Memory cards are handy devices that can be used to copy and store data from computer hard drives. Developed as an alternative method of storing data on 3.5 floppy disks that were once common ways of storing information, the memory stick was the brainchild of Sony Corporation. Over time, the concept was licensed to other companies that produce computer equipment.
USB drives are sometimes called memory sticks.
In its earliest incarnations, the memory card was intended as a quick and easy way to store larger files than older floppy disks. The actual size of the original memory cards was described as similar to a depleted AA battery, and the memory capacity was four to ten times that of a standard floppy disk. When the first devices were released in 1998, some of the more sophisticated ones had a data storage capacity equivalent to many of the memory capacities of a computer.
Memory cards may be a better option than cards for photographers who need storage for many photos.
Earlier versions of the memory card were equipped with a ten-pin connector configuration which is still the standard today. Sony has placed a special slot in its line of Vaio notebooks that have been specially configured to fit the memory card layout. However, adapters were soon developed that allowed the memory card to work with any laptop that had a PC card. The device was promoted as a much simpler means of storing large data files than the relatively bulky flash memory devices of the time.
Over the years, memory cards have continued to evolve. The latest device releases have allowed the device to keep pace with the increasing demand for music and video files and other types of data storage that have become commonplace. As recently as 2006, Sony actively worked with others to release a smaller version of the memory card that included a removable adapter and featured a storage capacity far exceeding the original design.
Memory cards can be used to store data from computer hard drives.
