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M-Flash, Yet Another Flash Memory Format

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the it-remembers-so-you-don't-have-to dept.

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."

7 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Aaaargh by cyberfunk2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not ANOTHER format.. now i'll need to buy a 7-way-card reader instead of the currenet 6-way beasts of devices companies put out.

    Cant we all play nice ???

  2. Open Standards and Compatibility are A GOOD THING. by Total_Wimp · · Score: 3, Informative

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

    TW

  3. The incredible shrinking flashcard by John+Jorsett · · Score: 5, Interesting
    the M-Flash memory architecture is cheap to manufacture and allows for devices 2/3 the size of existing MMC products

    I don't know how other people feel about this, but for me, the Secure Digital format is pretty close to being as small as I want to get. I don't want to have to use tweezers to get my memory into and out of devices.

  4. Current list of formats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    - 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

  5. Stop complaining! by lemonylimey · · Score: 3, Insightful

    With digicams heading towards 14 megapixels, I can see the need for faster data storage (ever waited for a 60mb RAW file to save to a CF card?), and introducing something that combines backwards compatibilty with SD/MMC cards and native USB2.0 support (No more card readers, just an adaptor cable, or possibly even a set of built-in contacts like the new SD/USB cards.) seems like a suspiciously common-sense approach.

  6. eh ? by selderrr · · Score: 3, Informative

    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 ?

    --
    When will I end this grieving ? When will my future begin ?
  7. Smaller AGAIN? by zerocircle · · Score: 4, Funny

    2/3 the size of existing formats? Do we need this? We're already in danger of accidentally inhaling these things or losing them between the ridges of our fingerprints. Jeez, I must have a terabyte lodged in various spots, slowly sloughing off with the dust.