Memory Card Readers

What is a Flash Card Reader?

Flash Memory Card Readers are peripheral devices that are used to access data stored on re-recordable flash memory cards. They are designed to read and/or write to a single type, or multiple types, of flash memory cards. Common memory card formats include SmartMedia, SD memory cards, Multimedia, CompactFlash, XD, MiniSD, MicroSDHC, SDHC and more.

The flash memory cards themselves are physically small, comparable to the size of coins, but have large storage capacity, capable of holding dozens of gigabytes of data. The cards can be quickly and conveniently “hot-swapped”, or added and removed from the readers without the need to restart the computer or device.

Flash memory cards are able to store music, images, videos, and documents, practically any type of file that can be read by a computer or digital device. The flash cards allow for data to be transferred to, or between, virtually any device capable of reading the cards, such as other computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and music players. Some memory card readers also enable transferring data directly between different types of memory cards.

The card readers themselves are often physically small, with some being small enough to fit inside a pants pocket. They are designed to provide users with easily accessible slots for quickly inserting and removing cards. The flash card readers will often have multiple slots, usually one for each supported card type or format, so users can take advantage of the diverse selection of flash card formats available and to enable simultaneously use multiple cards of different types.

External flash card readers typically use high-speed USB to easily connect to computers, in order to transfer data at high-speeds and to provide power for the devices. Most USB flash memory card readers and flash memory cards are compatible with both PC and Mac platforms.