Palm Releases SDIO HDK & New Cards

Posted By: Ryan Thursday, January 9, 2003 9:09:35 AM

CES 2003: Palm Solutions Group today said it has expanded the PluggedIn Program to include a comprehensive SDIO component. Program members now have access to the first SDIO hardware development kit (HDK) available on the market, enabling a significantly faster development process. In addition 3 new SDIO cards have been announced: A FM Radio module, Universal IR and a Interactive TV SD card.

Three companies are demonstrating new products at CES, including:

  • iBiz -- FM Radio SDIO card turns the Palm handheld into a FM radio tuner;
  • Novii -- SD Blaster SDIO card and software changes the Palm handheld into an enhanced universal remote; and
  • VEIL Interactive -- iTV enabled SDIO card gives Palm users the ability to interact with encoded television content.

PIC is onhand at CES and will bring you more information and pictures on the new SD cards and everything else in a later report.

By combining a robust, postage-stamp-sized Secure Digital (SD) memory card with input/output functionality, developers today offer digital cameras, wireless communications and digital projection. With Palm's expanded developer's program, more solutions at competitive prices are likely to speed to market, building the momentum of SDIO.

"The SD expansion format has proven itself ideal for a lot more than memory," said Ken Wirt, Palm's senior vice president of marketing and product management. "Its Input/Output capabilities inside a sturdy yet sleek format means cameras, communications, digital projectors and more are possible and commercially viable. Our new SDIO developer program has a lot of potential to make customers very happy by making their handhelds do so much more than they ever thought possible."

Palm made the world's first SDIO card -- the Palm(TM) Bluetooth Card -- adding to the momentum from more than 500 leading electronics companies that have adopted and embraced SD products. In fact, Palm was the first handheld-computer maker to adopt SD as its expansion format, and since it announced support for SD, interest and commercial availability of the cards has grown tremendously.

SDIO Hardware Development Kit
The new SDIO HDK is based on an upcoming ASIC chip from Hagiwara Sys-Com that allows developers to create SDIO solutions faster with fewer components, lower power consumption, fewer space requirements and most importantly decreased cost. The new chip provided to Palm PluggedIn Program developers is instrumental in enabling development as it eliminates the need for developers to create their own custom SDIO chip. The HDK starter kit includes a board, sample application and necessary documentation. Orders are being accepted for the HDK via the Palm Expansion Parts Store on the PluggedIn Program website. New SDIO Cards Demonstrated At CES.

Several other companies have paved the way with the first SDIO products, including Palm with the Palm Bluetooth Card, Margi with the Presenter-To-Go digital projection solution and Veo with the Photo Traveler digital camera.

About PluggedIn Program
Information about Palm's PluggedIn Program is available here.

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Memeory Schtick

indesman @ 1/9/2003 12:53:17 PM #
When is Sony going to give up on their dead little duck. With so much happening in the SD arena and so little happening with the MS, I'll never buy a MS only device. I really like what Sony produces with the exception of their propriatary expansion. I suppose some will argue that the new NX70 has CF but I don't consider the top of the line model to be much of a choice.

Maybe I'll pick up the Garmin in six or nine months when they hit their first price drop.

RE: Memeory Schtick
xtremist5150 @ 1/9/2003 2:51:30 PM #
Same here, their proprietary MS technology is the ONLY thing keeping me from going Sony, otherwise I'd be a proud CLie owner by now....because of the MS technology in their flat screen TV's, etc., I can see why they keep it but they need to be realistic as well and listen to their users and PUT AN SD SLOT INTO THEIR DEVICES.

OS 4? OS 5?

macfixer @ 1/9/2003 2:20:31 PM #
Any idea on the requirements for each product?

K

RE: OS 4? OS 5?
Admin @ 1/9/2003 4:45:05 PM #
Actually Novii is the only company mentioned that is at CES. Thier software and SD card will run on OS 4+.

iTV - Veil Interactive

Token User @ 1/9/2003 5:54:47 PM #
My thoughts were "great! A TV tuner inan SD slot. How cool is that. Much better than the FM radio SD card."

And then I looked into it more - this is little more than an electronic version of those free barcode scanners companies were giving away (BarCat?). Woo hoo ... you can get extra information on a product from HSN, play along with Jeopardy, get an offer from an ad on TV. I hope it gets more compelling than that. I REALLY hope that, like the BarCat, and the Timex watch that MS used to sync via a flashing windows screen, someone hacks the protocol for these cards, and develops a means to sync information by holding the PDA up to a computer screen. Still not real useful, but getting better.

I wish Veil luck with theri other products, 'cos I think this one is dead in the water.

~ "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed." - DV ~

RE: iTV - Veil Interactive
M3wThr33 @ 1/10/2003 4:41:29 AM #
:CueCat

I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. We're in space.

SD cards like Springboards now?

yoyoman412 @ 1/9/2003 7:21:34 PM #
It seems to me that now SD cards can act like Springboard modules did with the Visors? If so I imagine there could be a SD cell phone card for palms, SD Mp3 player, SD Voice recorder. If so thatd be amazing expnadability. Or am I thinking way too far off?



RE: SD cards like Springboards now?
MikeInDM @ 1/10/2003 10:29:53 AM #
But just like the Springboard..... if you need the memory to store all your applications/data then being able to put something else in that slot doesn't really matter.

Now, if there were two SD slots, then we are talking a different game. One for expanded memory to remain in place all of the time, and one for the extras.

Mike

RE: SD cards like Springboards now?
tcarnes @ 1/10/2003 11:31:14 AM #
Barring the two slot Palms, is there a way for the new SDIO cards to include an SDIO slot? That way they can allow users to plug their memory cards into the SDIO card and have the best of both worlds.

SDIO Development

pdangel @ 1/9/2003 9:06:52 PM #
I hope Palm will come up with something like SyChips WLAN SDIO card!?

SyChip's WLAN6060 SDIO Card Features and Benefits:

• Very small footprint:Card Measurements: 24mm X 50mm
• Complete IEEE 802.11b functionality: Integrated BB/MAC, RF, VCO,PA and SD interface
• Reduced power consumption in standby mode
• User Definable transmit power settings in Ad Hoc Mode
• Will support Win2K, WinCE (v2.11 and higher), Palm OS (OS 4 and higher)

http://www.sychip.com/wlan-module.html

CES: The SD Association (SDA) is showcasing multiple products from companies such as Kodak, Panasonic, Palm and Canon, to name a few. This year the proliferation of SDIO and SDIO devices will be a big draw at the SD Pavilion. Core applications and products using I/O cards in 2003 include Bluetooth, WLAN, GPS, PDA's digital cameras and more.
http://hoovnews.hoovers.com/fp.asp?layout=printnews&doc_id=NR200301091680.2_dcca000e113538e0

Socket Communications Adopts SyChip Secure Digital I/O WLAN Card Design; Socket to Add WLAN Card with Smallest Industry Standard Form Factor to Mobile Connection Products Portfolio
http://hoovnews.hoovers.com/fp.asp?layout=printnews&doc_id=NR20030109290.2_a830001dfdff2c87

BSQUARE SDIO Now! Licensees Demonstrate Products at CES; HP, Panasonic, Socket, SPECTEC, SyChip, Veo and Others Demonstrating SDIO Solutions
http://hoovnews.hoovers.com/fp.asp?layout=printnews&doc_id=NR20030109290.2_2da3001d6f8e470d



"There are 2 kind of people my friend....those with wires and those without"

RE: SDIO Development
pdangel @ 1/9/2003 9:12:37 PM #
Forgot to add that Palm OS 5 supports both Bluetooth and 802.11 and all new Palm Devices will have SDIO support as well (as far as i know). So with expanding the PluggedIn Program to include a comprehensive SDIO component Palm is ready to add more wireless connectivity to there platform threw Bluetooth or WiFi imho.

p.s I do know that Palm is already offering the Palm Bluetooth SD Card for there devices, but this card is manufactured by Toshiba.

"There are 2 kind of people my friend....those with wires and those without"

RE: SDIO Development
pdangel @ 1/9/2003 9:59:44 PM #
SanDisk Introduces World's First Cards Combining Flash Memory and Wireless Communications

Jan. 9, 2003-- SanDisk Connect product line includes four products -- dual-function 128 megabyte (MB) CompactFlash®(CF) and 256MB SD cards that combine Wi-Fi and flash memory as well as single-function CF and SD cards with Wi-Fi connectivity. SanDisk plans to add 256MB cards to the CF Connect product line by the middle of 2003.

"SanDisk's introduction of a dual-function SDIO card combining Wi-Fi with flash memory opens new expansion options for customers using SDIO Now! enabled devices," said Kent Hellebust, senior vice president, marketing and product management, BSQUARE Corp. "With Microsoft and leading OEM's adopting SDIO Now! As the industry standard for PocketPC-based IO expansion, SanDisk's SDIO cards are a welcome addition to the growing peripheral expansion market."

SanDisk's SD Wi-Fi cards also will support devices with Palm's OS 4x and higher operating systems.

The Wi-Fi (802.11b) CF and SD Connect cards have a suggested retail price of $99.95. The dual-function CF cards with 128MB of capacity will be priced at $129.95 while the dual-function 256MB SD cards will be priced at $149.95. The CF Wi-Fi card is available now, the CF dual-function card and the SD Wi-Fi card will be available in March and the SD dual-function card is expected to ship at mid-year. The CF pricing includes a PC card adapter for notebook and laptop owners. SanDisk Connect cards will be sold in many of the 50,000 retail stores worldwide where SanDisk branded products are sold.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030109/90405_1.html



"There are 2 kind of people my friend....those with wires and those without"

RE: SDIO Development
graph @ 1/9/2003 10:28:47 PM #
will wifi be more power hungry than bluetooth? what is the range on wifis? bt are 30ft am i right?

RE: SDIO Development
cbowers @ 1/10/2003 1:02:34 PM #
check the archives, those questions have been hammered to death here.

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