Another Day, Another Tiny New Memory Card Format

Most handheld and smartphone users are familiar with MultiMediaCard (MMC) cards, as these postage stamp-sized cards can be used with a wide variety of mobile devices.

In 2002, the MultiMediaCard Association introduced the Reduced Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), which is approximately one-half the size of a standard MMC card. These were designed for mobile phones where space is at a premium.

Now Samsung has decided that even these are too big and has announced the MMCmicro format, which is one-third the size of RS-MMC cards.

These cards can read at 10 MB per second and write at 7 MB per second. Each card can be erased and reused at least 100,000 times.

Samsung will begin mass production of these tiny memory cards in early 2005. Initially, it plans to offer them in 32 MB, 64 MB, and 128 MB sizes.

Up Against the Competition

Even at only 12 mm by 14 mm by 1.1 mm, the MMCmicro format isn't the smallest one around. SanDisk's TransFlash format is even tinier.

Plus, TransFlash has another advantage too: Motorola has announced several smartphones that will use this format, while, at least at this point, no companies have announced plans to put MMCmicro card slots into an upcoming device.

Related Links

• SanDisk Makes Tiny Memory Cards Larger