I believe I have heard there will be a 32 MB smartmedia module in the future. What are the chances of this size module working in today's cameras (specifically the Toshiba PDR-M1)? Is there an expected timeframe for release of such a product?

-- Dan Even (daneven@compuserve.com), November 11, 1998

Answers

Always a turkey-shoot with new memory formats. My *guess* though would be that the 16-meg capable cameras will also support 32 MB, since they've made the changes in the standard to support at least one extra address line, and interface requirements usually make such things go in pairs. No hard timeframe for release, but I'd expect to see 32 MB cards in late winter/early spring. (Now watch them release something next week at Comdex!) For now, the best deal is actually on packs of 3 8-MB cards, which can be had for about $100-110 total, for a total of 24 megs...

-- Dave Etchells (web@imaging-resource.com), November 11, 1998.

I'm certain I read an article on steve's digicam, a press release from the smart media association of some kind, assuring people that compatibility with 16MB assured compatibility with 128MB + SM cards. The same article had a timetable for when bigger sizes were expected. I'll see if I can find it.

-- Benoit (foo@bar.com), November 11, 1998.

This isn't the article I was looking for, but its relevant: Toshiba America Electronic Components announced its single bit per cell 256 megabit NAND devices that operate at low power and are only 130 square millimeters, it is ideally suited for flash memory cards. One of the two packaging options is the TC58256DC which is encased as 32MB 3.3v SmartMedia card. Toshiba plans to combine two of these new devices to produce a SmartMedia card with 64MB capacity by mid-1999. Full production of the 32MB devices is planned for the second quarter of 1999.

-- Benoit (foo@bar.com), November 11, 1998.

HERE is the article I was looking for. :) SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Simple Technology, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of 16 MB SmartMediaTM cards, the highest capacity available in this small form factor. The 16 MB card extends the company's existing line of SmartMedia in 2, 4, and 8 MB capacities as well as a SmartMedia PC Card adapter.

SmartMedia is expected to reach one gigabyte capacity by the year 2001. Electrical interface specifications and physical data for SmartMedia cards in capacities of 32, 64, and 128 MB have already been established by the SSFDC Forum. These future designs will maintain pin compatibility, and size and data formats compatible with today's SmartMedia cards. Accommodating the new capacities, Simple Technology will release next quarter, a SmartMedia PC Card adapter compatible with 2 MB thru 128 MB capacities.

-- Benoit (foo@bar.com), November 11, 1998.