Storage

[Steve]

In this Learning Center chapter on Storage, we'll take a look at how programs and data are stored on handheld computers. We'll cover the two main types of storage: internal storage, commonly referred to as main memory, and external storage, typically found in removable storage cards.


Read about it at http://www.brighthand.com/article/Le...Center_Storage

[blue_quartz]

Would just like to point out some errors:

1) MMC's largest capacity is 512 MB? I thought it's 128 MB?

2) SDs have 9 pins, and also a 'erasure prevention switch' (quoting from the section about Sony's MemoryStick).

3) MemorySticks also available in the Select form. Currently it's only 128 MB x2, Sony said they're trying to come up with 128 MB x4.

Suggestion:

4) No mention about the RS-MMC (reduced size MMC) and miniSD?

[Deep Green]

Good stuff! Very useful.

How about the XD format pushed by Olympus and others? I know of no PDA using XD slots, but then the same thing could be said of Smart Media cards.

Does SD use NAND Flash ROM as well?

[Steve]

I will be adding some of the new and upcoming formats, like miniSD and xD, in the near future.

SD do use NAND flash memory.

[Deep Green]

Thanks for the fast reply! I'll be looking toward the additions.

[gfunkmagic]

Wow! Very nice article Steve! Thanks so much, this defintely helped clear up some confusion I had regarding NOR Flash Rom and NAND! Thanks!

Also, will brighthand be widening its focus in the forthcoming "Smartphone" section? I ask this b/c I would really like to see more Symbian smartphone coverage here. I realize other sites like Infosync etc do this, but those sites lack the forums and community feedback which is a tremendous resource of Brighthand. Such a move would truley make this an all around site for everything "mobile" including all major platforms (PalmOS, MS smartphone, Symbian, Linux) in the burgeoning smartphone market. In any case, I anticipate good things in the future!

[godschoice]

Nice article Steve!

Storage media plugs into "expansion slots"

The storage card is only one type of expansion option.

It would be nice to see the article explanded to mentioned what other things are used in the various types of expansion slots.

I think that besides the memory, there are some other reasons why a person may consider a SD slot over a MemoryStick slot or CF slot. For an example, one may want to slide a GPS addon in any given slot. Not all manufacturers have made provisions for the majority of formats like Margi Systems (http://www.margi.com/) have done with its Presenter-to-Go addon.

I am not sure if the expansion slot discussion should be a separate article or a side note of the memory article.

I am sure you guys will run with it and make the appropriate decision and your readers will be the wiser as the result.

Keep up the good work.

P.S. Is there a mobile version of this site?

Carl W. Brooks
http://www.palmloyal.com
http://www.palmosminute.com
"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."

[Steve]

Originally posted by godschoice
The storage card is only one type of expansion option.

It would be nice to see the article expanded to mention what other things are used in the various types of expansion slots.

Yes, the article was strictly about Storage. Other Learning Center articles on various expansion options will be published.

Thanks!

[imported_CSimpson]

Nice article, Steve!

I would point out one thing, however:

But some industry folks wonder whether other PDA manufacturers would ever go with Sony's Memory Stick.

Acer produces PDA's which incoprporate memory stick slots. Granted, they are mainkly marketed in Asia, but their adoption of theis standard could play an important psychological role in helping persuade another licensee who may be on the fence.

That being said, I don't see memory sticks becoming big in North America anytime soon, especially with the bad blood generated by Sony's handling of the memory stick pro update. If they really want to push the format, they should switch to memory stick VMU's in the next generation of Palystation consoles.

[cbowers]

P.S. Is there a mobile version of this site?

You can always click the "version" link at the bottom of the article.