eMediaLive: "The Super-Sized Flash Wars Rage On"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=8312' target='_blank'>http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/...?ArticleID=8312</a><br /><br /></div>"Research firm IDC estimates that the already-booming flash storage card market ($1.7 billion revenue generated in 2002) grew by more than 100% in 2003. As the demand for multi-megapixel digital cameras (and to a lesser degree, currently, digital camcorders) grows, so too does the clamoring for higher-capacity, on-board portable storage. Not to disappoint, the end of 2003 and early 2004 saw a host of announcements responding to just this demand."<br /><br />This article goes on to talk about the current state the union with regard to flash memory formats, and their impact on each other. It's nice to see that MMC hasn't faded away completely - they're planning a comeback. It amazes me that Smartmedia is still clinging to life, albeit in a Gameboy. Interestingly enough, xD isn't even mentioned.

[guinness]

Only reason Smartmedia hangs on is because it was used in other devices besides digital cameras, although I was able to pick up a 128 MB SM card from Best Buy a couple months back since they were on closeout (for $12). As for xD, MS Duo, SD Mini, I can't tell one form the other except for the fact that Sony has put the MS Duo slots in some of their new cameras and cell phones.

[Jonathan1]

Memory Stick, considered by some to be SD's main competition for market dominance in the secure flash memory card market, had a major announcement of its own (and SanDisk had its second) in January. At CES, SanDisk debuted the 2GB Memory Stick PRO along with its smaller—in both capacity and physical size—cousin Memory Stick PRO Duo.


*sighs* Why won't MS be a good boy and just DIE. :twisted:

[Jonathon Watkins]

*sighs* Why won't MS be a good boy and just DIE. :twisted:

Darn right!

Standards, we dooon't need no steinkieng multiple flash card standards! :twisted:

(Only SD and CF and maybe Mini SD).

[xendula]

Thought by some to be on the lonely road to obsolescence, the SmartMedia format has enjoyed a resurgence of late, parlaying its position as the cheapest flash media card into an opportunity to create an entirely new avenue for content delivery.
Last time I checked CF was the cheapest flash media card. You can almost get a 256 CF for the price of a 128 SM card.

[ctmagnus]

Standards, we dooon't need no steinkieng multiple flash card standards! :twisted:

(Only SD and CF and maybe Mini SD).

I concur.

And if the industry narrowed it down to only two or three (non Sony-like) standards there would more than likely be more sales due to the persistent luddite crowd being less afraid.

[arnage2]

The following needs to be used for flash. Cf/ultra cf/cf harddrives: high quality video cams, professional digi cams, car mp3 players. SD: Pdas (some with dual sd instead of sd & cf slots), smaller digi cams, and small video cams. XD: ultra small cameras, smartphones, and other very small gadgets. Bye Bye: mini sd, ms, ms duo, ms pro, ms magic gate, smart media, pcmcia flash, and other proprietary formats.

This theroy should drive down prices due to huge $$$$ in sales.

Laptops should have all 3 flash slots instead of floppy drives, and smaller pcmcia slots (hopefully broght by pccard express). Sd cards with small usb adapters can take over the overpriced usb memory modules.

[gohtor]

Laptops should have all 3 flash slots instead of floppy drives, and smaller pcmcia slots (hopefully broght by pccard express). Sd cards with small usb adapters can take over the overpriced usb memory modules.

I doubt that will ever happen. All manufacturers have agreed on one format or another to use. sony with their sony sticks and toshiba supporting SD for example. Once a manufacturer sticks to one memory card they make sure their line of products all use the same memory card. If anyone needed different memory card slots they would probably be given the option to buy usb multiple memory card readers. it just would be extremely redundant to have 3 flash slots on a laptop.

It just amazes me that the market has adopted usb flash sticks as a floppy disk alternative. SD as a standard bootable floppy disk alternative would be cooler too!

[jonathanchoo]

It just amazes me that the market has adopted usb flash sticks as a floppy disk alternative. SD as a standard bootable floppy disk alternative would be cooler too!

Because most old machines have USB in them and not SD card slots. Not to mention USB flash sticks are far more secure and harder to get damaged.

Me? I am using Dane-Elec's ZMate that I bought 3 years ago. It is a SD card reader but it as small as a USB flash drive. I can easily pop on of my SD cards that I keep in my PDA case when I need to download stuff from a public PC.