What is a Memory Card?

Memory cards, also known as flash memory cards or flash drives, have revolutionized the way data is saved, stored and exchanged among digital devices. Once designed solely for the laptop computer, the memory card has evolved into a more reliable and resilient storage device than hard drives and disk drives. Memory cards are now used in virtually every digital product and, according to many computer websites and literature, may eventually replace the hard drive as computers' primary storage medium.

History

The original memory card was developed by, and named after, the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), a group of representatives from 500 leading information-technology companies.

Historical Use

The PCMCIA memory card, later renamed the PC card, was originally a hardware device that, when installed inside a laptop, expanded the host computer's physical memory.

Modern Functions

Today the memory card is a convenient and dependable way to rapidly store data files for use and transfer: it is small (the size of a postage stamp), able to withstand rugged environmental conditions (vibration, shock, high and low temperatures, a fall from 10 feet), portable and designed with flash memory capabilities.

Flash Memory

Memory-card design is based on flash memory: a nonvolatile (stores without power) memory technology that allows for storage, deletion, and transfer of data between digital devices.

Evolution

Since the debut of the PCMCIA Card in 1990, the popularity of memory cards grew rapidly: by 2000, memory cards could be used with a number of electronic devices, including digital cameras and camcorders, wireless cell-phone handsets, portable music and other audio players and personal data assistants.

Significance

As touted by "PC Magazine" and several technology-devoted websites (www.computingworld.com, www.computing.net), the memory card has replaced the floppy disk as the prevailing means of saving, storing, and transferring data files.

Resources

• All Memory Cards -- What is a Memory Card, Uses, Formats
• How Flash Memory Works -- Information, Devices, Standards
• PCMCIA -- About the PC Card Standard and Memory Devices
• FAQs about PC Memory and Memory Cards