Flash Memory: Tough, Dependable and Compact
Flash memory is perfect for portable devices like mp3 players, digital
cameras and video games. Flash is the common term applied to solid-state memory.
No moving parts makes it exceptionally durable, with life expectancies up to 100
years. For music players and video games an added bonus is the virtual
elimination of skips.
Some integral flash memories like those in computers and car radios require
constant power to retain their memory. But flash cards employ silicon chips that
need no power. It is this feature that makes them so practical. Once stored the
data lasts almost indefinitely.
Flash memory's main drawback is its limited capacity. Current technology
allows memories to about 12GB, although more than 1GB gets fairly expensive. But
even at
1GB, hundreds of music, photo or data
files can be saved. Recent advancements in high density micro hard disks housed
in flash style cards satisfies the need for higher memories.
Popular Types of Flash Cards
Here's a list of the most commonly used removable storage cards, followed by
a brief description of each type:
- PCMCIA (PC Card)
- CompactFlash
- MultiMedia Card (MMC)
- Secure Digital Card (SD)
- SmartMedia
- Memory Stick
- xD Picture Card
- MicroDrive
PCMCIA
These credit card sized memories are used extensively in laptop computers.
Type I are memory only while type II cards add I/O functions like networking and
wireless modems.
CompactFlash
Matchbook sized and weighing half an ounce, CompactFlash card capacities
range from 16MB to 12GB. The most popular and, lowest cost per MB, they need
only 1/20 the power of a MicroDrive. Simple adapters allow CF cards to be used
in a PC card slots.
MultiMedia and Secure Digital
Only 24 x 32 x 1.5 mm, MMC and SD cards have up to 2GB memory and are very
popular in mp3 players, digital cameras and PDAs. Secure digital cards are
MultiMedia cards with a write protect switch.
SmartMedia
About the same size as a CompactFlash card but only .76 mm thick, SmartMedia
was the thinnest early memory card. They have largely fallen out of favor
because of their 128MB capacity limit.
Memory Stick
Narrower than a SmartMedia card but longer and thicker, Memory Sticks are
proprietary and only work in Sony products. Their 128MB limit was a problem
until Sony introduced the Memory Stick Pro in June 2005 with sizes up to 4GB.
xD Picture Card
Measuring 20 x 25 x1.78 mm and 2.8 grams, these cards were designed for and
primarily used in digital cameras. Capacities range from 16MB to 1GB.
MicroDrive
Technically not flash memory, MicroDrives are 1" hard drives housed in
CompactFlash Type II cards, allowing up to 8GB of memory in many CompactFlash
applications.
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