5 replies to this topic

[RhetoricalRuvim]

At my school, the newer PC laptops mostly have SD card slots (I'm not sure if they work with other memory cards or not). The Apple laptops at my school are new but not as fancy, so those don't have memory card slots. The computer lab's computers aren't very new, so those don't have them either.

My flash drive got kind of old (the case is falling apart, a little bit), and my camera's memory card broke, but I couldn't afford to replace both, so I bought 2 SD cards instead, along with an SD card adapter, for cases where a computer doesn't have a memory card slot. I think it would have been nice if more computers had memory card slots, because it does take more time and effort to take out the card adapter.

It looks to me like since flash drives are USB, they are more supported. Memory cards are usually supported, and more commonly used, by newer technology. When not supported, an adapter can be used for compatibility.

What do you guys think about flash drives vs memory cards?

Also, since memory cards can have more uses, especially that they can be used for data or for cameras or for PDAs or even for calculators, would it make sense for people to rather use memory cards than flash drives?

[lethalwire]

The only time I use SD cards is when I'm taking photos off of a digital camera.
I use a flash drive for everything else.

The reason I'd prefer a flash drive over and SD card is the size. I'd lose an SD card 100 times faster than I'd lose a flash drive.
Price really isn't an issue for me, as they are both relatively cheap. You can also get a decent SD card and Flash drive for roughly the same price.

Newegg.com - sd card 4gb
Newegg.com - Kingston DataTraveler 101 Gen 2 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (Cyan) Model DT101G2/4GBZ

[elvenjedi14]

i use a mini sd card with an adapter, so you're adapter issues can get worse. i primarily use a flash drive. it's harder to lose, and seems to be a more universally supported method of data transfer.

[RhetoricalRuvim]

I think it would have been nice if SD cards were almost as universally supported as USB drives.

[FriarNotch7]

I've only used SD cards when it comes to my phones, cameras, PSP, or Nintendo Wii. I use a flash drive for everything else, multiple ones for different uses, etc.
SD Cards may have more uses when it comes to cameras and PDAs, but when it comes to pictures or files, it is possible to just email them to yourself, since most people take pictures with their phones now a days. There are still those who have a new camera and prefer using that than an iPhone.

[Alexander]

It all depends on what you need for the product. A camera requires as minimal circuitry and power as possible, and an SD slot with a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus is very simple. It does not require great access speeds and integrity is important.

If you require speeds greater speeds (i.e. 200mbps+) where in an SD card will be cost prohibitive, and where requirements such as self checks, access indicators are needed (to indicate writing) the USB format for the flash chip will make sense.

USB flash devices are also often more durable, easily branded, and easy to locate than memory cards including the fact that they do not require a driver (they are directly written to as file block devices)