256MB SD for $79.99 [Archive] - Thoughts Media Forums

Janak Parekh

12-17-2002, 10:45 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=478689&action=rap&promo_id=3273' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/d...p&promo_id=3273</a><br /><br /></div>SD is finally starting to become cheaper. Note that the price is with a $30 mail-in rebate; still, it's a great deal for those of you looking to make use of your SD slots.<br /><br />Anyone else have good deal on SD memory? I'm looking to buy a 512MB card, but they're still not cheap. 8O Hopefully these deals will start driving prices down...

bdegroodt

12-17-2002, 10:51 PM

A few dollars less at

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?DPNo=478689

$70.99 after rebate.

I think they'll be even cheaper after the holiday rush. Especially with the 512MB and 1GB push.

Sunnyone

12-17-2002, 10:57 PM

And just two weeks ago I got one for $108. I thought it was good at the time!

kzemach

12-17-2002, 11:00 PM

dhoward

12-17-2002, 11:00 PM

Janak Parekh

12-17-2002, 11:00 PM

A few dollars less at

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?DPNo=478689

$70.99 after rebate.
Hmm. I just clicked on the link, and it says $109 less $30 rebate. Am I missing something here?

Had too many problems with this product from this manufacturer before (multiple times).

Compaq (HP) doesn't even recognize or recommend their product.
Hmm, were/are you using a 3800 series iPaq? They tend to have relatively flaky SD slots... I should know, I own one :)

--janak

yada88

12-17-2002, 11:03 PM

I got my pocket pc from ecost. I was so happy because I was gonna save like 50$. If I remember correctly, the handling charge was close to 40$ Be careful if you order from there.

bdegroodt

12-17-2002, 11:05 PM

[quote=bdegroodt]A few dollars less at

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?DPNo=478689

$70.99 after rebate.
Hmm. I just clicked on the link, and it says $109 less $30 rebate. Am I missing something here?

Uhhh...no apparently I am missing something. Must be that math coprocessor. My bad.

RE:Flaky SD. I too had the same issue on a 3875. Seems to work without issue on my 3975.

bdegroodt

12-17-2002, 11:06 PM

I got my pocket pc from ecost. I was so happy because I was gonna save like 50$. If I remember correctly, the handling charge was close to 40$ Be careful if you order from there.

That's where I order too. A note to the wise, that "handling" fee is highly negotiable. I suppose that is after the initial rush for a new product is gone.

There's no handling fee on the SD this time around.

bmhome1

12-17-2002, 11:35 PM

PCMall has the same deal with $30 rebate.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-17-2002, 11:38 PM

Anyone else have good deal on SD memory? I'm looking to buy a 512MB card, but they're still not cheap. 8O Hopefully these deals will start driving prices down...
I'll be flying to Japan soon for a week of vacation. I've been informed that I can get the Panasonic 512MB SD for about 39,000 yen... with a conversion rate of roughly 125 yen/dollars, that comes out to around $310-320. Still not cheap unfortunately, but a better price than we can get in the US. Several months ago, I bought a Ridata 512MB CF card for about $270 (this is the one that got stolen with my iPaq in Frankfurt) and I considered that a great deal at the time. So maybe $310-320 for an equivalent SD is not so bad.

BTW, I personally don't trust SanDisk media. I think in general most people won't have any issues with media they buy, but it seems like everytime I do hear of media issues, it's SanDisk.

paris

12-17-2002, 11:38 PM

i guess they dont do international orders, do they?

well here in the UK SD cards cost double the money the do in the US :?

st63z

12-17-2002, 11:40 PM

Forget Google, MIR is evil :twisted:

dhoward

12-17-2002, 11:44 PM

Hmm, were/are you using a 3800 series iPaq? They tend to have relatively flaky SD slots... I should know, I own one :)

Greetings Janek. No, I have a 3955, and tried two SanDisk SD 256mb cards. Both would not even format properly.

Called SD; talked with tech support. They didn't know what an iPAQ 3955 even was.

Called Compaq TS. They shook their head and said they don't recommend their cards for even one second. Please try another "reputable" manufacturer.

So I did. I called TS for five other companies. Only two knew what an iPAQ 3955 even was, and could talk about their product.

Viking was one of the winners and Kingston was the other, though Kingston does not have a 256mb SD version (only 128mb).

PS Have had a couple of e-mails from SoftWinter re: Storage Tools v1.4 to work properly with SD Cards. Right now, it only properly covers CF cards.

"SD cards do not have a built-in controller and bad blocks lead to corruption within Windows CE file system. We are working on a special format feature which will test all the card sectors and mark them bad within the file system if necessary. This will allow to use cards with bad areas reliably. The StorageTools with this feature is planned for release in January 2003."

Hope this helps.

jizmo

12-17-2002, 11:47 PM

i guess they dont do international orders, do they?

well here in the UK SD cards cost double the money the do in the US :?

Double that, and you get the price they ask for them in Finland.

I have a few friends living in the States, but I haven't yet taken advantage of it. For this kind of purpose I just might do it. I bet small SD cards will get trough customs with ease.

/jizmo

Janak Parekh

12-17-2002, 11:47 PM

Greetings Janek. No, I have a 3955, and tried two SanDisk SD 256mb cards. Both would not even format properly.
Sorry to hear about that. I have one Sandisk 128MB, and it works perfectly in my Exilim and near-perfectly in my 3870.

Well, all I can suggest is wherever you buy from, make sure they have a return policy. :? I'm hoping you're a fluke ;) but who knows.

The irony is that Sandisk was integral in developing the SD specification, AFAIK.

--janak

jizmo

12-17-2002, 11:47 PM

i guess they dont do international orders, do they?

well here in the UK SD cards cost double the money the do in the US :?

Double that, and you get the price they ask for them in Finland. :roll:

I have a few friends living in the States, but I haven't yet taken advantage of them. For this kind of purpose I just might do it. I bet small SD cards will get trough customs with ease. http://koti.mbnet.fi/vgames/hymy/thiseyes.gif

/jizmo

bdegroodt

12-17-2002, 11:50 PM

Greetings Janek. No, I have a 3955, and tried two SanDisk SD 256mb cards. Both would not even format properly.

Called SD; talked with tech support. They didn't know what an iPAQ 3955 even was.

Called Compaq TS. They shook their head and said they don't recommend their cards for even one second. Please try another "reputable" manufacturer.

I suppose Compaq would suggest that they are the "reputable" manufacturer you should buy from?

Could the reason we hear so much about Sandisk failures is because that seems to be the dominant brand in SD?

Sunnyone

12-17-2002, 11:54 PM

The SD card I purchased is a SanDisk card (256 MB). Works perfectly.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-18-2002, 12:26 AM

I suppose Compaq would suggest that they are the "reputable" manufacturer you should buy from?
Actually, if I'm not mistaken, SanDisk actually creates Compaq's own line of SD... so if Compaq is recommending against SanDisk, they're certainly not recommending their own...
Could the reason we hear so much about Sandisk failures is because that seems to be the dominant brand in SD?
SanDisk is certainly the most readily available brand of removable media and they typically have prices that are hard to match, but if Compaq is recommending against them, that would make two vendors that do so as SanDisk are already known not to work with Toshiba PPCs as well.

Additionally, SanDisk media lags behind the competition when it comes to read and write performances. Even their much hyped Ultra line of CF cards are known to be quite slow (click here (http://www.dpreview.com/articles/mediacompare/) for numbers). While these performance figures don't impact PPC as much, it gives some food-for-thought regarding how proficient SanDisk is versus the competition.

shawnc

12-18-2002, 12:48 AM

This is probably not the right forum for this post, but I just want to say that this is the type of information/debate that draws us non-technical folks to this site.

If my Axim EVER gets here, one of my 1st accessory purchases was going to be a SD card. I always thought of them as interchangable, kind of like floppy disks (yes some of us STILL use those). After reading this particular subject matter, I think I'll use my old reliable CF card (gawd I love DUAL-slots) until purchasing SD is not so "hit and miss".

Thanx for the dialogue and information........carry on!

bdegroodt

12-18-2002, 12:57 AM

If my Axim EVER gets here, one of my 1st accessory purchases was going to be a SD card. I always thought of them as interchangable, kind of like floppy disks (yes some of us STILL use those). After reading this particular subject matter, I think I'll use my old reliable CF card (gawd I love DUAL-slots) until purchasing SD is not so "hit and miss".

For what it's worth, the SD cards Dell sells are Sandisk.

Mobile Bob

12-18-2002, 01:41 AM

A few dollars less at

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?DPNo=478689

$70.99 after rebate.

I think they'll be even cheaper after the holiday rush. Especially with the 512MB and 1GB push.

Watch out for eCost; they have great deals, but stick you with exhorbitant "packing" and shipping charges... I've ordered from them before, but you have to take that into account.

I agree with that. They (eCost.com) tack on hidden charges, and have refused to take back a defective product. One of only two bad online shopping experiences I have had, and I have purchased a ton of gadgetry online over the last five years. My credit card company knew my claim was right, so they ended up refunding my money.

Also, I've had SanDisk refuse to honor a rebate because they said the barcode label I sent them was for a multimedia card, and not an SD card. Well, they must have made a mistake with their packaging, because I have never purchased a multimedia card (never even held one in my hand). I've never had a problem with their cards, though, and I use them in multiple devices.

jdhill

12-18-2002, 02:56 AM

SanDisk SD cards also seem to have compatibility problems with the Casio E-200. I won't buy a SanDisk SD card any more. I have had no problems with Panasonic SD cards.

John Hung

12-18-2002, 03:08 AM

I bought my Sandisk SD 128M from Amazon a while ago, and after numerous card failures, I called Amazon and got an exchange. I had to exchange it again, and finally on my third card I have a reliable card. The card has been working without a hitch for me for the last couple of months. Within this time I also exchanged my iPAQ 3855 to a 3955.

Since my third card, I have not tried to use an adapter to load data in my notebook. I am just afraid that the previous two cards were somehow affected by using an adapter (Imation FlashGo) in a laptop.

I am looking forward to getting a 256meg card once the price come down just a little more. At this time, I am using a NexiPak that holds a 1gig Microdrive and a 512meg Viking CF card.

jdavis

12-18-2002, 04:29 AM

ahhhhh! and i just bought a 128mb for $60 today!

Janak Parekh

12-18-2002, 04:30 AM

ahhhhh! and i just bought a 128mb for $60 today!
Doesn't it always happen that way? ;)

--janak

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-18-2002, 11:44 AM

After reading this particular subject matter, I think I'll use my old reliable CF card (gawd I love DUAL-slots) until purchasing SD is not so "hit and miss".
Actually, I haven't heard of the same kind of issues with other SD cards (Lexar, PNY, Panasonic, Toshiba, etc.). The "hit and miss" is mostly with SanDisk. With vendors that don't make their own SD cards (such Dell, Compaq), in almost all cases, they'll re-sell SanDisk cards.

Ironic statement from jdhill that SanDisk cards also had issues in the Casio E200. Having been a former Casio EM500 owner (still the most rock-solid PPC I've ever owned), I know that Casio used to resell SanDisk as well (don't know if they still do).

VanHlebar

12-18-2002, 01:28 PM

For those looking for a 512MB card. PCMall has two different cards, one is the Lexar Media for $339, but it isn't available until Jan 31st! and the other is Edge Memory which is available now. I ordered the Edge card and it will be here today. I will post back with my results tomorrow or this weekend after I have had time to install stuff on it and see how it performs. For my purposes I think it will be just fine.

-Eric

bgate

12-18-2002, 05:08 PM

Good Morning-I think,

Two quick points on this. For reference, I had a SanDisk MMC card in my Palm for about a year and never had an issue. Ithink there is some validation to the point that someone made earlier regarding sheer volume sold. Plus, if you think about it, the users here probably push things to edge a bit more than the average person.

Secondly, I placed my order last night around 8pm (confirmation is timed at 7:57)-(afterall it is a good price) and received a knock aon my door by the friendly FedEx man this morning at 9:40. I was amazed. Yes I paid the extra 2 bucks for overnight (like tracking ability), but didn't expect it until Thursday at the ealiest. Great, quick service-great price.

Later,
Brent

JonathanWardRogers

12-18-2002, 09:10 PM

I have an E-200 and have had no problem with any of my SD cards (SimpleData, SanDisk, Viking, and Lexar brands). I think that people are losing perspective regarding the statistics. I've seen two people post problems with SD cards on an E-200. Similarly, I've seen maybe thirty or so people post problems with Sandisk's SD cards. It seems as if people who have problems are quick to chime in their support. If this is true, then the percentage of people who have problems with SD cards is so insignificant that there is no need to worry. Remember, with thousands of people visiting various discussion forums daily, the people who have problems are a very small minority. I can't think of a product that can boast a 99% satisfaction rate, so to advise against a product based on a small minority of complaints makes little sense.

I would love to see a poll taken on this. Something like:
I don't use SD cards
I own a Casio and have no problems with SanDisk cards
I own a Casio and have problems with SanDisk cards
I own a Ipaq and have no problems with SanDisk cards
I own a Ipaq and have problems with SanDisk cards
I own a Toshiba and have no problems with SanDisk cards
I own a Toshiba and have problems with SanDisk cards

It might put a little more perspective on the problem.

bdegroodt

12-18-2002, 09:44 PM

...It seems as if people who have problems are quick to chime in their support. If this is true, then the percentage of people who have problems with SD cards is so insignificant that there is no need to worry. Remember, with thousands of people visiting various discussion forums daily, the people who have problems are a very small minority. I can't think of a product that can boast a 99% satisfaction rate, so to advise against a product based on a small minority of complaints makes little sense.
...
It might put a little more perspective on the problem.

To add a bit more perspective as well- We're much more likely to complain when said item does NOT work as well as we would like than when it does.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-18-2002, 10:23 PM

Actually, there is a very well-known issue with SanDisk SD cards and all Toshiba / Maestro-based PPCs. Visit any Toshiba board. As an example, here's a thread I saw recently -> My SD CARD doesn't like me!!!!? (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2641)

The SanDisk complaints I hear are not from random posters who visited once to complain. They were often from regular posters... and we do have a LOT of posters that use both Viking and Lexar. Add to that the fact that they lag behind most competitors in performance. Even their "performance"-hyped cards are slower than other "regular" cards.

At one time, Packard Bell was the world's biggest producer of PCs... didn't mean that the complaints you heard were simply statistics of a larger producer...

JonathanWardRogers

12-19-2002, 12:01 AM

Actually, there is a very well-known issue with SanDisk SD cards and all Toshiba / Maestro-based PPCs. Visit any Toshiba board.

:oops: Sorry, I should have said... I've seen maybe thirty or so people post problems with Sandisk's SD cards and the iPAQ

I hadn't read or seen anything regarding the Toshiba problems until this thread, just iPAQs. I just included it in my sample poll because it was one of the three brands specifically mentioned here.

jdhill

12-19-2002, 02:50 AM

My problem with the SanDisk SD card was not limited to one E-200 and one SanDisk card. I had the same problem (disappearing and/or inaccessible files) on two SanDisk cards in two different E-200s.

JonathanWardRogers

12-19-2002, 03:24 PM

My problem with the SanDisk SD card was not limited to one E-200 and one SanDisk card. I had the same problem (disappearing and/or inaccessible files) on two SanDisk cards in two different E-200s.

So that makes three E-200s... Still a very small percentage. My point was not to say that there aren't problems, but that the problems seem to occur so rarely that widespread concern is not warranted. But, I could argue that point until I'm blue in the face and it would not do any good without a poll to back it up.

To the poll masters of the forums, would it be possible to add a poll to this topic?

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-19-2002, 04:39 PM

So that makes three E-200s... Still a very small percentage. My point was not to say that there aren't problems, but that the problems seem to occur so rarely that widespread concern is not warranted.
Well, widespread concern is one thing and I don't believe either myself or jdhill are telling anyone that catastrophe is around the corner... only that QA levels are better with some vendors than others.

As for the continual references to "small percentage", consider that the community of board users only constitute a small percentage of ALL users and that amongst those who are board users, not ALL use SD cards, and that among those who DO use SD cards, not ALL have purchased SanDisk and amonst those who have purchased SanDisk SD cards and have complaints, not ALL have voiced their complaints on a thread that you happened to see. I don't think the percentages are as small as you think.

Add on top of that that we have reports of one brand of PPC that doesn't work at all with SanDisk (Toshiba / Maestro) and that Compaq AND Casio tech support have recommended against SanDisk. Finally, SanDisk trails in performance despite producing the largest volume and having by far the greatest retailer presence and being one of the vendors with the longest experience in removable flash media (Panasonic in Japan is the only company that MAY have beaten them in getting SD to market).

...is compromised quality in exchange for volume not even a remote possibility?

bdegroodt

12-19-2002, 05:27 PM

I move for a poll. Is there a second? :P

JonathanWardRogers

12-20-2002, 09:44 PM

... As for the continual references to "small percentage", consider that the community of board users only constitute a small percentage of ALL users and that amongst those who are board users, not ALL use SD cards, and that among those who DO use SD cards, not ALL have purchased SanDisk and amonst those who have purchased SanDisk SD cards and have complaints, not ALL have voiced their complaints on a thread that you happened to see. I don't think the percentages are as small as you think.

I guess I am still not getting my point across. I am not trying say that you're wrong, or that SanDisk cards are good. What I am trying to say is that any statements as to the success or failure rate of their cards is based almost entirely on assumptions, and very little on facts. That is not to say that those assumptions are incorrect. I was just trying to point out the fact that they are, indeed, assumptions. That is why I suggested a poll. You and I could argue back and forth forever and never come to a conclusion because both sides are based on assumption. Any sort of poll, however unscientific it may be (as your message points out it must be given the limited demographics of the people polled), would be more useful in helping people determine whether or not to invest in a Sandisk SD card than a forum full of people posting that they've had problems with the cards. One major reason why a poll is more accurate than a sampling of posts is that people who have had no problems rarely post to a group like this, while those with problems are quick to chime in. This skews the statistics in the other direction.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-20-2002, 10:38 PM

JonathanWardRogers

12-21-2002, 12:43 AM

What I am trying to say is that any statements as to the success or failure rate of their cards is based almost entirely on assumptions, and very little on facts.
Well, I don't believe any of us were trying to spot a specific failure rate. We're only saying that we believe SanDisk quality is suspect (and suspect quality doesn't mean everyone has a bad card... it doesn't even mean most people will have a bad card).

Now, my apologies if I'm misunderstanding again, but if the experiences of board members as well as personal experiences classifies as being "based almost entirely on assumptions, and very little on facts", then I don't believe any of us will ever be in a position to adequately question a companies QA standards.

Well, I thought you understood, until the last paragraph. :wink: My point was that the rate or likelyhood of similar cards having problems (i.e., don't buy those cards because they have problems), not the personal experiences of board members (of which I proudly count myself one of), are based on assumptions. After all, if it weren't for personal experience, we wouldn't have a forum.

I'd also like to thank you for the intelligent and polite debate. Things like this usually turn into flame wars, and I appreciate your consideration and level headedness. Netiquette, however rare, is not yet dead.

Jonathan Rogers

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

12-21-2002, 03:28 AM

My point was that the rate or likelyhood of similar cards having problems (i.e., don't buy those cards because they have problems), not the personal experiences of board members (of which I proudly count myself one of), are based on assumptions. After all, if it weren't for personal experience, we wouldn't have a forum.
I believe we have an understanding then.

I'd also like to thank you for the intelligent and polite debate. Things like this usually turn into flame wars, and I appreciate your consideration and level headedness. Netiquette, however rare, is not yet dead.
Yeah... you know it's a good sign when Steven Cedrone hasn't interrupted to ask us to "take this offline". :wink:

Steven Cedrone

12-21-2002, 05:34 AM

Yeah... you know it's a good sign when Steven Cedrone hasn't interrupted to ask us to "take this offline". :wink:

The debate between the two of you was exactly as it should be. No need for a moderator to jump in and moderate if you are having a thoughtful, respectful, debate (that was, in fact, on-topic)... :way to go:

That being said, I was watching JIC... :wink: :wink: :wink:

Have a great weekend...

Steve

Roosterman

12-23-2002, 06:24 AM

I wouldn't take these if they gave them to me.

Had too many problems with this product from this manufacturer before (multiple times).

Compaq (HP) doesn't even recognize or recommend their product.

:roll:

I would agree with the others. I don't own a IPAQ, but I did buy a Sandisk card for my dell and it is working great.