The MultiMedia Card Association just approved what could become the super flash card of the future – the miCard. The new design from a Taiwanese research institute has produced a new global memory card standard, called the miCard, with a storage capacity that max’s out at 2TB (terabytes)
The miCard is expected to ship as early as the 3rd quarter of this year. What is inviting about this standard is not only the storage capacity but the backward compatibility of the card size. With the inclusion of USB connectivity the miCard could literally wipe-out the plethora of other flash memory cards – thus making this site much less interesting! Oh – lets hope not!
The first miCards will be able to store 8GB of data, but the maximum capacity is expected to top out around 2,048GB. The compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won’t need separate card readers anymore. MMC cards fit most consumer electronics, while USB connections are built into a wide range of IT hardware, including laptops, desktops, printers and home entertainment gear.
So far, 12 Taiwanese companies have signed on to manufacture the miCard, according to its inventor, the Industrial Technology Research Institute. Officials expect local companies to save $40 million in licensing fees thanks to the card, in addition to profiting from sales. Taiwanese companies will not have to pay royalties to make miCards or related technology.
Mark McCrosky
Kicking around in technology since 2002. I like to write about technology products and ideas, but at the consumer level understanding. Some tech, but not too techie.
Posting on Quora.com as well.
