A memory
card or flash
memory card is a
solid-state electronic flash
memory data storage device
capable of storing digital
contents. These are mainly
used with digital cameras,
handheld
span> and Mobile computers,
mobile phones, 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.
There are many different
types of memory cards and jobs
they are used for. Some common
places include in digital
cameras, game consoles, cell
phones, and industrial
applications. PC
card (PCMCIA) were
among first commercial memory
card formats (type I cards) to
come out in the 1990s, but are
now only mainly used in
industrial applications and
for I/O jobs (using types
I/II/III), as a connection
standard for devices (such as
a modem). Also in 1990s, a
number of memory card formats
smaller than PC Card came out,
including CompactFlash,
SmartMedia, and Miniature
Card. In other areas, tiny
embedded memory cards (SID)
were used in cell phones, game
consoles started using
proprietary memory card
formats, and devices like PDAs
and digital music players
started using removable memory
cards.