MicroSD

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The correct title of this article is microSD. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
1 GB microSD cards next to a coin 24 mm in diameter
1 GB microSD cards next to a coin 24 mm in diameter
Dissected 64 MB microSD Card
Dissected 64 MB microSD Card

microSD is a small, removable flash memory card format originally based on SanDisk's TransFlash card format. It is primarily used in mobile phones, but because of its size and increasing capacity it is also being used in handheld GPS devices, portable audio players, flashcards for Nintendo DS, and expandable USB flash memory drives.

At 15 mm × 11 mm × 0.7 mm—about the size of a fingernail—it is currently the smallest memory card format commercially available. It is about one quarter of the size of a standard SD card but can be inserted into an adapter which allows the card to be used in devices with an SD card slot.

TransFlash and microSD cards are essentially the same, and each can be used in devices made for the other type. There is one exception, which is that unlike TransFlash, microSD devices have the capability to support NFC (Near Field Communication). [1]

As of April 2007, microSD cards are available in capacities from 64 MB through 2 GB but both KingMax and SanDisk have announced 4GB SDHC (a new format) cards (34 GB/cm3). The Sandisk ones will be launched in May 2007.

Contents

A microSD card next to its SD adapter
A microSD card next to its SD adapter

The microSD format was originally created by SanDisk. It was originally called T-Flash, and then TransFlash, before being rechristened microSD when adopted by the SD Card Association (SDA). Other flash card formats approved by the SDA include miniSD and SD.

The SDA announced the microSD format at CTIA Wireless 2005 on March 14, 2005, and approval of the final microSD specification was announced on July 13, 2005. At launch, the microSD format was available in capacities of 32, 64, and 128 MB. SanDisk introduced a 2 GB microSD card in July of 2006, initially priced at US$99.

The format is currently supported primarily by mobile phone manufacturers, of which Motorola was the first adopter. Garmin produces a line of GPS receivers that ships with microSD cards for map storage.

Furthermore Navman GPS devices also use microSD cards for extra map storage of different countries.

All devices which support SD cards can support microSD cards using an SD card adapter (often included in the package of a microSD card), increasing the full compatibility list. SanDisk has a list of mobile phones with memory card support [2] (in PDF format) which gives the type of the memory card slot, and also lists the still-image camera support, video capture support and music support.

SanDisk's e200 series MP3 players also support microSD card expansion, allowing additional capacity of up to 2GB presently. It is not known if larger capacities are supported.

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