Sony Licenses MemoryStick To Other Firms

TOKYO - Sony Corp. in a move to avoid a repeat of its Betamax debacle, said Thursday it will license six Japanese electronics manufacturers to make and market its nifty Memory Stick, and gadgets using the memory device.

The Memory Stick is a chewing gum-sized memory device which allows digitized video images, music or computer files to be transferred among various sorts of electronic devices. Sony aims to popularize its newly introduced Memory Stick in the electronics industry by licensing other manufacturers to make video camcorders, digital cameras and personal computers using the data storage device.

The six Japanese companies to be licensed to make Memory Stick products are Fujitsu Ltd, Japan's largest computer maker, Aiwa Co Ltd, a Sony affiliate, Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, Sharp Corp, Pioneer Corp. and Kenwood Corp.