Norris Communications Announces Norris Flash OS; An advanced operating system for developers and...

Norris will license Flash OS versions for CompactFlash, NAND/NOR Flash, IDE hard drives, and other emerging Flash memory technologies.

Norris' Flash OS is a standards-based development environment for integrating non-volatile Flash memory into audio, data, video and multimedia products. Built specifically for embedded systems, the Norris Flash OS was designed to maximize performance and minimize systems requirements. The Norris Flashback hand-held digital voice recorder, the first portable consumer product to utilize removable Flash memory, operates on the Norris Flash OS.

"The Flash OS will provide companies that manufacture voice recorders, two-way voice pagers, digital cameras, dictation systems, multimedia recorders, voice-to-text integration systems, in-phone cellular answering machines, conference phone recorders, and solid state flight data recorders a shortened time to market," stated Bob Root, CEO of Norris Communications. We have had discussions with over 35 companies under non-disclosure that feel they would benefit from incorporating the Norris Flash OS into their specific applications."

The Flash OS development environment consists of a component-oriented, modular architecture that offers a maximum of cross-platform compatibility, which can be combined to address specific vertical industry requirements. The five modules in the Flash OS include:

1) Embedded Systems File/Data Manager: For enhanced editing performance and system reliability.

2) PC/DOS File System Emulator: A PC/DOS file system infrastructure for embedded systems.

3) Memory BIOS (Hardware Dependent): Provides hardware-specific code for using various forms of Flash recording media such as CompactFlash, NAND/NOR Flash, and IDE hard drives.

4) DOS Redirector (Hardware Dependent): For attaching a Flash based drive to DOS.

5) PCMCIA MTD (FTL, Hardware Dependent): For use of Norris NAND or NOR Flash memories on a PC Card device.

For developers merging non-volatile Flash memory into multimedia products, Flash OS code is compiled to run efficiently on a low-cost micro controller, eliminating the need for a high powered CPU. Norris Flash OS reserves memory for other application functions. The OS provides a file and storage structure to maintain, manipulate and distribute compressed voice, image or video, as well as data using a file manager API.

Flash OS supports both NAND/NOR Flash Memory and its memory management transparently deals with bad blocks, erase blocks, wear leveling, and is independent of data and erase block sizes.

San Diego-based Norris Communications Corp. develops, manufactures and markets sophisticated electronic audio and data storage products. Norris markets its products directly to OEM's and sells Norris branded products through resellers to end users. Norris holds more than 100 patents for a wide variety of electronic technologies. For further information, contact Norris Communications at 619/679-1504 or http://www.norriscomm.com.

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CONTACT: Norris Communications

Wendy Ravenel/Pat Birkenbach, 619/679-1504

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Andy Robson/Sue Spiner, 212/989-3131