SD/MMC MemPlug Springboard Announced

Posted By: Ed on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 9:46:45 AM

Pocket Innovations has announced the MemPlug SD/MMC, a Springboard module that, as its name suggests, allows the Visor line to use SD and MMC cards. It comes with seven built-in applications to perform functions like move files around, backup the handheld's memory, view images, and more. It will also have a vibrating alarm. A release date and price have not yet been announced.

MemPlug SD/MMC It comes with PiDirect, which allows users to access read-only apps and databases on the card, and PiVFSMgr, which allows Palm OS 4.0 VFS-supported applications to run on the Visor just like they would on the Palm m500 series or Sony Clié.

It's other built-in apps are:

PiBackup -- Does the backup and restoration of applications and data to and from the card.
PiMover -- Handles file management for the SD/MMC card and can create up to 25 levels of sub-directories to manage files.
PiPrefs -- Does quick or full formatting for the card and manages other preferences.
PiViewer -- allows direct decoding and viewing of JPEG images from memory cards in 16-bit color or 16 gray-scale display.
gMovie Player -- Allows the playback of 16-bit color video, animation or still images stored on the card.
CspotRun -- Allows direct viewing of files in Palm Doc format stored on the SD/MMC card.

Its 1 MB onboard ROM is flashable so it can be updated by the company with new versions of the applications.

It is not yet know if it will be able to use SD input/output devices; however, all of the other MemPlug versions are restricted to using just memory cards. Other versions include ones for Compact Flash, Smart Media, and Memory Sticks.

Thanks to skoty for the tip. -Ed

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Great!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 11:25:26 AM #

I have ben using the MemPlug Smatmedia adapter for about 8 months and it has perfomed flawlessly! Sounds like this will give the Visor users out there like me with a little bit of an advantage. Or at least comporable to Palm's m500 series, vibrating alarm etc...
Hope it's not too expensive!

RE: Great!

Coyote67 @ 1/9/2002 5:03:34 PM #

I took have been using the smartmedia memplug since it was released. Its my favorite springboard, next to my minijam. Nothing about the memplugs is bad, the work how they are supposed to work, and they work flawlessly.

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When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.

Sweet!

jumex @ 1/9/2002 1:16:06 PM #

I have been waiting for this, Pocket Innovations are SO awesome. With their Springboard cards they have brought ALL the expandable media for all the Palm devices to your Visor.
With these modules out, I don't really feel like upgrading to anything except a color Visor, since I don't care about form factor (the Vosor is a good size) and I don't want a mobile phone.
Awesome!

--
Trevor Menagh
www.trevreport.org

All Memory Supported

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 4:26:43 PM #

I had heard rumors about this comming out when the Memory Stick MemPlug came out. Now Handspring Visor users have the option of using any type of removable media out there. That's definately something the other brands can't say.

skoty

(I can't post any comments while logged in. I just get a 500 error. Anyone else having this problem. I can only post anonymously.)

RE: All Memory Supported

Coyote67 @ 1/9/2002 5:05:28 PM #

Actually the memorystick module has been out for some time, before the SD/MMC one was released. There is now a memplug that can accept compactflash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, SD, and MMC. No other handheld can come close to that. Only the handera, but its still far away. I hope there will be a way to use SDIO devices with the memplug. Anyone know the voltage difference between the springboard slot and a SD/MMC slot?

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When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.

RE: All Memory Supported

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/10/2002 8:19:05 AM #

> No other handheld can come close to that.
> Only the handera, but its still far away.

I'm not sure what you mean by this? There have been CF adaptors for SmartMedia and Memory Stick for some time now.

Beta Update for Memplugs is GREAT!

TDS @ 1/9/2002 10:12:44 PM #

On the Memplug forum on yahoo, there is a beta version of the new memplug drivers (Version 1.81). I have been using them for a week and have experienced almost no problems. The speed increase in incredible! My smartmedia card feels at least 40% faster. Best of all, VFS works perfect with this update! Wordsmith 2.1 access's files on the Memplug instantly instead of waiting 2 - 3 minutes.

All memplug products are well supported and driver updates come out on a regular basis. I wonder what great product they will come up with next, now that they have covered all of the "memory" bases. Maybe a floppy disk adapter ? :)

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