1GB write-once SanDisk memory cards to cost $5.99?
By Thomas Ricker 
posted November 20th 2007 6:36AM
posted November 20th 2007 6:36AM
Remember how Sandisk was flirting with read-only, cheap-archival storage based on their new "3D memory' back in February? Well, it sounds like they're about to commit. We just received a tip from a SanDisk customer who took a survey about a proposed write-once memory card. The most interesting new piece of information is the price: a 400 photo, 1GB write-once card for a proposed $5.99 as described by our tipster. We can't vouch for his claims -- nevertheless, what he says is consistent with what we've heard and certainly makes sense. We'll break it down for you as we received it: - The new "memory cards (memory stick)" will be widely available in food, drug, camera, and convenience stores (we already knew that Wal-Mart and Walgreens were involved)
- The new format fits your existing camera
- Large enough to store at least 100 photos per card (does that mean 256MB cards for $2.00 or less?)
- Write-once technology stores your pictures safely for over 100 years (check)
- Less expensive than standard re-writeable memory cards (duh)
[Thanks, Chris G]
What's the underlying technology? EPROM? You can't judge reliability without knowing what you've got.
If it's EPROM, check the cost between it and EEPROM (which is what flash is).
is'nt the point of digital being able to delete on the spot?
I'd like to add that it's not that the printer manufacturers don't include USB cables so that the store can sell you one.. it's more that the printer manufacturers have two things to consider:
(1) they can sell the printer at a lower price point without a cable
(2) if you already have a cable, they are doing you a service
WAAAAAAAAAAAy back in the day (early 80's ish), typically all your peripherals came with everything needed to hook them up. After you've replaced a floppy drive or a printer, suddenly, you've got an excess of cables. Do it a few times, and you've got a giant mess of extra cables.
It would've made more sense for them to include a cheap short cable -now- than it did back in the 80's, but the manufacturers learned that it made more sense for them to not include a cable back then, and that just transfers over now.
It's good to see that we have taken a leap backwards in practicality, convenience and technology.
Photography: film (write-once) > digital memory (rewriteable) > digital memory (write-once)
What the hell was the point in that step, hmm? Oh yeah, and you're on holiday and take a snap you didn't want to take. Too late! You want to edit a photo when you get back home with Photoshop or some other software. Fine. You save it. Where is it saved? Not to your crappy write-once SD card, that's for sure.
Music: I'd like to see if the quality is anywhere near as good as CD-quality.
Storage: we have portable harddrives, among other devices, and not many devices support over 2GB anyway!
Online storage solutions are so popular now as well that people don't have to worry about archiving by themselves. Oh, and storing several copies of data in several different places also doesn't produce millions and millions of tons of unnecessary plastic; I'm not an environmentalist under any terms, but I'm damn sure that's a good thing.
It seems this is targeted at newbie users. I know some people who buy SD cards, fill them with their cameras, and then never empty them. To look at the pictures, they put them back in their camera (with 1" screen).
These cards would help these people. Of course, everyone who reads this blog knows how to store their pics on their computer - but not everyone is that smart. -Michael Plasmeier
http://theplaz.com
I found a VERY good use if this card:
Bookkeeping in companies. Some countries require the software of the cash registers, and bookkeeping computers to refuse changing of data after it has been entered, and the computer cases must be taped with tamper-resistant tape to prevent physical tampering to avoid tax. Also computer based bookkeeping systems must in some countries refuse to install new software. Which means that the computer is limited to do only bookkeeping.
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What says about using a write-once card instead.
You can use it with any unapproved cash register or other unapproved software/hardware. The card could simply be signed or stamped physically by some tax agency, and then that card would be tamper-resistant.
Then users would be allowed to use their bookkeeping computers for other things than bookkeeping too. (like customer managment and internet surfing and such things)
And users are free to modify their hardware.