Digital Display Technology - Consumer Electronics Association

CompactFlash, both of which claim their own adherents.SmartMedia cards are one millimeter thick and hold about256 MB of data at about $1 per megabyte. CompactFlashcards are a little thicker—3.3 or 5.5 millimeters—andToshiba in September 2002 released the first one gigabytecapacity CompactFlash card. Both formats can be used tostore data for digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 playersand PDAs.CompactFlash and SmartMedia both are considered dominantplayers in the flash memory arena, but more than 100companies also have joined the four-year-old MultiMediaCard Association, which promotes the widespread adoptionof its MMC flash memory device.Working in a similar mannerto the Sony Memory Stick, MMCs can handle up to 256MB of data, costing around $1.50 to $2 per megabyte.MMC serves the same types of products as do the otherformats mentioned above.Secure Digital (SD), developed by Toshiba, Matushita andSanDisk in 1999, also works for these formats and holdsup to 256 MB of data, again for about $1.50 to $2 permegabyte. Unlike some other systems, it features copy protectionunder the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI).IBM’s Microdrive, which is a small hard disk drive, holds upto one GB of data, but only for 38 to 68 cents permegabyte.Although Microdrive is not specifically a flashmemory product, IBM said that devices containing theCompactFlash Type II slot should be able to read the format.Finally, DataPlay has developed a series of small audio playbackdevices, as well as mini-cartridges for holding up to500 MB of data for as little as a penny a megabyte.WHO’S WORKING WITH WHOM?From this field of sometimes competing, sometimes cooperatingdata storage forms, it’s anyone’s guess as to whichone will become the de facto standard—or whether interoperabilitywill eliminate the need for that question.As fornow, however, some key alliances are emerging.CompactFlash: CF technology was introduced by SanDiskin 1994, and now is supported by a number of operatingsystems.Along with Sony Memory Stick and SmartMedia, itfeatures widely as an item for sale at many of the largestconsumer electronics retailers. Some of the companies thatuse CompactFlash include Canon, Casio, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon, Panasonic and Polaroid.DataPlay: This company has made several of its flash memorydevices available, but at significantly cheaper prices thansome of its competitors.Whereas some high-powered cardsrun up to $800, plus the extra $30 or $40 you might haveto pay for a card reader, some retailers’ websites are offeringDataPlay flash cards between $5 and $10 for up to 500MB. DataPlay also has fashioned compatibility agreementswith companies such as BMG, EMI Music Distribution, LGElectronics, Pretec, Samsung, SmartDisk and Toshiba.Memory Stick: Works with Sony products, but severalcompanies have designed “readers” that can downloadinformation from CompactFlash cards and Memory Sticksinto your computer.MicroDrive: IBM’s system works with many productsfrom a host of other companies, including Apple, Canon,Casio, Eastman Kodak, Fuji, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi,Minolta, Nikon and others.MMC: This postage-stamp-sized flash memory card featureswidespread industry support, including Aiwa,Audiovox, Canon, JVC, LG Electronics, Nokia, Panasonic,Sanyo, Sharp and Thompson.SD: New SD products work with MMC products, creatingsome comfortable interoperability conditions.SmartMedia: Originating with Toshiba and Samsung, companiesworking in the SmartMedia Forum include Acer,REMOVABLE STORAGE MEDIA TYPESPLATFORM CONSOLE BOX U.S. LAUNCH DATE FEESCompactFlash Just under $1/MB Digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, PDAs 384MBSmartMedia Just under $1/MB Digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, PDAs 128MBMemory Stick $1.25 to $2/MB Sony digital cameras and camcorders, Sony MP3players, Sony PDAs128MBSD $1.50 to $2/MB Digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, PDAs 128MBMMC $1.50 to $2/MB Digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, PDAs 64MBMicrodrive 38 to 68 cents/MB Digital cameras, MP3 players 1GBDataPlay Unknown Due Spring 2002 500MBSource: Digital Tech Consulting, 2001.5 Technologies to Watch OCTOBER 2002 21