5-megabytes (MB) per second, while the "ultra high-speed series" will push transfer rates to as high as 20MB per second, double the rate of any other Toshiba-brand SD Cards.

Toshiba representatives announced that the company decided to promote these new specifications by launching Speed Class 6 SD Cards, and will now gradually transition its SD Card production to the new cards. "The speed class is important to maximize performance for demanding applications and help the consumer choose the right card for their camera or camcorder," said Brian Kumagai, business development manager, NAND Flash, for TAEC.

The new SD memory card series will be showcased at the IFA 2006, the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair, which will be held in Berlin, Germany, from September 1 to 5, 2006. Both series will be rolled out this autumn, in Japan in October and globally in November.