SanDisk Ships 256MB+WiFi SDIO Card

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040524005534&newsLang=en' target='_blank'>http://home.businesswire.com/portal...534&newsLang=en</a><br /><br /></div>"SanDisk Corporation announced today the availability of the SanDisk 256 megabyte(MB) + Wi-Fi(R) SD Combination card, the world's first card to include both memory and WLAN (802.11b) communications in a single SD card. The new card is compatible with handheld devices that feature an SDIO-enabled slot and use Microsoft(R) Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003 or Windows Mobile(TM) 2003 operating environments. Availability of the SanDisk Combination SD card, with shipping planned in the next 30 days to worldwide markets, was announced at the Digital Experience media conference in New York. SanDisk's 256MB+Wi-Fi SD card has already received a 2004 Mobility Award from MobileTraxx."<br /><br />The irony is that the Digital Experience media conference is scheduled to happen tonight, so I guess the Sandisk PR machine has a time machine. ;) Seriously, it's great to see this finally ship. Sandisk's site hasn't been updated yet, but I'd presume we'll see it listed there in the next few days.

[urologyhealth]

The only major issue--is leaving the card in and it fitting into a case with the sd card protruding from top of device (or trying to slip it into Seidio holster).

This, therefore requires some modifications to be truly practical.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Hey...

Wonder when the Palm OS drivers will be out?

:rotfl:

[Kacey Green]

Now, Now, if WM couldn't do dual (untill SE of course), and Palm was to hard to do single for what makes you think they can do dual. :?: (I know you were joking.)

[R K]

"The new card is compatible with handheld devices that feature an SDIO-enabled slot and use Microsoft(R) Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003 or Windows Mobile(TM) 2003 operating environments."

Is this a PR mistake?
I thought this card was only supposed to work on WM2003SE.

[Janak Parekh]

Is this a PR mistake?
I thought this card was only supposed to work on WM2003SE.
Good question. Maybe it's possible that on older OSes you'll be able to "switch between functionality"?

--janak

[buckyg]

Ah, so you can only use one or the other (wifi or memory) at a time under WM2003 with these "combo" cards? I was about to ask if anyone had any experience w/ the 128MB version before I read these posts.

The reason I ask is I have a friend who's starting to setup her wifi at home. Down the road, she may want wifi on her 1940. Come to think of it, not sure if that iPAQ's SDIO or not and it may not get an SE upgrade...

[powder2000]

not sure if that iPAQ's SDIO or not and it may not get an SE upgrade...


That iPAQ is SDIO ready.

[buckyg]

Thanks for the info, powder2000.

[Zack Mahdavi]

Wonder when the Palm OS drivers will be out?

I'm beginning to think Sandisk is going to abandon writing a driver for Palm OS 5, and instead just wait for Cobalt to be released. Dang, up until February, I had been waiting 8 months for Sandisk to release this thing for Palm OS 4! :) Now it comes out one year later with only WM support.... yet another good reason why I bought an iPaq.

[topps]

Anybody have any sense of how battery life will be with these cards? I know that WiFi has so far required lots of juice - will it be any better this way?

[kosmicki]

Woot, been waiting for something like this. What better place to store apps that use WiFi?

And I think the battery life, if any different, would be more, drawing for both memory and radio. But maybe not, if this version of the wifi drew less power. Guess we need to wait for someone to review it! :mrgreen:

[truffles]

Wow just awesome !

Since these cards are now finally released, does this mean there will be a price drop on the plain normal SDIO WiFi cards?

I sure hope so, since they are still a lil pricey.

And, I just won an auction for an H1935 =)~

YAY ! I'm so happy right now !!

[topps]

And I think the battery life, if any different, would be more, drawing for both memory and radio. But maybe not, if this version of the wifi drew less power. Guess we need to wait for someone to review it! :mrgreen:

I don't think that the memory part will make much difference. The current drain is negligible in writing/reading to memory...and nil to maintain it.

...but yes, a review/comparison would be great.

[Pony99CA]

Is this a PR mistake?
I thought this card was only supposed to work on WM2003SE.
Good question. Maybe it's possible that on older OSes you'll be able to "switch between functionality"?
If you have to switch, it makes the following statement false advertising, I think.

In addition to the freedom and flexibility of wireless access, the 256MB of memory conserves precious internal memory of the handheld device by allowing the user to save files directly to the card without first saving them to the internal memory of the device. Without storage on the card, handheld users cannot download large files to their devices because the available internal memory of the device is too small. The introduction of this card will meet demand of next generation wireless applications such as the download of large streaming media files from public and private networks for personal use.
How can you download a file to the memory on the card if they both aren't active? :?

Steve

[Kacey Green]

Maybey they got permission to use the SE drivers on the other devices?
or
Wrote their own?

[Janak Parekh]

If you have to switch, it makes the following statement false advertising, I think.
No doubt. We'll have to see what the regular Sandisk website and what the packaging say, though.

--janak