Flash technology inventor, SanDisk Corporation, has introduced a proprietary content processing technology designed to let students download and store textbooks, novels, learning tools and more on a USB flash drive. The product, FlashCP aims to create a “digital backpack” that weighs grams instead of kilograms.

Originally developed under the name of BookLocker, FlashCP was created by MDRM, a privately held Israeli company that SanDisk acquired last December. “In introducing FlashCP, SanDisk has successfully completed the integration of MDRM’s technology into our product line” said Yoram Cedar, SanDisk senior vice president of emerging markets and engineering..

The new SanDisk innovation approaches flash cards as part of a content delivery ecosystem, and encourages usage of high capacity flash cards and USB drives. “SanDisk is the first to look at the specific needs of students,” said Wes Brewer, SanDisk’s vice president of consumer product marketing.

“With FlashCP, we expect that students will be able to store a year’s worth of textbooks and learning materials on a small, pocket-sized flash drive that can be taken home or carried between classes,” said Dan Harkabi, SanDisk’s vice president of secure content solutions. “At the same time,” he added, “we believe that FlashCP provides textbook publishers and other content providers with a safe way to electronically distribute copyrighted works directly to consumers.  It is also designed to offer secure, web-based updates as frequently as required. This gives publishers new and incremental revenue streams for selling content,” he said.

“A student carrying a FlashCP-powered drive could use a variety of books and learning tools such as science and math textbooks, reading assignments, dictionary, web content, multimedia clips and applications such as a calculator,” said Jennifer Moore- Evans, SanDisk director of education.  A FlashCP-powered drive also can store materials created by teachers, including learning modules, homework, tests and study guides, she said.  Instructors and administrators can also upload content to SanDisk’s servers and make course content seamlessly available to their classes and other faculty.