Tag: micoSD card

Article

SanDisk unleashes world’s first 128GB microSD card – storage, sandisk, Personal storage peripherals – Computerworld

From the horse’s mouth

SanDisk

Press Release

Product Page

My Comments

SanDisk has raised the bar with flash-memory storage by releasing the ultra-small 128Gb microSD card at the Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. This is seen as providing increased removable secondary-storage for Android or Windows phones and tablets due to its small footprint and is something I would see as important if we carry high-grade music and video files or complicated games on these devices and value the ability to “swap them out” as we see fit.

Tablets and Ultrabooks could also benefit from increased solid-state storage capacity

But I also see this as being suitable for more than the smartphone or tablet. This capacity is very much equivalent to what is available as a baseline all-SSD storage capacity for Ultrabooks and similar low-profile ultraportable notebook computers which typically run a full Windows deployment. Here, I could see this capacity appeal for smaller Wi-Fi portable NAS devices or it could be an encouragement to increase storage capacity in most dedicated-function devices like printers due to its small size and high capacity. This factor will be underscored for anyone who is working towards an extremely-low-profile design for a device rich in functionality such as the idea of a desktop multifunction printer having the same level of document control as a freestanding enterprise-grade multifunction printer.

Could raise the capacity of these low-profile NAS units very significantly

It also shows that the storage density for flash-based storage applications is increasing which could be a benefit for both fixed and removeable solid-state storage applications. For example, an Ultrabook or tablet could be ending up with 512Gb storage capacity furnished by flash memory rather than the mechanical hard disk as a product option. Or the low-profile Wi-Fi portable “media server” NAS that you take with you could carry your media library with you and serve it to your tablet, Ultrabook or car stereo from a 512Gb solid-state storage.

I would expect a lot more for high-capacity ultra-quick solid-state storage to become the norm for “there-and-then” data storage applications.

News articles

SanDisk flips out 32GB mobile phone card • The Register

My comments

Can your device handle 32GB or larger cards?

There may be issues with SDHC-compatible devices not handling cards that are 32Gb or larger. This may result in the device refusing to mount the card (make it accessible to its operating system for storage) or file-system activities may take a long time to complete.

This may be rectified through an operating system or firmware update for your computer or device. In the case of computers, it may be worth checking the online update program for drivers or middleware that can do this job. For devices such as smartphones, check for “field-deployable” firmware updates that can allow the device to properly work with large SD cards.

There may be a limitation with devices that don’t work with a field-update procedure for their firmware and, in some cases, the manufacturer may not revise the firmware at all through the device’s lifespan. These situations may limit your ability to work with the large cards and you may have to wait for newer models to come out to take advantage of them.

Use beyond smartphones

Achieving a small neat nice design for portable equipment without forfeiting capacity

The 32Gb MicroSDHC card may also yield a valid reason for camera manufacturers to implement MicroSD cards in smaller camera designs when they equip these devices with high-resolution still or video capabilities.

This could similarly benefit handheld audio equipment like “digital notetakers” and personal media players where there is a desire to store a high quantity of higher-quality recordings yet achieve a pocketable design.

Similarly, manufacturers could cram more circuitry or room for batteries into other portable devices like portable GPS units without forfeiting storage capacity.

A compact solid-state storage alternative to the 2.5” SSD.

The SD card technology is optimised as a random storage medium in a similar way to the hard disk or the classic floppy disks. In this case, the microSDHC card can be used as a compact solid-state storage medium which is occasionally removed.

For example, a 32Gb microSDHC hidden behind a service panel could be useful as a system drive (boot, operating system, applications, hibernate file and registry) in a laptop or notebook computer with a regular 2.5” hard disk being used for user data. For printers and all-in-one devices, this card would work as a larger temporary storage for applications like keeping the print or fax queue for reliable and convenient printer operation.

Conclusion

The main reason I am blogging on the 32GB MicroSDHC card is because it is an example of the direction that solid-state secondary storage is taking, whether in a removeable or fixed form