miCARD

Thursday, May 31st 2007 - 16:59 CEST - Comments: 0

M ultiMediaCard Association announced a specification for the brand new miCARD, a 12mm x 21mm x 1.95mm storage card designed for easy data interchange between MMC and USB devices. When used in portable devices such as cameras, smart phones and PDAs, miCARD takes advantage of the low power consumption and high performance characteristics of the MMC interface. The sleek and versatile miCARD then allows consumers to transfer that media-rich content to PCs, printers and home entertainment appliances by inserting the card directly into those devices’ existing USB connectors - without the need for dedicated card slots or separate card readers.

MMC System specification v4.2

Preserving the performance and ease of use consumers currently experience with USB 2.0 compliant devices, miCARD will transfer data at speeds up to 480 Mbits/sec, with full electrical, mechanical and software compatibility. It is the first memory card to combine the strengths of the MMC System Specification v4.2 and USB 2.0, the most successful interface in the world. "MMCA developed the miCARD specification to provide manufacturers a solution that is adaptable and convenient for consumers," said Yves Leonard, MMCA chairman. "Adding USB 2.0 capability to a memory card provides an interface that is compatible with existing products and widely recognized by general consumers."

miCARD

Initially, passive mechanical adaptors will be available to convert the miCARD for use in many of today's CE products that accept full-size MMC cards. In the future, portable devices will be able to take advantage of miCARD's smaller size by offering slots that accept miCARD directly. No change is needed for miCARD compatibility with existing USB Type-A ports; consumers can simply plug and play.

• SD card + USB flash drive
• Mobile phone memory card
• microSD