xD Picks Up Support

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-1010171.html' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-1010171.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Memory developers Lexar Media and SanDisk have agreed to sell the emerging xD-Picture Card, a removable flash memory card format that's gaining traction by riding on the popularity of digital cameras. Lexar Media and SanDisk on Monday separately announced that they will support the xD-Picture Card format, which was developed and is owned by Olympus Optical, FujiFilm and Toshiba. The format was introduced in the fourth quarter of last year and has gained modest ground due to the amount of digital cameras sold by Olympus and FujiFilm, according to Chris Chute, an analyst with research firm IDC. Digital cameras use removable flash memory to store digital photos."<br /><br />Argh! :evil: xD is the one format worse than Memory Stick, in my opinion. I for one will studiously avoid any xD product as long as I can. I have many 6-in-1 readers all over the place, and I'm not interested, in the slightest, in picking up a bunch of 7-in-1 readers, and, in my opinion, the relative lack of them shows the rest of the market's unhappiness at the invention of this format. Quite frankly, this is why the floppy drive is not disappearing -- there are too many incompatible flash formats, and this number is increasing, not decreasing. Thumbs up to most of the Pocket PC OEMs, which have nicely standardized on two formats: CF for the larger components, and SD for the smaller ones. Now, let's see SDIO uniformly implemented in all devices... :way to go:

[kagayaki1]

Amen. I love my Smartmedia-based Olympus camera, but damnit I won't upgrade because of the xD blunder.

[Kati Compton]

Quite frankly, this is why the floppy drive is not disappearing -- there are too many incompatible flash formats, and this number is increasing, not decreasing.
I think that USB flash drives will replace floppies, not flash cards. Mainly because you can use them now with an awful lot of computers, whereas for flash cards you'd actualy have to add readers for those that don't have them already. It's a little more convenient in laptops where you can get a PCMCIA adapter, but PCs don't generally come standard with this. So I think it'll be the USB drives.

[Janak Parekh]

I think that USB flash drives will replace floppies, not flash cards.
This still sucks, though, as a format. You can't use your USB flash drive in your PDA, your camera, or your MP3 player. CF or SD would be ideal, but it hasn't taken off, except in laptops. :(

--janak

[Jonathon Watkins]

CF for the larger components, and SD for the smaller ones.

Yup, that's the way to go. Standardise & grow the pie. Death to all inferior formats! :evil:

[Kati Compton]

This still sucks, though, as a format. You can't use your USB flash drive in your PDA, your camera, or your MP3 player. CF or SD would be ideal, but it hasn't taken off, except in laptops. :(

Well, you're not looking for a direct replacement for the floppy, then, as PDAs, mp3s and most cameras don't use floppies. You want an all-encompassing removeable storage solution. That'll be a while to get everyone to agree. :(

[entropy1980]

This still sucks, though, as a format. You can't use your USB flash drive in your PDA, your camera, or your MP3 player. CF or SD would be ideal, but it hasn't taken off, except in laptops. :(

--janak
That's where things like the Cruzer (http://www.sandisk.com/consumer/cruzer.asp) come into play bridge the 2.

[kagayaki1]

LOL, anyone notice you all used quotes? Geez, especially after today's frontpage post

Jason will come get you with a big stick! :twak:

[PPCRules]

... I'm not interested, in the slightest, in picking up a bunch of 7-in-1 readers, and, in my opinion, the relative lack of them shows the rest of the market's unhappiness at the invention of this format. ...
I had also noticed a lack of xD readers and converters (at retail, at least), then when I finally saw a CF>xD adapter, the extremely high price made me wonder: Are there a lot more smarts needed to make that conversion, or are the xD "standards" people reaping huge royalties off this (and these royalties are being used to incent adoption)? At any rate, there may not ever be $20 7-in-1 readers (with xD as 7, that is; there's always memory stick pro, mini SD, etc., etc.).

Quite frankly, this is why the floppy drive is not disappearing -- there are too many ...
I have never understood why people have such a wish for the demise of the floppy drive. Don't like it? then don't use it. Really don't like it? Take it out. Why does it always generate so much discussion?

[Janak Parekh]

That's where things like the Cruzer (http://www.sandisk.com/consumer/cruzer.asp) come into play bridge the 2.
OK, the Cruzer comes close as a workaround; I'll buy that. I've never tried to boot off one, though; has anyone succeeded in doing so? And is there any way to buy a Cruzer without the memory card?

LOL, anyone notice you all used quotes? Geez, especially after today's frontpage post
:? Uhm, note that my quotes are properly formatted and nicely trimmed. Reread Ed's post and the thread ensuing below...

I have never understood why people have such a wish for the demise of the floppy drive. Don't like it? then don't use it. Really don't like it? Take it out. Why does it always generate so much discussion?
It's not that I want the floppy drive gone in and of itself (well, I do, but that's less important), but rather I'd like to see a new standardized format. I carry my Pocket PC with a 512MB SD card everywhere, and I'd like to be able to pop that out and put it into a computer at a customer's site, for example. We need new, larger-capacity universal storage formats. The Zip drive came close at one point, but it's sputtered since. That's the whole point we're trying to make. The Cruzer, as aforementioned, comes very, very close to providing this need. At least it's built on SD and not xD. :D

--janak

[rooks308]

I think the real problem with using the thumbdrives is that many PC's dont have frontside usb ports. Sure us techies like to use em cause they are neat and handy, but think of the business guy who wants em for the office. He's not likely to be happy pulling his pc out of his desk to stick in a thumb drive each time he goes to use it. Same for people at home. I love the idea of the thumbdrive but i dont think they will become any kind of replacement for anything, except maybe to replace zip disks for people who almost always work on a laptop. As far as XD goes, I hope that pocket pc manufacturers don't start using em. I know that olympus is pissed cause they got burned on smart media but come on...XD? no thanks.

my 2 cents....

[lurch]

While I wholeheartedly agree that the last thing we need is another memory format ( :roll: ), who's to say that xD isn't the thing that will become the new format???

The reason they didn't go with SD (and I checked on this, because I wondered) is that SD requires extra controller chips to access it, whereas xD is just pure memory, nothing more. That's why an xD card is about 1/3 the size of an SD card. There was a 128MB card smaller than my thumbnail!!!! Crazy.

Do I think they should've gone with SD as their camera card standard? YES. Do I think xD has potential anyway? YES. Will I buy a 7-in-1 reader? NO.

I'm just waiting for the newest memory format -- cards that can be worn as contact lenses. :?

[KH]

I'm just about to buy another digital camera, and Olympus is sadly off of my short list because I refuse to add card type that 1) I don't need 2) can't switch easily between my cameras, laptops and Pocket PCs, and 3) don't expect to see pricing pressure like the SD and CF cards. Too bad.

[Janak Parekh]

The reason they didn't go with SD (and I checked on this, because I wondered) is that SD requires extra controller chips to access it, whereas xD is just pure memory, nothing more. That's why an xD card is about 1/3 the size of an SD card. There was a 128MB card smaller than my thumbnail!!!! Crazy.
That might be their stated reason, but there's already a miniSD spec (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0303/03031302sandiskminisdcard.asp) out there that's upwards-compatible with SD. And SD isn't really that big -- I'd constantly lose miniSD cards. I believe that Fuji and Olympus invented xD because they couldn't stomach paying license fees to their competitors.

--janak

[danmanmayer]

I agree this is stupid... how many formats before i can stop having different stuff. I have 4 different types of flash media right now. I hate all of them... Becuase it is making me angry that no two of my devices can use the same thing. grrrrr I just wanted everything to stick with compact flash... but no.. So fine EVERYTHING MOVE TO SD and STAY THERE.

[cmchavez]

That's where things like the Cruzer (http://www.sandisk.com/consumer/cruzer.asp) come into play bridge the 2.


Or the Jumpdrive Trio (http://www.lexarmedia.com/jumpdrive/index.html). Still a bargain at $19.99 at your local Target store. :D

[guinness]

Problem with xD is the same one that plagued Smartmedia: no built in memory controller, I know that xD is supposed to be spec'd up to around 8 gig, but if the device isn't designed to support the full spec, you may be left with an unusable card. My Olympus camera can use a 128 meg SM card, but I doubt that it could ever support a 256 meg SM card because of the lack of a controller.

[kagayaki1]

There is no such thing as a 256MB SM card. 128MB was the spec's limit on size. That's most likely why Olympus made a shift in memory storage about 6 months ago.

[Foo Fighter]

Blech!!! Another worthless media format. :pukeface:

The only "new" storage technology I would love to have seen take of was Dataplay. 500MB on cheap, US Quarter-sized disks. :cry:

[Jason Dunn]

I have never understood why people have such a wish for the demise of the floppy drive. Don't like it? then don't use it. Really don't like it? Take it out. Why does it always generate so much discussion?

Because we need something to replace it - I want to go to any computer and KNOW it's going to have a certain type of storage access. The Flash USB drives are the closest thing to that, and I think it just might do the trick short term, but long-term we need a storage solution where the medium is cheap and disposable.

[entropy1980]

The only "new" storage technology I would love to have seen take of was Dataplay. 500MB on cheap, US Quarter-sized disks. :cry:
Why would you want Dataplay? It was write-once, DRM enabled, and optical (read skkkiiiippppppssss wheeeennn yyyyooouuu sssshhhhhaaaakkkkeee itttttt!).Hellish medium! I for one am glad it didn't take off!

[Foo Fighter]

Well I wasn't fond of Write-once any more than you, but the storage capacity....OH BABY! 8O Sure beats the hell out of paying $40-50 for 128MB SD cards. They are a bit cheaper than that now, but that's what I paid several months ago.

As for DRM...get over it. DRM will be woven into our digital lives, like it or not.

[Janak Parekh]

Or the Jumpdrive Trio (http://www.lexarmedia.com/jumpdrive/index.html). Still a bargain at $19.99 at your local Target store. :D
Pretty cool. I just wish the USB port was retractable, like the Cruzer, so you'd have a little self-enclosed box.

I just might end up buying the cheapest Cruzer and carry it around with my existing SD cards.

--janak

[CTSLICK]

This discussions reminds me of the less the warm reception SD cards got when they were first launched...you know...the same SD card that is now welcomed by the masses. So what's the problem? Is xD just too much of the same thing. Not enough differentiation between xD and SD?

[Will T Smith]

... I'm not interested, in the slightest, in picking up a bunch of 7-in-1 readers, and, in my opinion, the relative lack of them shows the rest of the market's unhappiness at the invention of this format. ...
I had also noticed a lack of xD readers and converters (at retail, at least), then when I finally saw a CF>xD adapter, the extremely high price made me wonder: Are there a lot more smarts needed to make that conversion, or are the xD "standards" people reaping huge royalties off this (and these royalties are being used to incent adoption)? At any rate, there may not ever be $20 7-in-1 readers (with xD as 7, that is; there's always memory stick pro, mini SD, etc., etc.).

Quite frankly, this is why the floppy drive is not disappearing -- there are too many ...
I have never understood why people have such a wish for the demise of the floppy drive. Don't like it? then don't use it. Really don't like it? Take it out. Why does it always generate so much discussion?


Everytime someone comes out with a reasonable floppy alternative, someone else comes out with a rival technology(Iomega vs LS-120 (I seriously hate Iomega)). This kills BOTH because the beauty of floppy is that it can be used on ALL devices. A set of dualling standards cannot effectively replace floppy.




The floppy is truly a wonderful piece of art that just couldn't evolve farther once it hit 1.4MB. It's utility as primary storage (DOS days) backup storage, transport storage, and content delivery was fragmented across Hard Drives, CD-ROMs, Zip Discs, LS-120, Network connectivity, Flash Cards, and ultimately DVD.

At the same time NONE of these new media completely fullfill the mission of the original. Every media has a flaw and an immense inpracticality. The closest contender is CD-RW. But CD-RW is comparitively larger, harder to storage and VERY FRAGILE!!!!

The second best contender was the LS-120 which quite nicely fit the same form factor as the traditional Floppy. It even read floppy drives. It's nemesis Zip hit the market first and was a bit faster. Ultimately both formats lost their practicality as a backup medium with the emergence of CD-R. There relatively high cost made them impractical for use as a "sneaker net" device.


I do still use floppies. Mostly for system configuration tasks. For some of those tasks (like partition magic) a floppy simply isn't big enough. Unfortunately, most systems provide only boot to IDE and floppy devices. Only a few will now boot to USB.

Basically the floppy needs replacement because it no longer serves ANY of it's original purposes. But still everybody recognizes it's practicality and longs for a suitable replacement that could at least store a few documents for either backup up transport and not cost.

The introduction of a mechanical/spin type read/write device is far too expensive to introduce in ALL PCs. The flash reader provides an answer because it is mechanically trivial and when produced in reasonable quantities rivals the cost of the legacy floppy drive.

Flash has similar characteristics as the floppy. Its simple, relatively rugged, and now it's fairly ubiquitous. The replacement of floppy with standard flash drives would fforce USB boot functionality into ALL PC BIOS. Once this is done, we will again have a practical read/write bootable, durable storage format. At this point the floppy is IN THE WAY. Thats why we want to see it gone. We want to see something better in it's place!!!!

[entropy1980]

As for DRM...get over it. DRM will be woven into our digital lives, like it or not.
While I won't disagree about it being around there can be less painful means of impose it upon users, if my memory serves there was no way you were getting music off a dataplay disc other than an analog out, I mean come on I bought my music let me have it! But enough off topc...I don't see any advantage xD has over SD they are about the same size physically and hell if I am going to go out and buy another 512mb worth of yet another storage medium.

[Will T Smith]

This discussions reminds me of the less the warm reception SD cards got when they were first launched...you know...the same SD card that is now welcomed by the masses. So what's the problem? Is xD just too much of the same thing. Not enough differentiation between xD and SD?

xD is a more modern incarnation of SmartMedia. As you recall Secure Digital couldn't stay competitive because the memory controllers were in the devices, not in the card. As a result, the CF devices were kicking the crap out of those Olympus cameras.

They've done it all over again. xD is ultimately doomed. There saving a little on excluding the memory controller. But the devices will subsequently be bound to current transfer rates.

To me this is Fuji/Olympus re-asserting their position in the marketplace. For a brief period they dominated digital photography. Those days are over. xD is just fowling up the marketplace with "me-too" technology.

[beyondallcom]

Or the Jumpdrive Trio (http://www.lexarmedia.com/jumpdrive/index.html). Still a bargain at $19.99 at your local Target store. :D
Pretty cool. I just wish the USB port was retractable, like the Cruzer, so you'd have a little self-enclosed box.

I just might end up buying the cheapest Cruzer and carry it around with my existing SD cards.

--janak

Janak,

Look on ebay, people are selling just the Cruzer by itself, it looks as if people bought them and only wanted the card? But $10-20 by itself may seem more worth while and spend $70 at ecost and other online stores tog et a Cruzer 256.

Regards,
Kevin

[Pony99CA]

I'm glad to see this had the controversial effect I expected when I submitted it. :-D

Now for more controversy. Sony's Playstation 2 follow-on, the PSX, is expected to have a recordable DVD, 120 GB hard disk and our beloved Memory Stick reader.

This is one place where I think Sony blew it with the Playstation 2. Why did they put in a memory slot for those dopey 8 MB memory cards? Why didn't they just put in a Memory Stick slot? Both are proprietary, but Sony could have made a huge increase in the demand for Memory Sticks, plus users would have much bigger storage capability. It would have been a win/win for Sony and consumers, I think.

I still hate Memory Sticks, but if Sony is going to stick with them, they should have used them in the Playstation 2.

Steve

[questionlp]

This is one place where I think Sony blew it with the Playstation 2. Why did they put in a memory slot for those dopey 8 MB memory cards? Why didn't they just put in a Memory Stick slot?
I think the reason why they opted with the "dopey" memory cards is that it's the same form factor as the original Playstation memory cards. Instead of yet-another-slot in the PS2 (which adds up additional cost), they opted for an updated card reader.

Now what would be nice is a converter so that you can use Memory Sticks with the memory card slot (kind of like the oft-delayed SD memory card adapter for the GameCube).

On the topic of the USB thumb/key drives, I use them as a replacement of mini CD-RW disks. At least the machines I have, have a USB port on the back of the keyboard (Natural Keyboard Pro; unfortunately Microsoft went PS/2 only for it's replacement, grr) or a USB hub right next to the keyboard. That and it's really nice with laptops that have an open USB port on the side or the back as a way to transfer files where a network connection isn't available. What would be nice as a floppy replacement are the 3.5" ~500-600MB MO drives from Fujitsu... unfortunately they are about as doomed as almost any other MO format :( Heck, even LS120 and LS240 are getting more and more use thanks to the Itanium workstations and servers ;)

[Pony99CA]

This is one place where I think Sony blew it with the Playstation 2. Why did they put in a memory slot for those dopey 8 MB memory cards? Why didn't they just put in a Memory Stick slot?
I think the reason why they opted with the "dopey" memory cards is that it's the same form factor as the original Playstation memory cards. Instead of yet-another-slot in the PS2 (which adds up additional cost), they opted for an updated card reader.
That doesn't make sense to me, though. The PS2 won't read PS1 memory cards, and Sony surely had Memory Stick readers developed. I'll accept that Memory Stick readers may be more expensive than DC (Dopey Card :-)) readers, though, but by how much?

Steve

[andrewlwood]

Do we need a memory card smaller than SD? I mean, there comes a point when making something smaller is more for the sake of 'because I can', rather than 'because it will fit in my pocket'. For me, SD is as small as I would want it to be.

Mobile phones are a case in point. Make them smaller and the form outweighs the function - they become harder to use at the expense of easier to carry - but they're pretty easy to carry these days already...


I agree that proprietary formats are a total pain - I have two memory sticks here that are useless until/unless I buy a new Sony PDA or mp3 player. And there's very little external market pressure on proprietary format pricing, as we've seen - once you've got the camera (because most people buy based on other factors than memory format), you're stuck with it - it's the printer-cartridge business model of trapping consumers into overpriced after-market purchases.

What's WRONG with SD? It gives me everything I need, fast and cheap, in a small footprint. What does the customer gain from new formats? Nothing at all. I will only buy equipment which takes the most widely-used industry format from now on (currently cf/sd).

[beq]

I think that USB flash drives will replace floppies, not flash cards.
This still sucks, though, as a format. You can't use your USB flash drive in your PDA, your camera, or your MP3 player.

Uh oh getting a picture in mind of a new PDA with a floppy diskette slot...

Everything old is new again :D

[Brad Adrian]

I was recently looking for a new digital camera, and the one I liked the most had beautiful optics and a 6X zoom. But, it used xD memory, so I had to pass. I simply have too much money invested in SD and CF cards to make a switch.

The ONLY way I'd consider buying that camera is if the manufacturer offered me a chance to trade in a few of my CF cards for xD cards. That kind of thing could be a powerful selling point.

[Crystal Eitle]

Memory format was a major consideration in my last camera purchase. My Pocket PC uses SD, so I only considered cameras that use SD. I'm glad I did; I don't want to have proliferating memory formats.

I too am only going to buy/use devices that use SD or CF. I will not clutter up my life with any other memory format! :bad-words:

[klinux]

For those of you who have Firewire, this is the product to get: http://www.wiebetech.com/products.html#fwkc - 1 GB on a keychain.

[volwrath]

Interesting views. I just received my 128MB xD card today. :D I love my little Fuji 3mp camera.

[BugDude10]

Screw xD. I'm waiting for a PPC with a 5.25" floppy drive! (Those thingies are cheap now!)

[Kati Compton]

Screw xD. I'm waiting for a PPC with a 5.25" floppy drive! (Those thingies are cheap now!)

Cool - single sided or double sided? I have a hole puncher if you need one....

[ctmagnus]

I'm waiting for a PPC with a 5.25" floppy drive!

Cool - single sided or double sided? I have a hole puncher if you need one....

Speaking of which... I once encountered a very expensive diagnostics program that was on a (iirc) 1.0MB 3.5" floppy. I don't know how the company did it, but it was virtually impossible to copy that disk. The write-protect tab was really funky; I can't remember for sure but it seems to me that it was the other way around from a standard floppy, kinda like on a LS-120 disk but with a really small capacity.

[questionlp]

That doesn't make sense to me, though. The PS2 won't read PS1 memory cards, and Sony surely had Memory Stick readers developed.
The PS2 will read PS1 cards when used with PS1 games whereas PS2 games use the PS2 cards, or else how am I able to save games from Final Fantasy Origins or Final Fantasy VII (both PS1 games) on my PS2?

[xoiph]

I have a FujiFilm FinePix camera that uses xD cards. BIG mistake. They might as well just use internal memory for picture storage, because I'm not buying any more xD cards. Even though I always have my 1910 with me, I can't view or edit any of the pictures (even though I would be tempted to buy an xD to SD adaptor if it was possible. xD cards are useless because there aren't any devices except digital cameras that use them, or at least I haven't seen any.

[eternalblue]

I have never understood why people have such a wish for the demise of the floppy drive. Don't like it? then don't use it. Really don't like it? Take it out.


Sounds like a good idea, I might just take out my floppy drive out if I have no use for it whatsoever. But only if there exists a flash card reader that will fit into the bay where the floppy drive is. Does anyone know if any exist in that form factor?

[Abba Zabba]

Well I have an xD card for my fuji finepix cam and it was a mistake to go to another flas format. But hey what can I do :bad-words: I ended up buying a photo printer that only took cf, sd, mem stick, and mmc cards.. So I had to find a xD to CF adapter. SO anone out there that needs to use there xD for anything else get the adapter I *highly* suggest it since this card works for nothing but fuji or olympus cameras. :evil:

[Pony99CA]

The PS2 will read PS1 cards when used with PS1 games whereas PS2 games use the PS2 cards, or else how am I able to save games from Final Fantasy Origins or Final Fantasy VII (both PS1 games) on my PS2?
I never had a PS1, and I don't have any PS1 games, so I didn't know that the PS2 could use PS1 cards. I knew the PS2 could play PS1 games, but didn't connect that with being able to use the memory cards.

Now the dopey memory card makes some sense. :-)

Steve

[Crystal Eitle]

I might just take out my floppy drive out if I have no use for it whatsoever. But only if there exists a flash card reader that will fit into the bay where the floppy drive is. Does anyone know if any exist in that form factor?

Such a product does exist; I saw one at a computer show recently. There are some URLs in this thread (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8389&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30).

[guinness]

SD Cards aren't perfect though either. I like the form factor, but the fact that a certain percentage of the card is used up for "security" features, kind of pisses me off. Instead of 128 megs on my SD card, I have about 122 megs, on 256 meg, I would have around 241 meg. Deceptive advertising.

[Pony99CA]

SD Cards aren't perfect though either. I like the form factor, but the fact that a certain percentage of the card is used up for "security" features, kind of pisses me off. Instead of 128 megs on my SD card, I have about 122 megs, on 256 meg, I would have around 241 meg. Deceptive advertising.
Maybe, but it's not uncommon. Do you think your 10 GB hard disk has 10 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024 bytes? Probably not. First, the manufacturers define a gigabyte as 1,000,000,000 bytes, not 1,073,741,824 (1024 ** 3) bytes.

Even after that, the 10 GB capacity represents the unformatted capacity. You lose usable space after formatting.

Finally, if you bought that 10 GB drive in a computer, the manufacturer probably didn't tell you how much space was used by the operating system and any software that came preinstalled.

So don't get too put off about losing the space for security. That's why it's called "Secure Digital" and not "Multimedia Card".

I do agree that a company probably should tell you the usable capacity, just like monitor manufacturers now tell us the actual viewing area of the screen. I think a lawsuit forced that, though. (Hmmm, do I smell another class action suit here? :-D)

Steve

[possmann]

:bad-words:
CF is here to stay a while longer, but we are already starting to see things move to SD/MMC format (Cannon producing their first SD/MMC format camera - ditching the CF format) and now with this introduction of this xD format?!?!

Many - if not almost all - PPC devices have the SD/MMC slot availible, therefore I will not purchase a camera that has a SmartMedia, Stick, Stick-plus, xD or CF version because I am sick and tiredof carrying around different cards and readers. Can't we just focus on the SD/MMC format and be done with it?

end of rant

[beq]

^ Oh really I didn't know that, pray tell what new Canon uses SD now? A new Digital Elph model?

[Crystal Eitle]

^ Oh really I didn't know that, pray tell what new Canon uses SD now? A new Digital Elph model?

Yup, I saw an article about it on a digital camera site. About one week *AFTER* I had ordered my Casio EX-M2 (whose SD memory format was a major consideration in the purchase decision). Slapped on the hand by the cruel onward march of technology :bawl: .

If I remember right, it's coming out in Europe before the U.S.

[ctmagnus]

SD Cards aren't perfect though either. I like the form factor, but the fact that a certain percentage of the card is used up for "security" features, kind of pisses me off. Instead of 128 megs on my SD card, I have about 122 megs

My 128MB CF card is reported (by PPC and XP) as being ~122MB. Or did you mean before the OS-measurementization?

[questionlp]

128 million bytes is just over 122MB, so it's reporting the proper size.