Flash Memory is quickly become the defacto standard for storing digital data. We will see a day when optical media and disc drives are long gone with only solid state flash memory serving up our digital dreams. Come splash in flash memory.
The Compact Flash Organization [site] released their new 5.0 specification earlier today. It just blew the cap off the lid of storage limits. The current specification for Compact Flash is 137GBs…now that is 144 Petabytes, or PBs.
Petabyte is a big number, and most people haven’t heard of it. Well, to break it down, a petabyte is [around] 150 million Gigabytes.
Look around your house for some Blu-ray discs, that would equal six million blu-ray titles on one Compact Flash card. I guess that means no more RAID boxes, right? I mean, what’s better than solid state memory and storage the size of Texas?
We started doing the math on the time it would take a CF Duplicator to copy a 5.0 Compact Flash card, laughed and stopped. There just isn’t technology out there for bulk data loading to a device like this…let alone finding a ligitimate use of putting that much information on the card anyway.
So we don’t see a practical use for the 5.0 spec yet, but there are other improvements we should get excited about. The CFA says Revision 5.0 brings an optional quality of service framework that guarantees a certain level of performance and prevents dropping frames, more efficient cleanup of unused space, a new electrical design that better complies with ATA standards.
There’s no mention of when CompactFlash 5.0 cards will ship, but if you are still interested you can read up on the new spec here [PDF], or download the official specification for a C note. (more…)
SD cards come in all sorts of GB sizes and speeds. Today I thought it a good idea to take a look inside an SD card along with breaking out the speed differences.
To start, the SD media is broken down into “Classes” The Class depicts the speeds at which a device reads and writes.
There are different speed grades available, measured the same as CD-ROMs, in multiples of 150 kB/s (1x = 150 kB/s). Basic cards transfer data up to six times (6x) the data rate of the standard CD-ROM speed (900 kB/s vs. 150 kB/s).
The maximum read speed and maximum write speed may be different. Maximum write speed typically is lower than maximum read speed. Some digital cameras require high-speed cards (write speed) to record video smoothly or capture multiple still photographs in rapid succession. This requires a certain sustained speed, or the video stops recording. For recording, a high maximum speed with a low sustained speed is no better than a low speed card. The 2.0 specification defines speeds up to 200x.
Some manufacturers use the read speed in their X-ratings, while others (Kingston, for example) use write speed.
SD Cards and SDHC Cards have Speed Class Ratings defined by the SD Association. The SD Speed Class Ratings specify the following minimum write speeds based on “the best fragmented state where no memory unit is occupied”:[9]
Class 2: 2 MByte/s - 13x
Class 4: 4 MByte/s - 26x
Class 6: 6 MByte/s - 40x
SD and SDHC cards will often also advertise a maximum speed (such as (more…)
Nexcopy released a new line of flash memory duplication systems, the CF Duplicator 150PC, 300PC and 450PC. These PC based systems are ideal for doing bulk data loading to Compact Flash cards.
Nexcopy has some unique features to make any data loading job a breeze. For example, you can put unique files to each CF card through their Unique Data Copy function. Or a user can easily copy bootable Compact Flash cards by using the bit for bit Short Image copy function. The Short Image copy function means only the data clusters used on the CF card will be copied to the target devices…rather than the entire thing.
However, Nexcopy also provides a Full Image copy function if that is required. I’m thinking this would be good for Ext2 or Ext3 Linux formats where there are potential files that could be in any sector of the CF media.
Nexcopy CF Duplicator line starts out with the CF150PC at $1,200 with an upgrade path to the 30 port and 45 port systems. So the CF Duplicator is modular in design.
Nexcopy also mentions a user can mix and match duplicator boxes, so you could now copy to SD media, CF media and USB sticks all through one software interface, and at the same time! Not bad.
You can learn more by visiting the product page: CF Duplicator by Nexcopy. http://www.nexcopy.com/cf-duplicator/
With microSD cards getting so large, we have seen some create uses. This years CES 2010 is no exception. Take for example, the new data backup service from Clickfree. Clickfree now offers the ability for you to backup PC files directly to your Blackberry smartphone.
The new Clickfree Traveler Micro-SD card for BlackBerry comes with pre-installed Clickfree software. This enables you to easily backup important files to your BlackBerry. The Traveler is tailor made for the business users who are constantly on the go and searching for a better way to backup their data.
Once Clickfree is installed your BlackBerry will automatically backup your files every time you connect to the computer via USB cable. It also keeps files secure with password protection which is encrypted. The Clickfree Traveler works with Windows 7, Vista, XP and Mac OS X 10.5+. It will release in February for a price of $89.99 (16GB) and $149.99 (32GB).
Super Talent is pushing out a new line of Compact Flash cards, then CFast series. The CFast has a maximum bandwidth of 375MBs which is nearly four times faster than a traditional high end CF card at 90MBs.
The new CFast storage card breaks the speed bottleneck between the SSD and the device by using a SATA interface. Super Talent has clocked these CFast cards at up to 200MB/sec read speeds. With a Super Talent CFast storage card installed, there will be no waiting time for the camera to catch up, and it will be much swifter to view pictures on a camera or to copy them to computer.
Measuring 36.4 x 42.8 x 3.3mm for Type I CFast storage cards and 36.4 x 42.8 x 5.0mm for Type II, the same physical dimensions as the CompactFlash card, the CFast Storage Card has a single-chip controller and flash memory module. The SATA interface consists of a 7-pin signal connector and a 17-pin power and control connector. The card operates at 3.3V.
Super Talent is offering five different CFast storage cards, 8GB and 16GB based on SLC (Single Level Cell) flash and 8GB, 16GB and 32GB based on MLC (Multi Level Cell) flash. The first generation of CFast storage cards supports transfer speeds up to 200MB/s.
Yes, you read the title correct. We now have a dual processor on Compact Flash cards. The new SanDisk Extreme Pro clicks along at an impressive 90MB/s transfer rate.
Just what the doctor ordered for the professional photographer and photo analysis equipment applications.
So what does this mean for transfer rates? Well consider a typical [high performance] CF card runs at 45MB/s write speed. The new dual processor CF card runs [basically] twice as fast.
Of course the device itself is only half the equation, you still need a host who can accept such fast speeds, such as the Canon EOS 7D or Nikon D300s dSLRs to name a few.
For those who have the camera already, you might need the SanDisk Extreme Pro ExpressCard Adapter which plugs into the ExpressCard slot on laptops. Compared with typical card readers which offer up to 20MB/s transfer rates, the SanDisk adapter allows up to 90MB/s read and write speeds.
The Extreme Compact Flash series is targeted at enthusiasts and available in 8GB (S$139 (US$99.43)), 16GB (S$269 (US$192.43)) and 32GB (S$399 (US$285.43)) capacities.
For professional photographers who need fast, high-capacity media, the Extreme Pro comes in 16GB (S$413 (US$295.44)), 32GB (S$741 (US$530.08)) and 64GB (S$1,382 (US$988.63)) versions. The new cards are in retail stores now.
Elecom has a slick new card reader. It’s compact in size and versatile in memory card support.
Traditionally card readers are like flash drives, rectangular in shape with a little dress-up on the outside case. Elcom’s is a creative twist.
The circular card reader includes a magnet on the base so you can attach it to your 1970’s metal desk, or use it to pin up your kids latest drawing on the refrigerator door.
The circular card reader is available in black, white, pink and lime green. List price is $27 and ships directly from Japan.
I have seen spy cameras hidden in alarm clocks, plants, fake digital cameras, stuffed animals and toys. Today we see the most common everyday item, the car key, as a spy camera.
Place this inconspicuous spy gadget just about any where and no one will know the wiser. They’ll just assume it’s someone car keys laying around. Little do they know, it’s a spy camera.
Great for spying on the boss. Spying on the nanny. Spying on your girlfriend [because they are the ones that always cheat] and spying on your kids.
Just perfect.
The fake car key spy camera does video, photo and sound recording. Image quality is 1600 x 1600 which is good enough for any court of law and 29 frames per second…again good enough for the court of law, although I’m no lawyer.
Don’t forget the microSD slot which is the reason this fake car key spy camera made it onto this website in the first place.
So here is an interesting twist to how a company can introduce a product. Nexcopy used the common theme of a Movie Trailer to position their new 40 and 60 port USB Duplicators. The quality of the video is excellent and the short 1 minute video gives you just enough information to peak your interest, yet not bore you to death.
For those who know, the Samsung branded NAND flash memory is considered the Tier 1 quality that everyone talks about. It’s the best stuff out there…highest quality, best in performance, yet always a touch above others [Micron, Hynix, etc] in price.
Well that might change because Samsung is entering the retail market with their solid state flash of Secure Digital, Compact Flash and microSD media.
Samsung will release sizes from 4GB to 16GB capacity before the end of 2009. These cards will be in the ‘Plus’ memory card class and compliant with the Secure Digital class 6 performance standards. Cards boust a speed range of 17Mbps to 45Mbps.
With
Yes, you read the title correct. We now have a dual processor on 
Elecom has a slick new card reader. It’s compact in size and versatile in memory card support.
