Mobile Computing Tips: Flash Memory and Small Storage
Feature: What's Up With All Those Portable Storage Formats?
Flash memory storage devices for portable gadgets all do pretty much the same thing: store files and applications. Secure Digital, SmartMedia, and other flash memory devices have no moving parts, are small, and don't require batteries, so they're ideal for portable devices such as PDAs and digital cameras. But can differ in size, price, capacity, and other features. In addition, some (like XD Picture Card) are debuting, while others (such as SmartMedia) are exiting, stage left.
CompactFlash:
Developed by SanDisk and introduced in 1994, CompactFlash is currently the most widely used flash memory card format for portable devices.
Memory Stick:
Launched in 1998, Sony's flash memory device was designed to store still images, digital video, music, computer data, voice recordings, and other content.
MultiMediaCard:
Introduced in 1997, the MultiMediaCard was developed by SanDisk and Siemens. These postage-stamp-size storage devices were originally designed with mobile phones and pagers in mind, and are currently supported by such devices as the Palm M515 and the Palm I705.
Secure Digital:
Developed by Toshiba and Matsushita, Secure Digital cards are nearly identical to MultiMediaCards, with several exceptions. The most important difference is that as the name suggests, Secure Digital cards offer built-in encryption to safeguard data. These cards are growing in popularity because of their tiny size and the security they offer. Currently, Secure Digital card capacities top out at 512MB.
SmartMedia:
Toshiba introduced the SmartMedia card in 1995 as the Solid State Floppy Disk Card. These cards are small, which makes them convenient for use in digital cameras and other petite portables, but their wafer-thin form factor limits storage capacity.
XD Picture Card:
Just announced this summer, the XD Picture Card (the XD stands for Extreme Digital) was developed by FujiFilm and Olympus to compete with similarly sized Secure Digital and Memory Stick Duo cards. According to Olympus, the XD Picture Card will enable manufacturers to design smaller digital cameras and will offer higher capacities as well. The two companies plan to introduce digital cameras that use the XD Picture Card later this year.
Read more..
Flash memory storage devices for portable gadgets all do pretty much the same thing: store files and applications. Secure Digital, SmartMedia, and other flash memory devices have no moving parts, are small, and don't require batteries, so they're ideal for portable devices such as PDAs and digital cameras. But can differ in size, price, capacity, and other features. In addition, some (like XD Picture Card) are debuting, while others (such as SmartMedia) are exiting, stage left.
CompactFlash:
Developed by SanDisk and introduced in 1994, CompactFlash is currently the most widely used flash memory card format for portable devices.
Memory Stick:
Launched in 1998, Sony's flash memory device was designed to store still images, digital video, music, computer data, voice recordings, and other content.
MultiMediaCard:
Introduced in 1997, the MultiMediaCard was developed by SanDisk and Siemens. These postage-stamp-size storage devices were originally designed with mobile phones and pagers in mind, and are currently supported by such devices as the Palm M515 and the Palm I705.
Secure Digital:
Developed by Toshiba and Matsushita, Secure Digital cards are nearly identical to MultiMediaCards, with several exceptions. The most important difference is that as the name suggests, Secure Digital cards offer built-in encryption to safeguard data. These cards are growing in popularity because of their tiny size and the security they offer. Currently, Secure Digital card capacities top out at 512MB.
SmartMedia:
Toshiba introduced the SmartMedia card in 1995 as the Solid State Floppy Disk Card. These cards are small, which makes them convenient for use in digital cameras and other petite portables, but their wafer-thin form factor limits storage capacity.
XD Picture Card:
Just announced this summer, the XD Picture Card (the XD stands for Extreme Digital) was developed by FujiFilm and Olympus to compete with similarly sized Secure Digital and Memory Stick Duo cards. According to Olympus, the XD Picture Card will enable manufacturers to design smaller digital cameras and will offer higher capacities as well. The two companies plan to introduce digital cameras that use the XD Picture Card later this year.
Read more..
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11:18 PM
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