SanDisk Moves Back Release Date of Wi-Fi SD Card Yet Again

SanDisk's web page on its Wi-Fi SD card now says that a Palm OS 5 driver will be released in the second quarter of this year. Previously, the company had said this would be available in the first quarter.

SanDisk originally announced this product over a year ago. Though a Pocket PC version debuted last summer, the Palm OS version was pushed back again and again over the course of 2003. And several months ago, SanDisk announced there would only be a driver for handhelds running Palm OS 5, not for older versions of the operating system.

In December, the company blamed the delay on the slow pace of contract negotiations with PalmSource over the rights to some necessary Palm OS intellectual property. At the time, PalmSource was in the process of spinning off from its parent company, Palm Inc.

This device made Wired magazine's Vaporware 2003 list.

SanDisk has also warned consumers that, because Wi-Fi capabilities were not an original design requirement, the majority of Palm OS handhelds do not supply enough power to their SD slots to use this card. There is some hope, however; SyChip -- the company that designed SanDisk's current Wi-Fi SD card card -- recently announced a new model that uses less power.

Thanks to Matt J for the tip.

Related Links

• SyChip Exhibiting New Low Power Wi-Fi SD Card