A microSD card (right) next to its SD adapter (left)
microSD is a format for removable flash memory cards. It is derived from SanDisk TransFlash and is used mainly in mobile telephones, but also in handheld GPS devices, portable media players, digital audio players, video game consoles and expandable USB flash memory drives.
It is currently (2008) the smallest memory card available commercially. At 15 mm × 11 mm × 0.7 mm (about the size of a fingernail), it is about a quarter the size of an SD card.[1] There are adapters which allow a microSD card to be used in devices intended for SD, miniSD, or MemoryStick Duo cards. However, they are not universally compatible.
TransFlash and microSD cards are the same (each can be used in devices made for the other), except that microSD adds support for SDIO mode, enabling non-memory cards like Bluetooth, GPS, and Near Field Communication devices.[2]
As of March 2008, microSD cards are available in capacities from 64 MB to 8 GB. The 16 GB version is being developed by SanDisk, expected to be ready in late 2008. Cards 4 GB and larger are only available in the newer SDHC format.
On January 7, 2008, during CES, SanDisk announced an as yet unpriced 12 GB (104 GB/cm3) microSDHC card.[1]
A 512 MB Kingston microSD card next to a Patriot SD adapter (left) and miniSD adapter (middle).
Manufacturer support
The microSD format is supported mainly by mobile phone manufacturers, among which Motorola was the first to adopt. Garmin makes GPS receivers with maps on microSD cards.
Devices
- Archos: 605 WiFi (4 GB flash version), 405
- Alcatel: OT-E801, OT-C717 Black Soft Touch
- BenQ-Siemens: EF61, E71, EF81, EL71, S82, SFG75, S88, CL71
- BlackBerry: Pearl (8100, 8120, 8130), Curve (8300, 8310, 8320, 8330), World Edition (8800, 8820, 8830)
- E-TEN: glofiish X500, glofiish X500+, glofiish M700, glofiish X800
- FIC: Neo 1973T, Neo Freerunner
- Garmin hand-held GPS: Edge 605, 705, eTrex Vista Cx/HCx, Legend Cx/HCx, Venture Cx/HCx, GPSMAP 60Cx, 60Csx, 76Cx, 76Csx, StreetPilot i2, i3, etc.
- High Tech Computer Corporation (HTC): HTC Artemis, HTC Atlas, HTC Breeze/HTC MTeoR, HTC Cavalier, HTC Elf/HTC Ted Baker Needle/HTC Touch, HTC Elfin/HTC Touch, HTC Erato, HTC Excalibur, HTC Herald, HTC Hermes/HTC TyTN, HTC Iris, HTC Kaiser/HTC TyTN II, HTC Libra, HTC Love, HTC Monet, HTC Touch Neon/HTC Touch Dual US, HTC Nike/HTC Touch Dual, HTC Omni, HTC Pharos, HTC Polaris/HTC Touch Cruise/HTC Touch Find, HTC Raphael/HTC Touch Pro, HTC Startrek, HTC Titan, HTC Touch/HTC Vogue, HTC Vox, HTC Wings
- i-mate: Smartflip, JasJam
- JVC: GZ-HD5, GZ-HD6
- Kyocera: KX55XO, Slider Sonic, Slider Remix
- LG Electronics: enV2(VX9100), Viewty KU990, Voyager(VX10000), VX8700, LG UX260, LGCU515, LG Shine, LG Dare, Rumor by LG, LG Scoop (AX260)
- Motorola: V360, E398, V635, V710, A780, E815, A840, E770, E815, E895, C975, V975, C980, V980, A1000, A1200, M1000,Maxx Ve E1000, V1000, ROKR, V1050, V1150, SLVR L7, Motorola L7e, E1060, E1120, RAZR (V3i, V3m, V3r, V3t, V3x, V3xx, V6), i870, i880, i876, i876w, i885, i580, A1200, KRZR (K1, K1m, K3), Z3, Z6, Z8, Z10, L7, Moto Q9h, Q9c
- NEC: N908
- Nintendo DS storage devices (e.g. M3 Simply)
- Nokia: 3109c, 3110c, 3250, 3500c, 5200 (up to 2 GB), 5300, 5310 (up to 8 GB), 5500, 5610, 5700, 6085, 6086, 6110 Navigator, 6120/6121 Classic, 6125, 6131/6126/6133, 6151, 6233, 6234, 6265i, 6267 6275i, 6300 (up to 2 GB), 6301, 6500 Slide, 6288, 6555, 7373, 7390, E50, E51, E61i, E65, E71, E90, N73, N75, N76, N78, N81, N82, N95, N96
- O2: O2 Ice, O2 Cocoon, Xda Orbit, Xda Orbit 2, Xda Exec, Xda Mini S, Xda Trion, Xda Stellar
- Orange: Berlin
- Palm: Centro, Treo 800w
- Patriot: PC133
- Pantech: Duo
- Pioneer: AVIC-S1 Mobile Navigation System
- Sagem: My V-76, My X 6-2, My501C, My401C, My411X, My511x
- Samsung: Samsung Instinct, SGH-A737, SGH-F210, SGH-D600, SGH-Z370,SCH-U620, SGH-E740, SGH-X836, SGH-U510
- SanDisk Sansa: e200 series, c200 series, Express, Fuze, View
- Sanyo: SCP-8400, SCP-8500 (Katana DLX)
- Sharp: 770SH
- Song: Song DIC 338/A138
- Sony Ericsson: K850, s500i (M2/microSD combo slot), XPERIA X1
- T-Mobile: Dash (Smartphone), WIng (pocket pc), Sidekick 3, Sidekick LX
- Vodafone: Vodafone 1210, Vodafone 720, Vodafone 716, Vodafone 715, Vodafone 810, Vodafone 527
Navman GPS devices use microSD cards to store extra maps.
Most devices which support SD/miniSD can support microSD cards using an appropriate adapter (often sold with a microSD card), but support is not universal. SanDisk publishes a list of mobile phones with memory card support [2] (in PDF format). This gives the type of the memory card slot and lists the support for still-image cameras, video capture and music.
SanDisk's e200 series MP3 players support microSD card expansion, allowing additional storage of up to 2 GB. [3]
RCA Pearl MP3 players (TH1100, TH1101 and TH1102) support the use of MicroSD cards for additional storage. [4]
Comparisons
Technical comparison
| Type |
MMC |
RS-MMC |
MMC Plus |
SecureMMC |
SD |
SDIO |
miniSD |
microSD |
| SD Socket |
Yes |
Mechanical adapter |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Electro-mechanical adapter |
Electro-mechanical adapter |
| Pins |
7 |
7 |
13 |
7 |
9 |
9 |
11 |
8 |
| Form factor |
Thin |
Thin/short |
Thin |
Thin |
Thick (exceptions possible) |
Thick |
Narrow/short/thin |
Narrow/short/extra thin |
| Width |
24 mm |
24 mm |
24 mm |
24 mm |
24 mm |
24 mm |
20 mm |
11 mm |
| Length |
32 mm |
18 mm |
32 mm |
32 mm |
32 mm |
32 mm+ |
21.5 mm |
15 mm |
| Thickness |
1.4 mm |
1.4 mm |
1.4 mm |
1.4 mm |
2.1 mm (exceptions possible) |
2.1 mm |
1.4 mm |
1 mm |
| SPI mode |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Optional |
| 1 bit mode |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 4 bit mode |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
| 8 bit mode |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| interrupts |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
| Xfer clock |
0–20 MHz |
0–20 MHz |
0–52 MHz |
0–20 MHz? |
0–25 MHz - 0–50 MHz |
0–25 MHz |
0–25 MHz? |
0–25 MHz? |
| Max Transfer |
20 Mbit/s |
20 Mbit/s |
416 Mbit/s |
20 Mbit/s? |
100 Mbit/s - 200 Mbit/s |
100 Mbit/s |
100 Mbit/s |
100 Mbit/s |
| Max SPI Transfer |
20 Mbit/s |
20 Mbit/s |
52 Mbit/s |
20 Mbit/s |
25 Mbit/s |
25 Mbit/s |
25 Mbit/s |
25 Mbit/s |
| DRM |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
| User encrypt |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Simplified Spec |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Not yet? |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Memb cost |
$2500/yr (not required) |
$2000/yr (General), $4500/yr (Executive) |
| Spec cost |
$500 |
? |
? |
Member |
Member |
Member |
Member |
| Host license |
No |
No |
No |
No |
$1000/yr + membership cost |
| Mem card royalties |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| I/O card royalties |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
$1000/yr + membership cost |
N/A |
N/A |
| Open source compatible |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes? |
Yes? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Type |
MMC |
RS-MMC |
MMC Plus |
SecureMMC |
SD |
SDIO |
miniSD |
microSD |
Table data compiled mostly from simplified versions of MMC and SDIO specifications and other data on SD card and MMC association web sites. Data for other card variations is interpolated.
Capacity limit in all SD/MMC formats appears to be 128 GB in LBA mode (28-bit sector address).
See also
References
External links
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