Secure Digital – Tiny Champ

The Secure Digital memory card is the preferred memory device for compact digital cameras. They're small (about the size of a postage stamp), high capacity (up to 8 GB) and offer special security features. At about the size of the average man's thumbnail, Secure Digital (SD) cards are a natural for ultra-compact cameras, where every millimeter counts. But it's the security features built into the SD card that make it so versatile. SD cards can be “partitioned,” and copyrighted material can be safely stored on the protected section of the card, while the balance of the card can be used as flash memory. Another security feature – one that will mean more to consumers – is that SD cards have a “write-protect” switch. This tiny lever slides into position to prevent data from being erased or over-written on a card. If you've ever taken multiple memory cards on vacation, you can imagine how useful this feature can be. Just slide the lever when a card is full, and you'll know it's off-limits until you get home and download the contents. Another popular memory card, the MMC (MultiMedia Card) can be used interchangably with SD cards in many cameras. The two types of card are very similar, except that MMC cards lack SD cards' security features.