SanDisk Introduces 1GB SD and Mini SD Format

Posted By: Ryan Friday, March 14, 2003 9:52:28 AM

SanDisk has announced that 512MB and 1 GB SD cards will be available this year at a press conference at CeBit. SanDisk has also debuted 2 and 4 Gigabyte CompactFlash cards and a new MiniSD format. MiniSD was recently adopted by the SD card association as an ultra-small form factor SD card.

1 GB SD CardThe 512MB and 1GB SanDisk SD cards use one gigabit NAND flash memory chips, based on patented multi-level cell (MLC) technology pioneered by SanDisk. MLC allows two bits of data to be stored in one memory cell, doubling memory capacity.

SanDisk is currently shipping 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256MB SD cards. The 512MB and 1GB SanDisk SD cards have suggested retail prices of $169.99 and $329.99 respectively. The 512MB SD card is expected to be available in the second quarter while the 1GB SD card is expected to be available in the third quarter.

2 and 4 GB CompactFlash
For HandEra and other CF device users, SanDisk has also announced 2 & 4 Gigabyte CompactFlash Cards. The cards work with any device with a CF Type 1 slot. The 4GB CompactFlash card has a suggested retail price of $999.99 and is expected to start shipping this summer. The 2GB CF card has a suggested retail price of $499.99 and is also expected to start shipping this summer.

MiniSD Format
In addition, SanDisk has introduced the SanDisk miniSD card, a new thumbnail-sized flash memory card that is designed to meet the needs of the mobile phone market for greater storage capacity in the smallest possible physical form factor. The miniSD card was recently adopted by the SD Association as an ultra-small form factor extension to the SD card standard. While initially targeted for mobile phone devices, the format may eventually make it's way into handhelds.

miniSD formatThe miniSD card offers significant savings in card area and volume, two critical design parameters for the new generation of increasingly miniaturized mobile phones. Compared to standard SD cards, the miniSD card saves more than 40% of the printed circuit board area and more than 60% of the volume required to support the card in a portable device. SanDisk will offer a wide range of memory capacities in the new format, with 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256 megabytes (MB) expected to ship in March 2003.

A key benefit of the miniSD card is that it is both electrically and software compatible with the existing SD standard. It uses the same SD interface, including security features for content protection (CPRM -- Content Protection Rights Management) as the standard SD card. To allow interoperability with standard SD devices, SanDisk will also offer an adapter that converts the miniSD card into the SD card form factor. The adapter allows the miniSD card to fit into existing SD card slots, and thereby provide compatibility with the rapidly growing number of SD compatible devices in the market.

The miniSD card is 21.5 millimeters (mm) long, 20 mm wide and 1.4 mm thick, and occupies a footprint of 430 square mm and volume of 602 cubic mm. The new format was developed by the three original developers of the SD card, Toshiba, Matsushita and SanDisk, and recently adopted by the SD Association, an organization consisting of more than 500 member companies.

In order to reach the broadest set of devices for the miniSD, the SanDisk-branded miniSD cards will be packaged with a full-sized SD adapter. Suggested retail pricing for the miniSD plus SD adapter will be US $29 for the 32MB card, which is approximately the same price of an SD card of the same capacity. Prices on higher capacities have not been set.

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Great, but...

Ben S @ 3/14/2003 10:57:32 AM #
...will the 512MB and 1GB SanDisk SD cards have the same "problem" with PalmOS units as some 128MB and 256MB SD cards? Hope not.


RE: Great, but...
Cap @ 3/14/2003 11:07:13 AM #
What problems do they have? I have a 64MB SD card for my Tungsten and have seen no problem.



My 512 MB card works like a champ...
WebMarc @ 3/14/2003 11:30:09 AM #
I've been using my 512MB SD card (Lexar is the mfgr) in the T|T for about a month with narry an issue. It's almost full between the 5 CDs worth of mp3's, a bunch of docs2go stuff, and mapopilis maps up the yin-yang.

Must... have... gigabyte... card...

RE: Great, but...
Altema @ 3/14/2003 11:30:52 AM #
Just a design handicap which limits their speed... the earlier SanDisk cards appear to have a 12bit controller, which makes them slower than other brands. There was talk of them eliminating the 'problem' in newer cards, but there would be no reliability issues even if they did not upgrade the card controller built into the card.

RE: Great, but...
JonathanChoo @ 3/14/2003 11:36:07 PM #
I think there is a problem with 256Mb Sandisk card since on my (and some people's PPC) Ipaq its too damn slow. Replaced it with a Lexar 256 and it was much much faster even on my T/T.

Current PDAs: Palm Tungsten T, HP Ipaq h5455

Past PDAs: Palm V, Palm m505, Palm m515, Sony Clie N770C/U, Sony Clie T625C, Sony Clie NR70V, Toshiba e310, Sony Clie NX60

1 gig MS

markgm @ 3/14/2003 11:04:57 AM #
Sony should work on a way of fitting 2 SD cards into 1 MS...then they could have a 2 gig card at the price of their 1 gig card ;-).

I'm impressed how small they can make these cards, and seeing a 1 gig available renews my faith in the SD medium.

RE: 1 gig MS
RAMdŽd @ 3/14/2003 12:17:24 PM #
then they could have a 2 gig card at the price of their 1 gig card


Not the Sony *I* know. They're pretty proud of the Memory Sticks.

Eventually the price would come down somewhat, but that would take some sweet time.

But- 2G in a handheld! Wow!

______________________________
An armed society is a polite society.

RE: 1 gig MS
M3wThr33 @ 3/15/2003 2:43:35 AM #
Oh yes, the price will fall, once production is stopped and MS PREMIUM replaces MS PRO.

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

MiniSD

Fammy @ 3/14/2003 11:12:25 AM #
I'd hate to have to use a Mini to Normal SD adapter with any regularity. That thing will have to be small and thin! (Then again, SD cards are small and thing, but smaller and thiner).

_____
Fammy
RE: MiniSD
mikemusick @ 3/14/2003 11:15:14 AM #
Imagine trying to change a MiniSD in the car and dropping it somewhere unretrievable. :(

RE: MiniSD
Fammy @ 3/14/2003 11:28:50 AM #
I do that already with CD's. I've got this nice, too-thin slot between the seat and the center of the car. They slide right on down.

Speaking of SD radios, has there ever been a product other than the Panasonic SD Radio? It was $1200+, a little much for me.

_____
Fammy

RE: MiniSD
JKingGrim @ 3/14/2003 3:02:44 PM #
&1200 for a radio! Why not just buy a new handheld and a PC! Thats for tech junkies.

RE: MiniSD
Fammy @ 3/14/2003 3:41:04 PM #
Excuse me, $1399!

http://makeashorterlink.com/?B28812FC3

_____
Fammy

RE: MiniSD
JKingGrim @ 3/16/2003 4:16:15 PM #
Oooooooooooooooh! I thought it was a radio on a SD card.

BIG sd chips

Origen @ 3/14/2003 10:59:25 AM #
Dang! I'd be able to put whole movies on them and watch them on my Tungsten T. Not that I really want to watch a movie on a screen that small, but hey, at least I could do it.

Seriously, other than maps for GPS, why would someone need 1 GB on an SD chip, since most palm apps are 50k?


RE: BIG sd chips
twizza @ 3/14/2003 11:35:34 AM #
The applications may be small, but at times teh associated databases can take up a lot more space. For example; I study the Bible. I have 5 bibles, the complete Strong's Lexicon/Concordance, a few commentaries, and a full collegic dictionary sitting on my card. I have a 128mb card with 50+MB full. There are also those that have a T/T and play mp3s. A 128 would not be a good size. They would need more space, and those are usually the people that save programs to memory cards anyways so they really would need the extra capicity. It also helps to have a backup of your system; so a large card really can help.

RE: BIG sd chips
Altema @ 3/14/2003 11:42:47 AM #
Yeah, that's one thing I had in mind when I ordered my 256Mb card a few days ago... at least when I get a new device! A whole movie would not be unless I was stranded somewhere, but it would be good for catching portions of a movie during whatever. I'll need to wait for a new device because the video playback is great on my M515, but the audio sucks. The audio playback on my Jornada is great, but the video sucks. Maybe if I get them syncronized, watch the one, and hold the other up to my ear? Nahhh.

RE: BIG sd chips
Altema @ 3/14/2003 11:56:33 AM #
"associated databases can take up a lot more space."

I'm with you on that. I only have 4 versions and the greek/hebrew lexicons, but those, combined with gps maps and over 40 books, take up 90Mb of my current 128Mb card.

RE: BIG sd chips
beboscott @ 3/14/2003 3:02:32 PM #
Altema and Twizza,

Where did you find the Strong's and H/G Lexicons? And do they integrate with the Bible software you have? One of the main reasons I still lug a laptop around is for the use of quickverse, and especially the reference books it has. It would be great to have all that functionality on my handheld - might even get me to upgrade my handheld! Thanks.

IIIxe & 3:16

RE: BIG sd chips
Navamske @ 3/14/2003 8:40:02 PM #
||Seriously, other than maps for GPS, why would someone need 1 GB on an SD chip, since most palm apps are 50k?||

With a Palm Tungsten T, Pocket Tunes (www.pocket-tunes.com), and a 1GB SD card, you're well on your way to having an iPod in your handheld, at least in terms of capacity.

RE: BIG sd chips
a @ 3/15/2003 3:19:27 AM #
amen twizza :-)

-------------------
I love my Treo 90
-------------------
RE: BIG sd chips
a @ 3/15/2003 3:21:07 AM #
BTW...on the lexicons, try olivetree, sorry, i dont have the link

-------------------
I love my Treo 90
-------------------
RE: Strongs and Lexicons
miked @ 3/15/2003 11:18:44 AM #
Check out www.olivetree.com. I use the NASB for reading, and quickly change (maintaining verse positioning) to KJV to reference Strongs. Although they have a NASB Strongs version, I do not recommend it - the Strongs contains far less information (also the page turns can be incredibly slow, although as I type this it is behaving and the page-down is normal speed ).

mike d

Where's the WiFi memory cards?

MV-Jon @ 3/14/2003 11:44:31 AM #
Remember a few months ago, I think it was CES or Comdex, SanDisk introduced memory cards with 802.11b?

Where are they? I would also be curious to see if they come out with high-capacity memory cards with 802.11b.

The Tungsten would be a real treat with a 1GB SD card and WiFi in the one slot.

--Jon

RE: Where's the WiFi memory cards?
mikecane @ 3/14/2003 5:47:05 PM #
Due this summer. Probably in time for PC Expo. My God, what a demo THAT will be! (I see everyone is now scarmbling to reserve hotel rooms...)

Two CF slots please?

Timothy Rapson @ 3/14/2003 1:54:23 PM #
What I want is a handheld with two CF slots. That would be nice.

Cheap, all the peripherals, and cheap!

Don't expect we'll ever see it.

Right now have dual slot Handera model, but nothing else with CF. If you put a peripheral in the CF slot, you have to use the more expensive SD for memory.

Probably never going to happen.

RE: Two CF slots please?
EdH @ 3/14/2003 2:06:02 PM #
>What I want is a handheld with two CF slots. That would be nice.

http://www.pocketpcminds.com/reviews/memplugdualcf.php

RE: Two CF slots please?
Marshall Flinkman @ 3/14/2003 6:01:19 PM #
>What I want is a handheld with two CF slots. That would be nice.

Why 2 CF slots in particular?

RE: Two CF slots please?
Timothy Rapson @ 3/14/2003 6:12:23 PM #
There is nothing particular that I want the two CF slots for, but it seems that with all the dual slot models, some as small as the Palm III, someone could fit two CF slots in there for very little extra room expense.

Then, as stated, you get one slot for peripherals, cheap, plentiful, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO peripherals, WiFi, Cameras, USB?, is there anything that is not available CF that SD does have? Then you have the other for the cheapest largest memory format anywhere. Imagine a 4 megapixel video/still camera with flash in one slot (think we'll ever get THAT with SD?) and a 6 gig Memory card in the other. Or a 6 GIG HD (think we will ever get SD sized hard disks?) in one and a 1 gig flash memory card in the other for faster access and lower power use. You could keep your movies on the HD and move them to the CF to run from there with the HD shut off.

Stuff like that.

Doesn't matter. Almost certainly ain't gonna go.

RE: Two CF slots please?
Timothy Rapson @ 3/14/2003 6:20:29 PM #
EdH, checking the photos of the dual CF sleeve. WOW, for $50! That is amazing. What a product, and what a price. The PCMIA dual slot sleeves cost what.....$200? and they are huge. And it's even smaller than a standard sleeve?! Amazing, simply amazing.

RE: Two CF slots please?
cbowers @ 3/14/2003 7:11:47 PM #
They've also got one with a CF slot and a memory Stick Slot.

Of course this on top of the SD slot in the iPaq itself (if it's a recent model), and you've got a tri-slot device.

RE: Two CF slots please?
cbowers @ 3/14/2003 7:13:35 PM #
Forgot the link:
http://www.pitech.com/hardware/iCFMS/ipCFMS_index.htm

How about a CF and a SD slot?
orb2069 @ 3/14/2003 8:58:29 PM #
...Been out for a couple of years now, with http://www.handera.com/accessories/compat.asp">support for a wide array of CF peripherals - Without size-adding sleds...

http://www.handera.com/products/330.asp">Handera 330



RE: Two CF slots please?
JonathanChoo @ 3/14/2003 11:42:56 PM #
They also do a CF/MS expansion slot for the Ipaq. But dual CF is best. With the largest currently avaible cards I COULD do 2.5Gb on my Ipaq. 5Gb is not too long when Pretec releases those 2Gb cards.

Current PDAs: Palm Tungsten T, HP Ipaq h5455

Past PDAs: Palm V, Palm m505, Palm m515, Sony Clie N770C/U, Sony Clie T625C, Sony Clie NR70V, Toshiba e310, Sony Clie NX60

MS Mistake , SD Mistake

tvoung @ 3/14/2003 2:12:25 PM #
So where are the people who said sony had made mistakes with the memory stick when they released the MS Duo?

Seems SD now doing the same - mini me syndrome.

whoops me to big to get into mobile phone memory market too.

~Tv~

RE: MS Mistake , SD Mistake
cbowers @ 3/14/2003 3:58:13 PM #
There are plenty of mistakes to look at with MemoryStick without looking too carefully at Duo. In Sony's case, a smaller version of a bad thing is still a bad thing ;-)

This is just a follow-on of the RS-MMC card (RS as in Reduced Size) annouced by Hitachi last November.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?E2C932FC3

While it went unannounced here, it was reported on Brighthand.com

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W2B952FC3

RE: MS Mistake , SD Mistake
Timothy Rapson @ 3/14/2003 7:00:57 PM #
This isn't one bit like that. Sony dropped all support for the original Memory Stick so I will never have a 1 gig card for my Clie NR70V that I bought after Sony promised me 1 gig MS cards were coming.

For this to be like Sony's rotten deal, the SD assoc. would have to announce that they are going to all SD mini format and the mini SD formats won't work in any current devices, even with an adapter.

Man, would you see a bunch of MAD people in here if SD/MMC were announcing that.

RE: MS Mistake , SD Mistake
cykalan @ 3/16/2003 8:46:13 AM #
hey man, this is not a correct analogy...

it is ms duo <-> mini sd...

Alan
----
Read your manuals before you ask!!

Why not on board memory

cassidy @ 3/14/2003 3:23:50 PM #
If they can fit 1 gb in such a small card, why not on board in a palm unit? It seems that it should be able to work, or am I missing something?

RE: Why not on board memory
Lo_Pro @ 3/14/2003 4:31:06 PM #
You know, that's a good question and idea!!!

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