SANTA ANA, Calif., June 6, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- SimpleTech, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEC), a designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of custom and open-standard memory solutions based on Flash memory and DRAM technologies, and external storage solutions, today announced the launch of its new line of sleek, sporty Pininfarina-designed portable drives. Rollout of the new line of portables to SimpleTech's retail customers is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2006. On completion, the portable drives will be available in more than 4,000 major retail electronics and office supply stores, nationwide.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2633
"We are proud to start a new cooperation with such a prestigious partner as SimpleTech," said Paolo Pininfarina, President and CEO of Pininfarina Extra, Turin, Italy, the company of the Pininfarina Group specializing in interior and product design, and responsible for designing SimpleTech's new line of portable drives. "This line represents the innovation, dynamics and essence of Pininfarina's design identity."
"Pininfarina's continuous passion for design experience and innovation is clearly demonstrated in the look and feel of our portable drives and our line of USB Flash drives," said Mike Moshayedi, president of SimpleTech, Inc. They have created a very compelling style, offering an assortment of colors bringing the human factor into the equation.
"We are very pleased with the overwhelming interest expressed by U.S. retailers on this stylish new line of portables."
These small, sleek drives not only serve the rapidly growing world of all things digital -- photos, movies, music, and files -- they provide both male and female consumers with easy-to-use, fast and fashionable portable storage.
In terms of performance, the drives are fast, operating at 5400 RPM with 8MB Cache. This combination of both stylish form and function is a significant departure from the competitive landscape where external drives are typically heavier and are designed with a more basic, industrial look and feel.
The SimpleTech portable drives are available in four capacities with the following Manufacturer's Suggested Sales Prices:
-- 40GB at $109.99 -- 60GB at $129.99 -- 80GB at $149.99 and -- 100GB at $179.99
Colors available are red, gray, silver, white and black. Not all colors are available in every capacity.
About Pininfarina
With a history dating back to 1930, Pininfarina is today one of the leading service company within the automotive industry, able to offer to the OEM's creative solutions based on its know-how and flexibility through each stage of Concept & Design, Product & Process Engineering, Niche Vehicle Manufacturing, as a full-cycle turn-key partner, or a provider of specific services. The company has more than 3,000 employees and operations in Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Morocco and China. The current car input includes 5 new models: Volvo C70, Alfa Romeo Brera and Spider, Ford Focus CC, Mitsubishi Colt CZC. Among the other customers: Ferrari, Maserati, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault, Jaguar, Honda, Daewoo, Hyundai, AviChina, Brilliance, Chery, Changfeng, JAC. As Official Supplier of the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games, Pininfarina designed, engineered and manufactured 12,000 Olympic Torches and 150 Paralympic Torches and designed the Olympic Cauldron. Pininfarina Extra, the Group company dedicated to interior and product design, has been operating since 20 years, among its customers: Motorola, Jacuzzi, Lavazza, Snaidero, 3M.
About SimpleTech, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEC)
SimpleTech, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and markets custom and open-standard memory solutions based on Flash memory and DRAM technologies, and external storage solutions. Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, the company specializes in developing high-density DRAM memory modules and high-speed, high-capacity solid-state Flash drives and memory cards used in sensitive and highly-volatile environments. For information about SimpleTech, Inc., and to subscribe to the company's "Email Alert" service, please visit our web site at www.simpletech.com, click "Investors" and then Email Alert.
The SimpleTech logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1079
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, statements concerning the expected completion date of the rollout of our new line of portable drives; the benefits of, and customer reaction to, the new line of portable drives; and the number of major retail electronics and office supply stores expected to carry our new line of portable drives. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are detailed under "Risk Factors" in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time to time by SimpleTech, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and our current reports on Form 8-K. Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include the following risks: market demand for our products may grow more slowly than our expectations; the effects of seasonality in sales of consumer products; changes in our product or customer mix; the volume of our product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; difficulty competing in sectors characterized by aggressive pricing and low margins; higher than anticipated product returns, inventory write-downs, price protection and rebate charges; our inability to become more competitive in new and existing markets; new customer and supplier relationships may not be implemented successfully; adverse global economic and geo-political conditions, including acts of terror, business interruption due to natural disasters and potential impact of high energy prices and other global events outside of our control which could adversely impact consumer confidence and hence reduce demand for our products. The information contained in this press release is a statement of SimpleTech's present intention, belief or expectation. SimpleTech may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in SimpleTech's assumptions or otherwise. SimpleTech undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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