miCard chosen as global memory card standard

A Taiwanese research institute has developed a new memory card, the miCard (Multiple Interface card) designed to work on both MMC slots such as those used in digital cameras, mobile phones as well as any device with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) plug, which are common on PCs.

This makes transferring pictures, songs and other data between gadgets and PCs easier. The card is expected to be available globally starting from the third quarter of 2007. So far 12 Taiwanese companies have signed on to manufacture the miCard, according to its inventors The Industrial Technology Research Institute. Officials expect saving around US$40 million as manufacturers will not have to pay royalties to make miCards.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute - ITRI - is a non-profit R&D organization engaging in applied research and technical service. It was founded in 1973 by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to attend to the technological needs of Taiwan’s industrial development. ITRI has played a vital role in the transformation of the economy from an agriculture-based model to an industrial one. By year 2001 it has grown to a 6000 people operation, and serves as the technical center for industry and an unofficial arm of the government’s industrial policies in Taiwan. Backed by its broad research scope and close industrial ties, ITRI is becoming an increasingly active member in the global industrial R&D community.

• The miCard will transfer data at 480M bits per second, and throughput will improve overtime.
• Will be able to store 8Gb of information
• Maximum capacity is expected to top out around 2048G bytes.

The compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won’t need separate card readers anymore. MMC cards fit most consumer electronics, while USB connections are built into a wide range of IT hardware, including laptops, desktops, printers and home entertainment gear.

The companies already committed to making miCards include A-Data Technology Inc., Asustek Computer Inc., BenQ Corp., Carry Computer Eng. Co. Ltd., C-One Technology Corp., DBTel Inc., Power Digital Card Co., Ltd., and RiCHIP Inc. The specifications for the cards will be made available in June.