Japanese Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1998-0240

Fujitsu Introduces World's First 1.3GB 3.5-inch MO Disk Drive

- GIGAMO standard device features MSR technology -

Tokyo, November 13, 1998-- Fujitsu Limited today introduced the world's first 1.3GB (gigabyte) 3.5-inch magneto-optical (MO) disk drive (the MCD3130SS). Adopting the recently announced GIGAMO standard, the new Fujitsu MO drive is also the first to incorporate Magnetically-induced Super Resolution (MSR) technology, which allows significantly greater linear and tracking densities without modifying the drive's optical head. The GIGAMO standard was jointly developed by Fujitsu and Sony Corporation and is supported by majority of the device and media manufacturers. The company is commencing OEM sales in the Japanese market starting today with global availability to follow.

The new 1.3GB MO drive responds to growing demand for large-capacity, high- speed removable storage resulting from the sharp rise in PC processing speeds and data volume for handling digital video and audio information. Fujitsu has successively developed and marketed 3.5-inch magneto-optical disk devices with capacities of 128MB, 230MB, 540MB/640MB, and now 1.3GB, all while maintaining backward compatibility.

MCD3130SS Product Highlights

• Adopts MSR technology: By allowing greater linear density and tracking density without changing the optical head, MSR technology provides 1.3GB of capacity, about twice that of a CD-ROM.
• Read/write compatibility with existing 3.5-inch MO disk systems: Greater density is achieved without changing the current optical head and backward read/write compatibility is maintained with existing 3.5-inch MO disk media, enabling effective use of existing assets.
• World's fastest data transfer speed: By using an LSI developed especially for MSR playback and increasing the disk rotation speed, Fujitsu has achieved the world's fastest data transfer rate for a 3.5-inch MO disk.
  1.3GB media (MSR) : 3.5 - 5.9MB/second 3214 rpm
  540MB/640MB media : 2.9 - 4.9MB/second 4500 rpm
• Low power consumption, ease of installation: The new device has the same exterior dimensions and uses the same 5V single power source as 640MB capacity devices, so system power and cooling conditions need not be modified.
• Highly reliable media: The MO disk media can be rewritten more than 10 million times and stored for very long periods of time. The media offers superior resistance to physical damage, contamination and outside sources of magnetism, providing a high degree of reliability.

OEM sample price: 80,000 yen in Japan (not including tax)
Sample shipping: December 1998
Volume production: February 1999
Sales target: 2 million units during the next two years

Note MSR (Magnetically-induced Super Resolution) technology:
A new magneto-optical recording technology that has made it possible to achieve high liner density and tracking density without requiring the use of a new optical head, as well as gigabyte-level storage volume. MSR is not susceptible to optical factors affecting beam diameter during playback. It utilizes temperature distribution and magnetism to make a smaller effective beam spot than can be achieved through optical technology alone, and it can read and recognize marks recorded magnetically on a sub- optical scale.

* All company / product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.

Fujitsu Limited

Fujitsu Limited is a leading provider of information technology products and solutions for the global marketplace. Founded in Japan in 1935 as a telephone equipment maker, the Fujitsu Group had consolidated revenues of $37.7 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31,1998.

With over 500 group companies, including Amdahl and ICL, Fujitsu is one of the world's largest suppliers of computers and information systems solutions, telecommunications and semiconductor products, software and services. The Fujitsu Group has over 180,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 100 countries. Homepage: http://www.fujitsu.com/

Press Contacts: Kazutaka Saito, Scott Ikeda, Bob Pomeroy Fujitsu Limited, Public Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5236 (Tokyo) Fax: +81-3-3216-9365

Customer Contact: Fujitsu Limited, Sales Department Storage Products, Computer Products Business International Computer Business Tel: +81-44-540-4055 Fax: +81-44-540-4123 e-mail: moiq@tsp.file.cs.fujitsu.co.jp http://www.fujitsu.co.jp/hypertext/aboutmo/index_e.html