Registered: Mar 2002
Location: California
Posts: 9

Need your Opinions on Memplug Type

Okay I have two visors, Prism and Plat. I only have one Memplug at the moment which is the smart media model. I didn't exactly choose to pick the smart media model, I had no choice because it was the only model available at the time I purchased it, it was the only one left. Don't you hate that delema? Anyways, my local Compusa had finally got some Memplug shipment yesterday, 24 memplugs, 12 smartmedia, and 12 compact flash models.

I'm familiar with the smart media of course, but not familiar with the compact flash. So given that I have a choice now, which would you get, SM or CF, and why one over the other? I have both types of memory already, from various cameras in the house so there is no need for me to purchase additional SM or CF memory.

So which to get?

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

Get a SM one, you already have one and it'll be easier to swap if need be.
I have heard that CF was faster, and that SM has better battery life, though.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

CF Baby

Its funny...just a couple years ago CF was slang for ColdFusion. Now its a memory type. Get your technology acronyms while their hot!

I am trying to keep everything...Memplug, Camera, MP3 Player, CF standard. I think CF has more potential than SM...its harder for a developer to integrate anything other than memory on a SM card, while a CF card has much more "room to work with", hence the emergence of CF devices. Thats one of the issues with the Springboard...yes it can be smaller if all you care to add is memory (hence the SD card). But if you want to open the door to development potential you need to provide just a bit of space for something of a circuitboard.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

The SmartMedia format looks like it has probably reached a dead end. Though Olympus and a few other digicam makers may keep it alive for a while longer, I doubt you'll see many new non-camera devices offering support for it. The battle is now between CF, SD/MMC, and MemoryStick. CF will remain popular because it supports both memory and I/O and driver software is relatively easy to write. The CF hardware interface is also very simple (though it takes a lot of "real estate"). SD/MMC has the advantage of an almost trivial (and very compact) hardware interface. In the future most embedded CPUs will include a built in SD interface. MemoryStick will remain a player for as long as Sony stays committed to it.

If your choices are CF or SmartMedia, I'd opt for CF. If you really want to think "long term" (like when you trade in your Visor for a new PDA) find an SD/MMC adapter. An SD/MMC card will work in virtually every high end PDA except Sony.

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 366

I also agree with David, in addition to thinking about what other devices you have, think about which PDA you think you might get next. If you want to get a Clie next, I would get the MS adapter. If you are planning on getting a Palm, the get the SD/MMC adapter. Finally, if you are planning on getting a Handera, try either the SD/MMC adapter or the CF adapter.

I personally use the Memplug SM adapter. If you only have the CF or SM adapters as choices and you are not planning on getting another PDA, get the Memplug SM, It will save you greatly on battery power. And don't worry about what other say about speed. The next generation of Memplug software will fix a lot of those problems.

Jason

__________________
Did you just go near a burning hot river of lava or are you just happy to see me?

Registered: Mar 2002
Location: California
Posts: 9

Hey Jason,

I notice your Clie Avatar!!

I see your also a Clie user also huh? I just purchased my new Sony Clie T615c yesterday, and I'm loving it. So much faster, and the vieweable screen is so much clearer than any of my Visors, Prism, and Platinum.

The colors on the Prism is by far brighter, and vibrant compared to the Clie, though the Clie is much more clearer thourgh out with its higher resolution. Also, one big plus with the clie is actually being able to finally see a color screen outdoors under the sun!!! Now that is impossible with the Prism.

I'm keeping my prism still, can't waste all those springboard modules that I purchased for it can I? But, by far the Clie is one hell of a handheld. I don't have any regrets going to the Clie.

Wish handspring would get off their arse, and start developing some new PDA design.