Memory Card Information

Memory cards or flash memory cards are solid-state electronic flash memory data storage devices used with digital cameras, handheld and Mobile computers, telephones, music players, video game consoles, and other electronics. They offer high re-record-ability, power-free storage, small form factor, and rugged environmental specifications. There are also non-solid-state memory cards that do not use flash memory, and there are different types of flash memory.

From the late 1990s into the early 2000s a host of new memory card formats appeared, including Secure Digital (SD) / MMC, Sony Memory Stick Duo, xD-Picture Card, and a number of variants and smaller cards. The desire for ultra-small cards for cell-phones, PDAs, and compact digital cameras drove a trend toward smaller cards that left the previous generation of "compact" cards looking big.

In digital cameras SmartMedia and Compact Flash (CF) had been very successful, in 2001 SM alone captured 50% of the digital camera market and CF memory cards had a strangle hold on professional digital cameras. By 2005 however, Secure Digital (SD) / MMC had nearly taken over SmartMedia's spot, though not to the same level and with stiff competition coming from Sony Memory Stick Duo variants, xD, as well as Compact Flash (CF).

Nowadays, most new PCs have built-in memory card slots for a variety of memory cards; Memory Stick, Compact Flash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), etc. Some digital gadgets support more than one memory card to ensure compatibility.

If you have a digital camera that takes memory cards and want an easy and impressive way to display your photos then check out our range of Digital Photo Frames.