As digital media becomes a more permanent part of today's culture, means of storing that media are growing. Floppy disks and zip drives are now obsolete, far outperformed by their quicker, heftier and smaller flash drive and memory card counterparts. With the growth of media storage devices, two memory cards, the compact flash card and the xD Card, are very popular.
History of the xD Card
Many digital cameras store images on a card. However, other data on that card, such as documents or music, cannot be accessed from the camera due to the limited format of the digital camera. These files can consume needed space on the memory card, and older cards can grow crowded with less space available. In response to a need for digital camera-only cards, manufacturers created the xD card.
Uses of the xD Card
The xD card is used solely for digital cameras. There are three main types of xD memory cards, including type M, type H and type M+. The type M card writes at 2.5 MB per second; the type H writes at almost twice that speed. The type M+ card writes 1.5 times as fast at nearly 4 MB per second. This allows for greater processing speed in the transfer of the picture to the camera.
History of the CF Card
The SanDisk Corporation first invented the compact flash card, or CF Card, in 1994. It was intended for use with stationary and portable electronic devices, and it provided a means of backing up data without the use of a battery. The device's 50 pins allow the CF card to conform to PCMCIA ATA specifications.
Uses of the CF Card
The CF card weighs half an ounce and measures 1.7 inches by 1.4 inches by .13 inches, about the size of a matchbook. It supports 3.3V and 5V operation and can operate at either voltage. Its 50 pins allow for stability; it can withstand an impact of 2,000 Gs. They are used in portable electronic devices from computers and digital cameras to mp3 players and personal digital assistants.
Comparison
While the two cards perform many of the same functions, the xD card is more versatile for digital camera usage. The user can store more information with greater ease, although CF cards used exclusively for digital cameras work well. You can use the CF card in many more devices, and for the user who needs a multipurpose memory card, the CF card is best. In terms of size, the xD card is smaller and more compact overall. However, since the CF card has been around since 1994, there are more devices with built-in CF card compatibility.
Tags: digital cameras, memory card, type type, Card card, card writes, compact flash, compact flash card