History of I-O DATA

1976

• I-O DATA DEVICE, INC. founded in Kanazawa, Japan
• Introduced first graphics display designed for the Japanese textile industry

1977

• Initiated R&D for first generation of Japanese microcomputers

1979

• Introduced textile industry’s first on-line loom control computer
• Developed automatic color image capture system with the capability to store fabric patterns and garment designs

1980

• Became the first major developer and supplier of memory enhancement products for Sharp personal computers
• Opened our first microcomputer retail outle

1981

• Awarded patent for the textile industry’s first “intelligent design” system - enabling on-screen fabric pattern and color changes

1983

• Established large-scale production facilities in Kanazawa
• Introduced the 8-inch floppy drive, designed to break the monopoly of proprietary drives

1984

• Opened Tokyo sales office
• Sold our first proprietary memory board for NEC PC98
• Began the design of an entire line of products for NEC PC

1985

• Introduced a PC-based loom management system, designed for factory automation
• Introduced a building monitoring system

1986

• Established the I-O bank method standard of memory expansion for the NEC PC98
• Developed user-friendly RAM disk software to complement our high-speed memory boards

1987

• Introduced 8MB and 16MB Memory Expansion Boards
• Inaugurated the IOS-NET, a customer-support BBS network
• Introduced voice I/O board for NEC PC98
• Began selling fax modem boards in a retail environment

1988

• Developed non-volatile memory modules for PC98

1989

• Introduced memory boards capable of supporting LIM/EMS
• Developed 32-bit memory expansion boards
• Created Memory Server II, a memory management utility software

1990

• Opened Osaka sales office
• Began selling RAM cards for NEC and Toshiba notebook computers
• Introduced a utility program,"D-H - Tool"

1991

• Announced initial public offering on the Japanese OTC market
• Entered the multimedia market with the release of our first high-speed graphics
  accelerator for PC98

1992

• Introduced video capture and overlay boards
• Introduced a voice recognition board
• Released a 64 Kbps ISDN board
• Developed and sold memory for Macintosh
• Introduced Printer Buffer "PB Series"

1993

• Opened U.S. office in San Jose, California
• Entered in to joint venture with Creative Technology to form Creative Media (links to Japanese language page), a jointly-owned company responsible for the development and distribution of Sound Blaster products in Japan
• Introduced two Microsoft-certified, Windows-compatible graphic accelerator cards

1994

• Opened showroom in Akihabara
• Opened Fukuoka sales office
• Co-founded Japanese-based MPEG/Windows Forum to establish standards for PC multimedia software
• Made international debut at Comdex Fall ‘94

1995

• Opened sales offices in Nagoya and Sapporo
• Introduced PLANT series - a complete line of LAN adapter products
• Introduced 64-bit graphic accelerator cards
• Earned PC Monthly’s “PC of the Year” award for graphics accelerator cards in two separate categories

1996

• Established TAIWAN I-O DATA DEVICE, INC., a subsidiary of I-O DATA DEVICE, INC.
• Formed ADI Japan, Inc. - a joint venture with Nissei Sangyo and Taiwan’s ADI
• Established the I-O Net subsidiary
• Introduced portable storage devices for laptop computers, allowing us to expand our product line to the mobile market
• Establish a Strategic Planning Department to develop new and innovative products and business opportunities
• Earned "The Third Annual Regional Service" award by Nippon Keizai Shinbun, in cooperation with the National Land Agency

1997

• Introduced UHDS Series - large capacity Ultra-SCSI hard disk drive
• Established joint venture with Advanced Information, Inc. (ALL), a member of the Acer Group in Taiwan.
• Earned the "1997 Industry Award" for Import Promotion Contributions from the Chubu Bureau of International Trade & Industry
• Introduced high-speed line of portable CD-ROM drives in the U.S. market
• Announced the availability of a new line of digital and analog LCD monitors

1998

• Formed I-O & YT Pte. Ltd. in Singapore - a joint venture with Yokoyama Shokai
• Debuted a line of CardBus/16 bit PC Cards in the worldwide OEM market
• Introduced one-chip IDE-SCSI converters to device manufacturers and system integrators
• Opened sales offices in Sendai and Yokohama
• Acquired ISO 9001, quality assurance standards by the International Organization for Standardization

1999

• Initiated a new strategy for forming international OEM partnerships
• Introduced a digital-interface PC Card for LCD monitors and projectors
• Opened a sales office in Hiroshima
• Earned "Good Design Award" for Portable Series "CDRP-AX420", etc., by Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization

2000

• Appeared at Comdex Fall 2000

2001

• Began marketing wireless LAN products
• Established I-O DATA DEVICE USA, INC. - a joint venture with Kaga Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Launched Network Solution Division

2002

• Formed I-O & YT (Hong Kong) Ltd. in Hong Kong - a joint venture with Yokoyama Shokai
• Acuired ISO 14001, international environmental management standard

2003

• Introduced a new compression technology, extend-play XVD Capture board
• Awarded the Japan Manual Award 2003, (home product category III) by Technical Communicator Association

2004

• Held the private exhibition "AVeL Fair" at Tokyo International Forum
• Established a subsidiary, "I-O & HY (Shanghai), Ltd." in Shanghai
• Was listed on the Jasdaq Securities Exchange

2005

• Exceeded the 1 million shipments in display of “the ECO demo” deployment
• Opened an internet shop “ioPLAZA”
• Developed and began selling a 32V type high resolution liquid crystal television “FTV-320H” for Hi-vision, with AV input of seven systems

2006

• Established “M data Inc.”, a joint investment company with BeMap, Inc. and PROJECT INC. and others
• Relocated sales headquarters in Tokyo

2007

• Co developed GyaO -Plus Television PC with USEN Corporation which
  can be watched free broadband contents "GyaO".
• Developed and began selling 19 inches wide Liquid crystal display
  "LCD-DTV191XBR" with Digital tuner.
• Joined "Windows Digital Lifestyle Consortium" with 48 partners.

2008

• Began selling ASP service "Web Pilot" as a new business, which works with an authentication key on USB flash memory.
• Developed and began selling TV capture board "GV-MVP/HS" to watch and record Japanese terrestrial digital broadcasting on PC.

2009

• Developed and began selling date communication card "WMX-U01" that supports high-speed mobile communications "WiMAX".
• I-O DATA DEVICE,INC. is selected as a supplier of digital-to-analog TV converter box for The FY 2009 Financial Assistance for Purchase of Degital Terrestrial Broadcasting Receivers by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

2010

• Established "Digital Life Promotion Association" among three PC peripheral companies.
• Developed and began selling DTCP-IP supported high-vison recording hard disk "RECBOX Series".
• Developed and began selling 3D supported 23 inches wide liquid crystal display "LCD-3D231XBR".

2011

• Entered the field of Smartphone peripherals.(One segment tuner and NAS Remort Link function)
• Authorized the memory expansion board for NEC PC-98 series(began selling in 1984) by the "Ishikawa Manufacturing Industrial Heritage".

2012

• Established a subsidiary "ITG Marketing, Inc."
• Announced the digital signage "digisign CUBE", which is designed for offices.

2013

• Developed and began selling the world's first remote access supported HD video recording hard drive, "RECBOX HDL-A Series" using DTCP+ technology.
• As an exclusive domestic distributor of the "Verbatim Brand", I-O DATA started selling products including optical disk.
• Renew the corporate logo.
• Started to handle genuine accessory products, "GALAXY Series".

2014

• Developed and began selling Music CD Tracking Drive “CD Reco” for Smartphones and tablet.
• Developed and began selling 4K supported 28 inches wide Liquid crystal display“ LCD-M4K281XB” and 4K supported USB graphics adapter “USB-4K/DP”.

2015

• Began selling HD drives made in Western Digital Technologies, Inc as a domestic distributor.
• Was listed on the 2nd Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
• Developed and began selling Network Audio Server “fidata”.

2016

• Was listed on the 1st Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
• Developed and began selling an external touch module “teletouch” which use with a large screen TV or LCD.

2017

• Started selling a small and affordable computer “Raspberry Pi”, etc., as a domestic distributor of “Embest Technology Co. Ltd,”.
• Concluded a contract on capital and business alliance with Maxell Holdings, Ltd.
• New appointment of Representative Director.
  Chairman　Akio Hosono
  President　Naonori Hamada

2018

• LCDs have shipped over 10 million units.
• Joined “Japan e-sports Union (JeSU)”
• Began selling “HVT-4KBC”, a TV tuner for 4K satellite broadcasting.

2019

• Built “Nomi Logistics Center” in Nomi, Ishikawa.