
3.6 Microdrive
-ICRODRIVE IS BASICALLY A HARD DISK DESIGNED TO lT INTO A 4YPE )) #& CARD SIZE ENCLOSURE
!LTHOUGH THE SIZE OF A MICRODRIVE IS SAME AS THAT OF A #& CARD ITS POWER CONSUMPTION IS
MUCH HIGHER THAN mASH MEMORIES AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE USED IN LOWPOWER APPLICATIONS
4HE CAPACITY OF MICRODRIVES IS '" OR MORE &IGURE SHOWS A TYPICAL MICRODRIVE
4HE PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS OF MICRODRIVES ARE s s MM AND THEY WEIGH
APPROXIMATELY G 4HE lRST MICRODRIVE WAS DEVELOPED BY )"- IN WITH A CAPACITY OF
AND -" 3OON AFTER THE CAPACITY WAS INCREASED TO GREATER THAN '" IN THE YEAR
BY (ITACHI -ICRODRIVES WITH A CAPACITY OF '" WERE INTRODUCED IN BY (ITACHI AND
3EAGATE
4HE ADVANTAGE OF MICRODRIVES IS THAT THEY ALLOW MORE WRITE CYCLES THAN THE MEMORY CARDS
)N ADDITION MICRODRIVES ARE BETTER AT HANDLING POWER LOSS IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING /NE OF THE
DISADVANTAGES OF MICRODRIVES IS THAT THEY DO NOT SURVIVE IF DROPPED FROM A HEIGHT OF M
)N ADDITION THEIR TRANSFER SPEEDS ARE AROUND -"S WHICH IS LOWER THAN MOST OF THE PRESENT
DAY HIGHEND MEMORY CARDS )N ADDITION THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO OPERATE AT HIGH ALTITUDES
AND THEIR POWER CONSUMPTION IS HIGH COMPARED WITH MEMORY CARDS
3.7 xD Card
X$ STANDS FOR ExTREME DIGITAL AND THESE CARDS ARE MAINLY USED IN DIGITAL CAMERAS DIGITAL
VOICE RECORDERS AND -0 PLAYERS X$ CARDS WERE DEVELOPED BY /LYMPUS AND &UJIlLM IN
AND THEN MANUFACTURED BY 4OSHIBA #ORPORATION AND 3AMSUNG %LECTRONICS &IGURE
IS A PICTURE OF A TYPICAL X$ CARD X$ CARDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THREE TYPES 4YPE - 4YPE ( AND
Type M
Figure 3.5: Microdrive
Figure 3.6: xD Card
112 Chapter 3
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