High on the list of gadget annoyances that make me want to scab my eyes out with a spork—just below cables and batteries—is the unfettered proliferation of memory cards. Even though they all fundamentally do the same thing—store data for handheld devices—they come in a million different sizes and shapes from almost as many companies, giving birth to retarded but necessary accessories. Anyone looking for proof of this can stop at the 80-in-1 card reader. Unfortunately, many of these dumb pieces of silicon and plastic aren’t going extinct. As a consolation prize, here’s an illustrated guide to all the ones you actually need to know.
There are other methods of backing up your mobile phone contacts, but integrating that capability into a mobile phone charger makes a lot of sense from a convenience standpoint. Plus, throwing in the ability read your SD/MMC cards doesn’t hurt either. It can even act as a portable battery backup in a pinch. The cleverly titled “Data-backup mobile phone charger” (also referred to as the VT-100 elsewhere) works with most major phone brands and can be used for PMPs, digital cameras and other gadgets strictly as a portable power supply. The device is available for around US$30 US. [Longshow via Gizmag and Alibaba]
Who knew a camcorder could be so cheap, but here it is, the DXG-572V that records MPEG-4 video at “near DVD-quality” for $149. It looks to be about the same kind of recording mechanism that you’ll get on most still cameras these days, laying down 640×480 video at 30 frames per second onto an SD or MMC memory card. It can also take 5.13-megapixel stills and function as a voice recorder, too.
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The MultiMedia Card Association (who?) has approved a new “global memory card standard” developed by a Taiwanese research institute—dubbed the miCard (Multiple Interface Card)—which will work with both USB and MMC slots.
Skepticism over new formats aside, the specs seem fairly impressive: initial transfer rate and storage will be around 480Mbit/sec and 8GB, respectively, with both improving over time. The expected maximum capacity? 2048GB. I can definitely get behind two terabytes in my pocket. (I’m also happy to see you.)
Twelve companies are already backing the new format: More »
