Nokia drops RS-MMC(?)
 

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/..._5MP_Camer.php

This is yet another new Nokia phone that uses *microSD* instead of RS-MMC. So much for card swapping with the 770.

I think, if they are indeed serious about this whole Internet Tablet thing, Nokia needs to kick out a new Tablet with that microSD slot.

No, it would be quite stupid. They should include full-sized SD/MMCplus slot so you can insert any of SD/miniSD/microSD/MMC/MMCplus/RS-MMC/MMCmobile card. And possibly two slots when they are at it :-)

BTW MMCplus/MMCmobile have 8 data pins vs 4 pins for SD so the speed can be higher.

But seriously, I don't think memory slot type has something to do with being serious or is the reason to release new tablet. Looks like genuine 'Mike Cane' post ;-)

Mike does make a valid point that Nokia should be standardising on one card type - looks like they have chosen SD rather than RS-MMC which is a shame as this probably means RS-MMC capacities will increase even more slowly in future than at present, due to lack of demand.

The suggestion that Nokia are not serious about the "whole Internet Tablet thing" simply because they have chosen to now back a different memory card standard which may offer larger and cheaper capacities than RS-MCC is, as ever, bogus. It just means Nokia have acknowledged they may have made a mistake when specifying RS-MMC for the Nokia 770 over 18 months ago. Maybe next time they'll consult you first, Mike?

No, why? Maybe for phones, but even then I don't see a reason until all manufacturers of (phones/mp3players/digicams,...) will standardise on ONE card type. As for tablets - full slot (for all types I mentioned) is better when there is space for it. And tablet is bigger than phone.


No, why? Others will use it. And they all contain same flash chips and are compatible (except the physical size), it is just packaging. MMCmobile cards are now at 2GB and price is same as other cards with same size.

Well they just took the cheapest option. They did the same with CPU and RAM. N770 was just a test. Many people inside Nokia didn't believe it will fly. Low cost was very important for first version.

You're right - for a device the size of the 770, Nokia should have used full size SD or CF, but I guess Nokia determined there simply wasn't the space to fit a full size slot. Instead they went for a relatively niche format, RS-MMC, which is supported by hardly anyone other than Nokia. It's about as popular as Fuji xD-Picture Card! :( Now it appears even Nokia don't seem to be 100% behind RS-MMC and may be switching to micro-SD! If only they'd gone that route 18 months ago :)

Here we will have to disagree! :) Who else is using RS-MMC other than Nokia in a mass market product? While all flash devices may be the same under the plastic, what flash memory manufacturer is going to package their memory in the relatively unpopular RS-MMC format when they could put the same memory in SD or CF packaging and sell it by the boat load? Why squeeze 4GB of memory into an RS-MMC device that will sit on the shelf, rather than walk off it as would be the case if it were in SD format?

If Nokia continued pushing out great phones that used RS-MMC, perhaps flash memory suppliers would consider ramping up RS-MMC capacities. While there is dwindling support from device manufacturers using the format, memory manufacturer interest will eventually disappear. I doubt we will see a 4GB RS-MMC device - ever. :(

Can't disagree here - are their licencing costs associated with SD or CF? Who invented the RS-MMC format anyway - maybe it was Nokia and it saved a few more pennies!

It's a shame Nokia didn't use one of the better supported full size or even micro formats; I've got 4GB CF and 2GB SD cards sitting here, unused (well they're in an iPAQ hx4700, which is unused, as it's rubbish!) :)

/ignore snide smartass comments

When Nokia explained *to me* why the 770 had RS-MMC instead of SD, their justification was that RS-MMC was what their *phones* used, hence people could, for example, take a phonecam pic and xfer it to the 770. That can't happen now, can it, wiseguys?

And if anyone posting here is from Nokia, DECLARE it.

Plenty of Nokia phones still use MMC, but there is an obvious transition taking place to SD. Approriately so IMO because hi-capacity MMCs are hard to find and, much as you would like to think, Nokia cannot change the overwhleming trend in memory cards. The next generation Nokia 770 may have SD instead of MMC so any criticisms aren't valid until then.

who cares, Nokia should have used sd/mini sd. I hate the whole stupid mmc format. Sure, lets take an obscure format that stores seldom carry and make it so you have to pay a premium to buy them over the net. Silly. The store i bought my N770 from (CompUSA) doesn't even carry mmc cards. Fry's also carries N770, you can probably get a mmc card there but it will be the slow san disk, and it will be a returned item, if you are lucky enough to find one in stock. Other tores? ha! most retail clearks have never even heard of an mmc card... but every week, loads and loads of sales for SD cards at numerous stores... "but it's a popular format overseas..." who cares.. so was Minidisc.. see them in any store lately? Come one Nokia, get with the times.

Amen to everything you said, Gigabytes. I had a very hard time tracking down a store that even had MMC cards, much less RS-MMC ones and I live only a few miles from Redmond. I ended up having to go to Frys, where all they had were returned 1 GB cards. Beyond that, the RS-MMC when combined with the slow USB transfer of the 770 ends up taking forever to transfer any significant megabyteage. I would greatly prefer a full size SD (hopefully supporting SDHC) or even a CF slot (even though such a device would have to be slightly larger) as well as a fullsize USB port with host mode support on any future Nokia tablet device. The speed, much smaller available capacity and lack of availability of RS-MMC all make it a non starter for me. The argument they went with RS-MMC so that you could transfer photos from your phone is lame, imo. In the US at least, it is almost impossible to find a decent camera phone. If you are talking about transfering files from a real digicam and not a sub megapixel CMOS POS, then you are talking SD or CF support.

I am getting oh soo tired of companies that go with smaller ports and oddball memory card formats in the name of shaving off a fraction of a millimeter, requiring me to carry around a host of cables and adapters. I want a device that is complete in its own right. I will be looking at any future Nokia tablet with great scrutiny before making a purchase decision.

fanoush said it in his first post here: they should have included a full size SD/MMC slot, so all would be happy: users who already have a rs-mmc card - other Nokia customers - and people who use any of the sd/mmc derivatives.

I have a bunch of sd cards: 1GB for my camera, 1GB micro-sd for my phone, etc.

Why not a SD/MMC slot?? Can't be because of licensing or hardware cost, I see pen-shaped sd/mmc - usb2.0 card readers for 5 euros...!!


BTW Re: mmc being more available 'overseas' - being overseas, there's still a big difference between sd availability and rs-mmc! I'd say, it's easier to find xD-picture cards in regular shops here than rs-mmc.


Edit:
forgot: it's much much easier to find fast SD cards - MMC should work in my camera as well, but the fastest rs-mmc I found is 88x - unfortunately after I purchased my dog slow Kingston 1GB 1.5MB/s..., my 1GB SD is 133x (~18 - 20MB/s) and that makes a big difference on a usb2.0 card reader. Moreso compared to 1.5MB/s.