Flash and Removable Storage - Upgrading and Repairing PCs - page 631

I normally recommend only devices (cameras, PDAs, and so on) that use Secure Digital
(SD, including SD variants like MiniSD or MicroSD), CompactFlash (CF), or USB flash
memorycards.AnyoftheothersIgenerallydonotrecommendduetoproprietarydesigns
and higher costs as well as limitations in capacity and performance.
Secure Digital has become the most popular format in modern devices. It is reasonably
fast, and is available in capacities approaching those of CF, and in smaller MiniSD and
MicroSD formats, which are physically compatible with the full-sized SD using adapters.
SD sockets also take MMC cards, which are basically thinner versions of SD. Note that
the opposite is not true—MMC sockets do not accept SD cards.
CF is the most widely used format in professional devices. It offers the highest capacity,
at the lowest prices, in a reasonably small size.
Flash Card Readers
You can purchase several types of devices to enable the data on flash memory cards to be
read in a PC. Although it is possible to connect most digital cameras to a PC via USB, in
many cases you must use custom cables.
Card Readers
The major companies that produce flash card products sell card readers that can be used
to transfer data from flash memory cards to PCs. These card readers typically plug in to
the computer's USB ports for fast access to the data on the card.
Inadditiontoprovidingfastdatatransfer,cardreaderssavecamerabatterypowerbecause
thecameraisnotneededtotransferinformation.Becausecomputerandelectronicsdevice
users might have devices that use two or more types of flash memory, many vendors now
offer multiformat flash memory card readers, such as the SanDisk 12-in-1 Card Reader/
Writer shown in Figure 10.3 .
Figure 10.3 The SanDisk 12-in-1 Card Reader/Writer plugs into a Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) port and fea-
tures a removable stand.