Microsoft has begun licensing its Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) technology, a new file system that delivers a significant leap forward in terms of the size of files that can be stored on a broad range of consumer electronic devices, and the speed with which they can be accessed.
exFAT is an updated version of the FAT system. In specific terms, the exFAT file system does the following:
- Enables future growth in media capacities, increasing support from 32 GB up to 256 TB
- Handles more than 4,000 RAW images, 100 high-definition (HD) movies, or 60 hours of HD recording in a single directory
- Speeds up file saves of Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) cards to achieve their full 300MBps speed using modern storage allocation techniques
- Supports interoperability with future desktop operating systems
- Provides an extensible format, including OEM-definable parameters to customize the file system for specific device characteristics
exFAT is already supported in Windows 7.
Microsoft noted that companies already adopting exFAT include Sony, Canon and Sanyo.
http://www.microsoft.com