SIM To Become a Storage Card, DRM Controller
OH GOD, are they high?!
Here's what they should have done: take the MiniSD standard, and cram SIM functionality into it. Done and done. No need to wait for larger formats (4GB MiniSD is almost here), no need to struggle to increase the capacity of this new Flash/SIM standard, plenty of manufacturers already cranking them out, etc.
What happens when you've filled the 512MB, which is nothing lately? Are they going to start making phones with what amounts to two flash card slots? Sure, I guess it is convenient that the already-present SIM slot becomes a memory card slot, but really. What about when you fill it up and need a 1GB or 2GB Flash/SIM card - you'd have to deal with the carriers to get your semi-hardwired SIM info o...
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Firstly, to add an MiniSD format expansion slot adds quite a bit of space. If we are all using a SIM card anyway, why not utilize that for a combined information/storage capacity and make phones smaller?
Secondly, it's 512MB now, but it will undoubtedly increase. Didn't the article also say that a 1GB is coming out soon? Mini and Micro SD are still at the 512 MB stage now. This new format has caught up.
The only issue is that the phone now becomes the conduit to transfer stuff from Computer to card (or unless they come up with a SIM card reader).
For me this is great, because since I need a SIM card anyway, now I don't have to spend money on a MiniSD or MicroSD card.
Mini and Micro SD are still at the 512 MB stage now.
Yeah they are... if you have a time machine and travel to the past 😳
SanDisk also has a 2gb MiniSD coming out now (on site, says backorder of 4-6weeks).
When buying memory cards though, I'd check around at Newegg and PriceWatch some for cost comparisons. Also remember, that manufacturers produce cards of varying quality and speed.
My local Best Buy jacked the price of a 1gb Mini SD card from $80 to around $129 before Christmas. It was back to $80 a week or two into January. The whole time, however, the same card was available from Newegg for less and their price never fluctuated.
They may sell millions of SD format cards, but they can sell over a billion SIM cards (since all GSM phones need one).
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