SanDisk Ultra II: 2 GB with a true Plus

Memory cards have become commodities these days and with capacities of 1 or 2 GByte being the norm for the budget range while achieving 10 MB/s of transfer rate, the true differences are less with every new version. As impressive as new data transfer rates of 40 MB/s or more sound, very few devices even utilize such speed. What's more important these days is usability.

Who didn't have the issue that getting pictures from the camera to the computer isn't all that easy when you're not at home (where the proper card reader typically resides). Carrying a reader with you isn't all that impossible since neither size nor prize are big enough hurdles anymore. Nevertheless, it still requires to remember packing the reader, and that's where the reader may let you down. In that light, Sandisk's idea of integrating the reader in the card can certainly be a life saver. In my case, it resolved the issue of a "lost" reader after a recent move and also prevented a repeat of the situation. This is a valuable feature when on vacation, and you want to pack light.

Since the SD format is limited to our point and shoot cameras (i.e. Canon SD800), the usage is limited to those devices and the SanDisk card was compatible with both Elphs which would be expected. The surprise was that the same card would not be recognized in Epson's P3000 (multimedia player). Hence there are some potential compatibility issues which I have not seen with the standard version of the memory card (2GB Ultra II). Fortunately, the P3000 managed to access the card via the USB port, an option otherwise not available for other SD cards that have compatibility issues. This configuration also allowed to copy files from my SLR's compact flash onto the USB SD card and easily get files on the laptop without ever using a card reader (if you ignore the P3000 functionality).

The USB connector is partial and only consists of the four contacts on a plastic substrate. There is no shield or hardware otherwise. The connector slides into a standard USB outlet just fine and the low weight of the card really doesn't need any better retention anyway. Once plugged in, the computer does recognize the card as a standard USB storage device and no drivers are required. This also allows for the card to work in other devices that have a USB port to accept memory drives (i.e. flash drives).

Other than the USB feature, the memory card shows nothing out of the ordinary and acts as a regular Ultra II card in normal use. That translates into 10 MB/s data transfer which of course is theoretical and applicable to large files only. There no driver needed as it's compatible with both standards SD and USB. So until the USB feature is needed, the card acts and feels like any other SD card with only the hinge giving the dual nature away.

The mechanical built of the card is surprisingly sturdy and durable. The miniature hinge and snap mechanism are holding up well. Of course we've only activated that feature roughly 30 times so far, and time will tell if it remains that way. So far there is no sign of wear.

As the Ultra II is a consumer grade memory these days, no extras like software or extended warranty are included. Given the non-professional applications of this type SD memory, that's certainly not a loss or problem.

© 2008, theuerkorn