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Independent Research and Consulting Services for the Semiconductor, Equipment & Related Industries

  Press Release:

DRAM and NAND Flash: Doing the Memory Tango

Saratoga, CA, August 14, 2008 - Independent analyst and consulting practice, INFRASTRUCTURE Advisors, teamed up with market research firm Semico Research to produce a report that addresses the latest applications, technology and manufacturing strategies for NAND Flash and DRAM semiconductor memories.

As the target application for memory technologies continues to shift away from desktop personal computing, the value propositions of memory technologies have also changed. This report examines the strategic issues of the total memory market where manufacturing and technology decisions decide the profitability and health of participants.

DRAM and NAND manufacturing decisions affect all aspects of the semiconductor and electronics markets. Cost per megabit and consumption by the PC market used to bound the memory market that was predominantly DRAM. The growth of cell phones and the consumer market transformed NAND Flash into the trendsetter for costs and manufacturing technologies. The impact of this shift in the value proposition of memory technologies is magnified by the observation that almost 60% of semiconductor Capex goes towards tools for memory production. "Funding these heavy capital investments is a major challenge for chipmakers in a market where pricing and profit margins fluctuate constantly," stated Ron Leckie, President of Infrastructure Advisors.

DRAM and NAND Flash vendors have changed the manufacturing landscape and subsequently the memory market. NAND Flash is the technology driver for memory manufacturers that previously were dedicated DRAM manufacturers. Major memory vendors have accomplished some economies by having fabs capable of converting from DRAM to NAND Flash and vice versa. Flexible capacity works when these two markets are out of phase, but when the cycles align, supply-demand challenges are extraordinary. The report provides brief profiles of the major players including, Elpida; Hynix; Micron Technology (NYSE: MU); Qimonda (NYSE: QI); Samsung; SanDisk Corp. (Nasdaq: SNDK); and Toshiba. In addition, Numonyx, the venture between Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) is also profiled.

This 59-page report, entitled "DRAM and NAND Flash: Doing the Memory Tango," gives a clear view of the inner workings of this amazing market. The report can be supplemented with interactive presentations by the authors.

This study is available for immediate delivery for $US3,995. For online purchase, please visit the website:
www.infras-advisors.com/reports/MemoryTango.html

About INFRASTRUCTURE Advisors ( www.infras-advisors.com )
INFRASTRUCTURE Advisors is an independent Research and Consulting firm providing Services for the Semiconductor, Equipment & Related Industries. Since 1995, services have included Strategic Plan Audits, Strategic Marketing, Business Development, Independent Analysis, Due Diligence Studies, Start-Up Support, Expert Witness, and Public Speaking Engagements.

About Semico (www.Semico.com )
Semico Research Corp is a marketing and consulting research company located in Phoenix, Arizona. Semico was founded in 1994 by a group of semiconductor industry experts. Semico has improved the validity of semiconductor product forecasts via technology roadmaps in end-use markets.

If you have questions, please call Ron Leckie on +1-408-255-0853 or you may send an email to
roninfras-advisors.com