SD memory cards- A Startling Innovation
With the growing need of high end technology and faster access to data has resulted in many inventions. Computer were initially treated as a device which could only be used by people dealing with integrated level of data however in this age computers are not only a necessity but also a mode of communication and maintaining relations. With technology getting faster we move even faster and want everything to be done in jiffy. This is how the concept of non volatile memory card came into existence. One such example is an SD memory card which is a secure digital memory card with a non volatile memory format that allows it to regain data without power supply. This has been developed by SD Association also known as SDA and who are also responsible for maintain the compliance and specification of the product for the consumers. It is not just useful in one but many ways to all of us.
SD cards can be broadly classified in 3 sections i.e. SDSC, SDHC and SDXC. The first one is a standard memory card which has storage capacity of 1 or 2 GB. The second one is a high capacity card which has the ability to store data up to 32 GB. And the third one is extended capacity memory card which can store data up to 2TB which is 2048 GB. Not only in storing data even the physical sizes of the SD card differs. There are 3 sizes for an SD card which are Standard size, Mini size and Micro size. A standard size SD card specification would be 32mm x 24mm x 2.1 mm. a mini SD card will be 21.5mm x 20mm x 2.1 mm and a micro card will be 15mm x11mm x 1.0mm. SD card family is extended with SDIO which is not only used for storage but can also perform input/output function.
SD card are not only a great option for storing data but also ensures that your data is protected. SD cards come with a write protection notch on the side. If this notch is not there then the card can be used for both read and write however the presence or position of the notch does not influence the functioning of the card. This particular feature of write protection is not supported by miniSD and microSD configurations. Nevertheless there is password protection option is also available. This password is usually user defined and can only be changed once the old password is provided. The password would not allow any other user to either read or write the data on the SD card.
As mentioned previously there are various uses of SD card. The most common of all is its usage in digital cameras. Due to its size and affordability it gets easier to place a memory card in any digital camera. Almost all the camera manufacturing companies use memory cards in their digital cameras. Once the space on the current card in the camera gets full one can easily replace it with another one of the same make or the one that is supported by the camera. SD cards are now also been used in the computers. They are either embedded on the circuit of the motherboard or can be attached externally through a card reader. Inside the computer SD cards act as an auxiliary storage unit but cannot be used in place of hard disk because these cards don’t support ATA signaling. Another most important usage of SD cards is in mobile phone and MP3 players. The usage of SD cards in mobile phones has not only given a boost to the mobile functionality but has also opened gateways for various mobile software.
