Memory Cards: Instant Storage for your PC, Phone, and DigiCam

Memory cards or storage cards are small storage devices used to keep data and files from the computer, digital cameras, cell phones, and digital picture frames, and other handheld electronic devices. They are very slim and small that they can be easily inserted, removed, and transferred from one device to another.

The flash memory used in memory cards is nonvolatile. Therefore, the data stored in the memory card will not be deleted or erased when it has been removed from one electronic device. Moreover, memory cards can easily be reused and reformatted.

Memory cards are the media for modern data storage and preservation. As long as you have one, you can conveniently keep digital files and share it to your friends.

Before buying a memory card from Apple stores, however, you must be able to know and identify the various types of memory cards available in the market. While the different types of memory cards function almost similarly to one another, they might not be compatible in terms of the electronic devices that they are used in.

Below are the different types of memory cards and in which devices they are supposed to be used:

PCMCIA or Personal Computer Memory Card International Association

PCMCIA cards are compatible with many electronic devices and are divided into three types, all of which have the same rectangular area (85.6mm by 54mm) but with varying widths.

Type I PCMCIA memory cards are primarily designed to give additional RAM or ROM to a computer. They are generally up to 3.3 millimeters thick.

Type II PCMCIA memory cards are primarily used in modems and fax modems. They are generally up to 5.5 millimeters thick.

Type III PCMCIA memory cards are large enough to fit portable disk drives. They are generally up to 10.5 millimeters thick.

CompactFlash (CF) Memory Card

Manufactured in 1994 by SanDisk Corporation, the CF memory cards are designed based on the standards of PCMCIA memory cards and can actually fit into PCMCIA card slots when used with an adapter. Unlike small-form flash memory cards that operate in one voltage only, CF memory cards can support 3.3- and 5-voltage operations.

According to size, CF memory cards can be divided into two types. Type I CF memory cards measure 42.8 by 36.4 by 3.3 mm thick, while Type II C memory cards measure 42.8 by 36.4 by 5.5 mm thick.

Secure Digital (SD) Card

SD cards are primarily used in small handheld devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, video camcorders, handheld computers, and portable audio players. Measuring about 32 by 24 by 2.1 mm, SD cards often come in sizes between 16MB and 1GB.

Mini SD Card

The Mini SD memory cards were developed primarily for mobile phones as most of them would only allow one with a much smaller size. They offer the same features and benefits provided by SD cards, only smaller. They typically measure 21.5 by 20 by 1.4 millimeters and often come in sizes between 16 and 256MB.

MicroSD  Card

Designed roughly with 1/4 the size of an SD card, MicroSD memory cards are suitable for other small electronic devices such as digital cameras and other mobile phones. Known as the smallest memory card available, they measure 13 by 15 by 0.7 millimeters.

MultiMedia Card (MMC)

Introduced to the public in 1997 by Siemens and SanDisk, the multimedia cards are often used as a substitute for SD cards as they are compatible with SD card slots/readers. They measure 32 by 24 by 1.4 millimeters and have a transfer speed of around 2.5 MB per second.

Extreme Digital (XD) Picture Card

Developed by Olympus and Fujifilm, xD Picture Cards are removable flash memory cards primarily used in digital cameras. They are small and ultra compact, measuring 20 by 25 by 2.7 millimeters

While the different types of memory cards vary in sizes, card adapters are available to make one type of card compatible with a reader of another type. For example, with the use of a card adapter, MicroSD cards can be used or inserted in SD and MiniSD card slots.

Memory cards, especially those that provide sufficient storage space, are great investments as they serve as instant additional storage to your electronic device that is very handy and readily available. Buy one now at Apple stores and you’ll be glad to do so. With the many different types of memory cards available, you can be sure that they will have what you need!