AMD has begun shipping 64-megabit versions of its so-called MirrorBit flash-memory line, with plans to deliver 128- and 256-Mbit devices in the second half of 2002.

The Sunnyvale-based company, which originally announced MirrorBit in the spring, said the NOR-based devices are ideal for cellular phones, handheld peripherals, set-top boxes, automotive, networking and telecommunications.

Bertrand Cambou, group vice president of AMD's Memory Group, said the MirrorBit architecture holds twice as much data as standard NOR-based chips without compromising on performance or reliability. The packages and pinouts provide an easy migration path all the way to future 1-Gbit flash memory devices, he said.

The 64-Mbit device is a 3.3-Volt product with 90-ns access times. The devices are priced at $7.95 in quantities of 10,000.