Another memory format tips up

OH, DEEP JOY. Another memory card format for portable devices has been developed by Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and approved by the Multi Media Card Association (MMCA).

As if there weren't enough formats for removable storage cards developed and deployed within mobile phones. So now we have Micard (Multiple Interface Card), too.

As a concept it is attractive. The card basically combines a memory spec with the existing USB 2.0. So you can take the card and plug it right into a USB port in your portable computer, for example.

Which is great because it dispenses with the need for carrying around a card reader/adapter. There's another benefit for its producers - there are no royalty payments to be had.

Reputedly 6 per cent of the cost of an SD card goes in royalties to the SD Association. Which is why Nokia resisted the SD format for so long and favoured the rival MMC card format from the MMCA.

A Micard will transfer data at speeds up to 480 Mbit/s and initially offer capacities of 8 GB but reach 2,048 GB eventually.

The press blurb talks about the Micards being backward compatible with MMC slots. "Passive mechanical adaptors will be available to convert the miCARD for use in many of today's products that accept full-size MMC cards," it says.

Unfortunately although Micards are set to go into production by Q3 2007, nobody seems to have a photo of one yet. So it's impossible to tell whether you could squeeze one into an old Nokia's MMC slot.

So far 12 Taiwanese manufacturers have signed up to the standard. The list includes Asustek, BenQ, Carry Computer, C-One Technology, Dbtel, Power Digital Card and Richip.

Chin Wu with Austek has been quoted at taking a wait-and-see approach to the Micard for use inside its phones. It wants to see the technology mature before going ahead and fitting them. µ

L'INQ
MMCA