Flash Memory Product Info & Advice

What Is Flash Memory?

The term "flash", as in flash memory, is commonly applied to the read and write technology employed in many of the various types of removable memory card formats, some of which are used by the multitude of advancing consumer electronic devices like cellphones, digital cameras, portable video games, PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants), MP3 players and laptop computers to name a few. 

Flash is not a new memory technology, it has been with us since the eighties and was originally conceived by Toshiba. In more recent years, Flash memory technology has moved on and it is now incorporated into numerous memory card formats that are produced for use with a huge array of consumer electronics. It is also now made, in its various guises, by many different memory card manufacturers.

Flash memory needs power to function... but not to retain data.

A key advantage of flash memory is its ability to retain previously stored data even after its power source has been cut off. Power to all formats of flash memory is drawn from the electronic device into which it is inserted. As a solid state device, without moving parts, power consumption is low which therefore makes flash memory suitable for use with battery powered consumer electronics. Furthermore, its operation is completely silent.

Flash technology, when incorporated into, say, a memory card allows for the rapid writing of data to the card which is especially useful for those that are using the card with a digital camera that will need to write data with the minimum of  delay between shots.

There are various electronic devices that use flash memory in one or more of its various formats, though it should be said that not all electronic devices can accept all memory formats that incorporate flash memory technology. This is because most devices that use a memory card are usually manufactured to accept only one of the formats. A common type, for example is 'Compact Flash' a memory format which is widely used with digital cameras. 

The casing and shape of each type of flash memory card is different to all others, therefore consumers will need to bear this in mind when buying additional memory for their electronic device to ensure that it is compatible with, and ultimately fits, the device for which it is intended to be used in. The following card formats all incorporate flash technology.

• Compact Flash
• SD - Secure Digital
• SmartMedia
• MMC - Multimedia Memory Card
• Memory Stick
• xD Picture Card

Usually, buyers of any of the abovementioned memory formats will not have to give any consideration as to whether or not a particular memory card incorporates flash memory technology. This is because it undoubtedly will, as to not do so would likely render such a card inoperable and therefore of little practical use to anyone.

Worried about reliability? With Flash memory you don't have to be!

Such is the reliability of Flash memory, that some card manufacturers offer lifetime guarantees on their products. With that said, it is therefore quite possible that a consumer may find that the electronic device that the card was shipped with may well be outlived by the card itself!