BCD-SD with LCD at CES. L337!

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/01/05/a-data_presents_self-displaying_sd/' target='_blank'>http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/01/05/a...-displaying_sd/</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060107-BCDSDLCD.jpg" /><br /><br />Over the past year, we've seen some bizarre cross-breeding in the world of memory cards and this is definitely one of the more interesting end-products. So, here's how it goes. The BCD-SD is an 80x-speed SD card with an integrated LCD that displays the card's remaining space. Inserting the card into a device helps keep it charged, which as a concept, seems mind-boggling. "Charging" a memory card? :eek:<br /><br />If you've decided that you absolutely <i>must</i> have one, then it's worth noting that the BCD-SD will be available in five great flavours: 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB.

[dma1965]

It seems that this would not be a great idea for a PDA or phone. Although it probably does not require much power, it will constantly place a drain on the battery when it is inserted. This definitely strikes me as a WBIC product.

[ctmagnus]

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060107-BCDSDLCD.jpg

it's worth noting that the BCD-SD will be available in five great flavours: 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB.

Not to mention bubble gum and cotton candy. ;)

[CrashX]

Cool, yes. But I like Lexar's method better.

http://engadget.com/2006/01/03/lexar_jumpdrive_mercury/They use electronic paper which does not require power to maintain the display. Granted, the Lexar device is a USB thumb drive, and not a flash card, but I bet the same could be done with flash memory.

[saru83]

this is just soo cool :D , i wonder how usefull will this be for a PPC user but i bet there would be some usefull uses for this kind of Flash Cards.

[rocky_raher]

"Charging" a memory card? :eek:

What's so odd about charging a memory card? I almost never pay cash for one. :-)

I'd love to have an SD card with an LCD display that I could program, if only to use as a label for the card. I number my SD cards, but most of mine have a glossy surface that won't hold a ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen mark very well. I would like to be able to display "SD 12" or "Music 3" on a card.

How do others label your CD cards? Does any company manufacture SD card labels you can paste on an SD and write on, similar to the floppy labels we used to use? They'd have to be extremely thin, as there isn't much clearance in an SD card slot.

[Darius Wey]

I'd love to have an SD card with an LCD display that I could program, if only to use as a label for the card. I number my SD cards, but most of mine have a glossy surface that won't hold a ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen mark very well. I would like to be able to display "SD 12" or "Music 3" on a card.

Oh, e-labelling would be an awesome use for it. I doubt these BCD-SDs support it yet though. Maybe fast-forward a year and we'll see them. :)

How do others label your CD cards? Does any company manufacture SD card labels you can paste on an SD and write on, similar to the floppy labels we used to use? They'd have to be extremely thin, as there isn't much clearance in an SD card slot.

I mentally label my cards, but if I had to do it physicaly, I'd probably grab a piece of tape, stick it on, then write on it.

[jlp]

That's ONE MORE reason to abhor, hate and despise miniSD and microSD cards :twisted:.

[stevelam]

That's ONE MORE reason to abhor, hate and despise miniSD and microSD cards :twisted:.

Do we really need any more? :lol:

[Mark Johnson]

I'd love to have an SD card with an LCD display that I could program, if only to use as a label for the card.


Rocky, you're a genius! That would be WAY useful for those of us trying to keep track of which SD card is primarily used for what. I've got a bunch of cards laying around.

But I also agree that the eInk "paper" technology (like on the Lexar) is far better than LCD for this since it uses NO power at all to display/retain the image.

All the OEMs would need to do is specify that if you put "label.txt" or "logo.png" on the root of the SD card, it will be read and displayed. It would be nice for people putting demo or release software out for the PPC platform on SD cards. You could label "short production runs" without having to deal with sticky labels. (Obviously on large runs it would be cheaper to do sticky labels, but "custom apps" could delivered on an SD card that has your company logo and the software name/version instead of just saying Sandisk on it.)

Cool idea Rocky!

[lapchinj]

That's ONE MORE reason to abhor, hate and despise miniSD and microSD cards :twisted:.

Do we really need any more? :lol:
Yeah we do! Since displaying what's left on the miniSD and smaller (???) cards would be hard on the eyes we could have make any cards smaller than an SD card talk to the user :devilboy:

Jeff-

[beq]

Guys, the article says:

"It uses the interface power to change the capacity display while plugged into a SD card reader, and it will maintain the display until it is replugged into a reader slot."

Which makes me think it is using something similar to E Ink technology that doesn't require power to maintain the display (only to actually change it).

[gibson042]

One of the bullet points visible in the picture is "Low power consumption", which at least implies that the display is constantly using power (otherwise, wouldn't they have said "maintaining display takes no power" or the like?). Regardless, the idea is out now and this product will probably use an e-paper display when released even if it doesn't now. You can sure bet that the competition will.