M-Flash, Yet Another Flash Memory Format

Verteiron writes "Despite all the (mostly incompatible) flash memory/card formats out there already, a consortium made up of several Taiwan-based manufacturers are preparing to unveil a new one at the upcoming CeBIT. The memory itself, called M-Flash, will form the backbone of the new M-Card format. According to C-One, a member of the M-Card group and the maker of Pretec brand flash devices, the M-Flash memory architecture is cheap to manufacture and allows for devices 2/3 the size of existing MMC products. The M-Card format uses the USB 2.0 I/O specification, but C-One claims it will transfer data at twice the speed of USB 2.0 while using about a third the power required by current devices. To encourage adoption of the new card format, it has been designed to be compatible with the existing SD/MMC format at reduced speeds. C-One also plans to make the currently proprietary format an open standard. Palm Blvd. and the EE Times (free reg. required) have articles with a few more details."

Comments

Open Standards and Compatibility are A GOOD THING.

[Total_Wimp]

I was pretty sceptical 'till I got to that part. This seems like a well thought out product all the way around.

TW

Current list of formats

[Anonymous Coward]

- Smart Media Card
- XD Card
- Compact Flash I
- Compact Flash II
- Micro Drive
- Secure Digital
- MMC card
- MMC II card
- RS-MMC card
- Memory Stick card
- MS Pro
- MS MG Card
- MS MG Pro Card
- MS Duo
- MS MG Duo
- MS Pro Duo
- MS MG Pro Duo
- UTMA Fish Card

aren't standards great
just as long as it's MY standard of course

eh ?

[selderrr]

it will transfer data at twice the speed of USB 2.0

Is that even possible ? Would any properly certified USB host-controller not be limited to USB2 speeds, unless they also force you to buy a PCI card that is M-whatever compatible ?