Brighthand Reviews the SanDisk Wi-Fi SD Card for the Zire 71

[Ed Hardy]

Those who would like to add Wi-Fi to their Zire 71 have a new option, an SD card from SanDisk. Brighthand's Ed Hardy brings us this hands-on review.

Read more at http://www.brighthand.com/article/Sa...view?site=Palm

[imported_trophyofgrace]

Does this card work with PocketPC's as well, specifically the ipaq 1945? If so, I can't wait for it to be released! I own an ipaq 1945 and a zire 71

[Ed Hardy]

Yes, and I added a section to the review to make this clear.

[somas1]

Quote from article:

"The reason this device doesn't support the Tungsten T3 and Zire 72 is these models need to have a system patch applied before their SD slots can use this card. According to SanDisk, palmOne won't publicly release this. Instead, the patch will be built into the driver that palmOne will release with its Wi-Fi SD card, which is expected to be available soon. This patch isn't something SanDisk can develop itself, which means that the only option for Wi-Fi SD cards for the Zire 72 and Tungsten T3 is the one palmOne itself will sell."


Palm1 is behaving a lot like Sony if this quote is true. I hope Tapwave or another licensee gives Palm1 some competition because the Palm hardware was really stuck in the stone age until Sony forced Palm to wake up. Looks like Palm1 is regressing again without a strong POS rival.

[imported_Oliver]

According to SanDisk, palmOne won't publicly release this. Instead, the patch will be built into the driver that palmOne will release with its Wi-Fi SD card, which is expected to be available soon. This patch isn't something SanDisk can develop itself, which means that the only option for Wi-Fi SD cards for the Zire 72 and Tungsten T3 is the one palmOne itself will sell.

Ed, I'm curious -- did you try to get someone from palmOne to comment on this accusation from SanDisk?

Oliver

[iRonica9]

Even as we have waited for the wi-fi SD card, I have wondered: how do I manage the fact that so much of my data and so many of my apps actually reside on the SD card while using a wi-fi SD card?

Maybe it's not that big a deal. Maybe it's about separating tasks--now I am checking email, now i am working on that document stored on my 128 card (I often use my Palm for my writing).

Picturing the workflow: Use the wi-fi to get email. Maybe keep it in while reading email, so I can access that link so-and-so sent me. Oh, but now here's an attachment I want to keep. I want to save it to my 128 card becase it's a large spreadsheet....I guess I save that task for later. Finish reading mail, close connection. Put storage card back in, now I pull the attachment or run apps that reside on the card.

I have so very little space avail on my T:T. Of course, Versamail is a reason for that, but even a wi-fi card won't remove for me the need to sync with Outlook. (Or maybe it will and I can switch to snappermail. Haven't thought that one through yet.)

Oh, and I assume when you say PalmOne's card will work with the T3, that goes for the T:T as well? There is, sadly, no upgrade in my near future. (Unless you need more tech writer/journalists to review hardware, in which case I'll try out all sorts of upgraded equipment - haha.)

[DaleReeck]

Just for the ZIre 71? That's an awful lot of development dollars spent on a product for just one device

I know of the supposed problems with developing SDIO products for Palm (and Sandisk's accusations of Palm One's foot dragging). But still, I can't imagine there are so many 71's out there that Sandisk will make much profit out of this.

[viqsi]

Okay, so we know about why the T|T3 and the Zire 72 can't take it...
...so what about the T|E? Or the Zire 31?

[Ed Hardy]

Originally posted by iRonica9
Even as we have waited for the wi-fi SD card, I have wondered: how do I manage the fact that so much of my data and so many of my apps actually reside on the SD card while using a wi-fi SD card?

I understand there are some negotiations going on to bring the combo card (Wi-Fi and 256 MB of memory) to palmOne models, but that's all I know.

[Ed Hardy]

Originally posted by viqsi
...so what about the T|E? Or the Zire 31?

I know this card currently doesn't work with the Zire 31 because I tried it. SanDisk is working to add T|E support, but I don't know the current status of these efforts.