View Full Version : PPCW Reviews Sandisk's 256MB MiniSD
Janak Parekh
08-12-2004, 07:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ppcw.net/?itemid=2021' target='_blank'>http://www.ppcw.net/?itemid=2021</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Yesterday I received a miniSD card, thanks to a friendly supporter of PPCW.Net. Right now, it's hard to get hands too these cards since they are still pretty new and not that common but this will change sooner we might expect. It's the same evolution we had with the CF card/SD card change before and since mobile devices like PDAs and now mobile phones also needs more and more storage space these type of cards becomes more interesting because they are smaller than CF cards while they are fully compatible too the SD standard. The card I've received is the SanDisk 256 MB miniSD card and to be honest - reviewing a storage card isn't that easy."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040812-PPCWMiniSD.jpg" /><br /><br />The most important aspect of his review, in my opinion, is the discussion of the miniSD-to-SD adapter. Its availability is a huge upside of the miniSD format and, in my opinion, is what makes it superior to other micro-sized flash memory technologies.
lisantica
08-12-2004, 07:04 PM
The link isn't working for me.
Robb Bates
08-12-2004, 07:05 PM
Mini-SD?
Oh good!
Finally I can stop lugging around these bulky regular SD cards. That ache in my back can finally get some relief!
Robb
gorkon280
08-12-2004, 07:05 PM
Nice that an adapter is available for Mini SD, but what is the point of using the adapter when you can just go get a 256 MB SD card?? :D SD is small enough for me. The only GOOD thing about MiniSD is that is everything is pretty much the same as SD, only smaller. At least it's not a YAIMCF(Yet Another Irrelevant Memory Card Format).
Janak Parekh
08-12-2004, 07:14 PM
The link isn't working for me.
PPCW is a little slow, but it came up for me without any problems. :confused totally:
--janak
Janak Parekh
08-12-2004, 07:14 PM
Nice that an adapter is available for Mini SD, but what is the point of using the adapter when you can just go get a 256 MB SD card?? :D SD is small enough for me. The only GOOD thing about MiniSD is that is everything is pretty much the same as SD, only smaller. At least it's not a YAIMCF(Yet Another Irrelevant Memory Card Format).
It's going to start appearing increasingly in cell phones, smartphones, and the like. But yes, it's probably not going to appear in your next Pocket PC. Still, I'm glad someone is trying to play the game reasonably right.
--janak
surur
08-12-2004, 07:31 PM
Another investment in memory cards being depreciated. Like my 96Mb CF card, now lying unused. Next with my next (or one after PPCPhone) SD cards will be useless, and Ill be leaving 100's of MB's lying at home.
Isn't SD small enough already?
Surur
dean_shan
08-12-2004, 07:39 PM
http://www.ppcw.net/images/column/miniSD/minisd.jpg
There's got to be an easier way to do that.
dean_shan
08-12-2004, 07:42 PM
Isn't SD small enough already?
I don't think it will ever be enough. Man will continue to make smaller and smaller memory with more capacity.
johncruise
08-12-2004, 07:52 PM
Mini-SD?
Oh good!
Finally I can stop lugging around these bulky regular SD cards. That ache in my back can finally get some relief!
Robb
Nice one Robb! :lol:
And to add, everyone can justify buying a new pair of glasses. I can see how easier to loose this thing now.
The most important aspect of his review, in my opinion, is the discussion of the miniSD-to-SD adapter. Its availability is a huge upside of the miniSD format and, in my opinion, is what makes it superior to other micro-sized flash memory technologies.
Don't forget the RS-MMC and the other one -- T-Flash I think, that's purported to also have a flush SD adapter (can't find the previous front-page posts on them though, just my later mentions of RS-MMC (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=265629&highlight=rs-mmc#265629) and T-Flash (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225597&highlight=t-flash#225597)).
I'm wondering about a few things though:
- will devices with a miniSD slot also accept RS-MMC cards in practice, just as practically all SD slots today accept MMC?
- are the RS-MMC and miniSD (and T-Flash) specs inherently capable of the same exact speeds as their full-size cousins (bus width/clock for interface transfer rate, and inherent flash media NAND/NOR speeds)?
- what's the max theoretical capacity for the above micro formats?
- will there be a small, fast portable USB 2.0 reader for RS-MMC/miniSD (or even T-Flash) which can be as small as those fixed flash keychain sticks -- or to put another way, a smaller, faster version of the original SanDisk Cruzer, SimpleTech Bonzai, Lexar JumpDrive Trio, etc? (Thanks to the posters who mentioned these previously :))
I used to carry the original SanDisk Cruzer (portable SD travel reader) on my keychain but it proved too bulky...
Note I'm not directing these questions to anyone in particular, just general curiosity (I suppose we'll know soon enough with more micro cards available on the market)...
P.S. As to the portable travel reader question, wouldn't it be great if Pocket PCs have direct USB mass storage interface (even with built-in USB cable), so you can just plug it in and any recent operating system can read any of the Pocket PC's drives without an external driver or ActiveSync...
Sell them to the CM's (contract Manufacturers) and have them EMBEDDED in the stikin' PPC.
Forgot another question:
- will any SD/MMC (or miniSD/RS-MMC) reader device always be able to read both SD and MMC (or miniSD and RS-MMC) cards at the same speed, assuming the cards themselves are of equal speed?
I mean, is there any drawback to getting a high-speed MMC 4.0 (or RS-MMC) card as opposed to a high-speed SD (or miniSD) card, if I should happen to find one or the other being cheaper in the future?
And for example, some digicams now have listed requirement of "high-speed" SD card (like the Kyocera Finecam SL300/SL400) -- could I stick in a high-speed MMC card that will work as well?
D.psi
08-12-2004, 09:10 PM
It's bad enough that I can waste $100-200 on tech gadgets relatively easily, now the manufacturers don't think a 6 month obsolescence cycle is enough :( . Introducing the new losable-ware. Hardware so small you can misplace it anywhere, needing replacement on an ongoing basis :D .
D.psi
felixdd
08-12-2004, 09:29 PM
Pictures like this tell me that there are wayyy too many formats.
http://www.ppcw.net/images/column/miniSD/minisd.jpg
Jonathon Watkins
08-12-2004, 10:19 PM
Pictures like this tell me that there are wayyy too many formats.
http://www.ppcw.net/images/column/miniSD/minisd.jpg
No, these are all the *GOOD* formats. Anything else is...... non standard? :wink:
Really good image Dean_shan! Nice one to show it all in context.
dean_shan
08-12-2004, 10:34 PM
Really good image Dean_shan! Nice one to show it all in context.
I didn't make it, I just linked to the article.
Jonathon Watkins
08-12-2004, 11:35 PM
Really good image Dean_shan! Nice one to show it all in context.
I didn't make it, I just linked to the article.
Yes, I did realise that. :wink: I was referring to your choice of image to show the humour and interconnectedness of all things (storage card related). :hippy:
foldedspace
08-13-2004, 02:58 AM
Mini-SD? What's the point? I can see some advantage to SD size vs. CF size, but this is goofy. Are they going to start incorporating a bunch of Mini-SD slots on devices?
possmann
08-13-2004, 03:51 PM
Geesh :roll:
Well I would hope they don't fragment things any more - but you know there is someon working on the next new card format even as I type this... WHY?
One thing I am very happy about is that they include the adapter for a real SD/MMC card... which brings me to another little rant...
How many of us actually use the security feature on the SD cards? I mean the MMC cards are faster and cheaper - I would hope that Sandisk and other companies make the miniMMC model soon as given the choice I'd like to buy the MMC format as I usaully don't keep sensitive data on my cards.
rocky_raher
08-16-2004, 02:09 PM
Another investment in memory cards being depreciated. Like my 96Mb CF card, now lying unused.
I sympathize with you. Last February I bought a 1G CF card for my Jornada 568, for $250. It seemed like a good deal at the time, as I like to carry a _lot_ of music around. Then in May I got a Samsung SPH-i700 from Verizon, which uses SD cards; almost simultaneously, my Jornada died. :-( At least the 1G card isn't a total loss. I have a solid-state camcorder which uses CF cards.
I have a solid-state camcorder which uses CF cards.
Just curious, who makes solid-state camcorder which uses CF cards? It's about time; does it use CF type II Microdrives?
ctmagnus
08-16-2004, 11:09 PM
How many of us actually use the security feature on the SD cards?
What exactly is the security feature? The little write-protect tab?
rocky_raher
08-18-2004, 02:44 PM
I have a solid-state camcorder which uses CF cards.
Just curious, who makes solid-state camcorder which uses CF cards? It's about time; does it use CF type II Microdrives?
The camcorder I have is by AIPTEK. Here's a description of a later model of mine: http://www.aiptek.com.tw/english/product/dv/dv4100_m.htm.
Their website doen't say whether the CF slot is type I or II.
Sorry it took so long to reply. I couldn't remember the company's name, and it took me a few days to find my camcorder.
^ Looks nice :) It looks kinda similar to Panasonic's SVAV series, and that one I saw from CES or Comdex (I think from Samsung or something)...
Do you remember how much yours had cost?
rocky_raher
08-19-2004, 04:50 AM
^ Looks nice :) It looks kinda similar to Panasonic's SVAV series, and that one I saw from CES or Comdex (I think from Samsung or something)...
Do you remember how much yours had cost?
IIRC, it was about $95 at Best Buy.
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