Future of CF slot on PDA's

[Sedwo]

Hello all,

Can I get some feedback of what you believe the future of Compact Flash (CF+) slots on PDA's might be?

The list of PDA's that have CF has shortened and I wish manufacturers would bring them back. Where do I go if I want an all-in-one device that still has a CF?
Are the niche PDA markets within industrial/handheld instruments the only place they will continue to exist in? (and for how long I wonder)

I am also a business person, and the CF slot peripherals are very cool; but I worry about taking a risk in support/reselling CF cards for a PDA market that will have no device to use them in within 1-2 years time.

Any feedback?

Thanks,

Sebastian*

[Don't Panic!]

I believe that as the form factor of consumer PDA/PDAphones get thinner and thinner the CF slot will disappear entirely except for the industrial/ruggedized PDAs you mentioned. The military will be the major user of CF cards as far as I can see. Now would be a pretty tough time to start selling CF Peripherals unless they meet milspec requirements. On the other hand digital camera manufacturers still love them.

[Sedwo]

Digital SLR camera's still use them for memory only though. My interest is in sensors and data acquisition CF i/o peripherals.

Is anyone here from the industrial/ruggedized PDA market that can comment as well?

As for the "consumer" end, I believe you are correct with the progress of the form factor. Nobody wants to carry around a brick device. Small and thin convergence is the future there.

My market research still did not find anything from the Compact Flash Consortium regarding their path towards the future.

hmm..