Choosing and using storage cards |
| | Because there are so many things you can do with a Windows Mobile phone, it’s likely that at some point you will run out of system memory space on your phone to store everything you want to have with you. Think about everything you’d like to do when you’re out and about: downloading applications; saving Microsoft Office Word Mobile documents, Excel Mobile spreadsheets, or PowerPoint Mobile presentations and e-mail attachments; playing videos and music; and snapping and storing photos. Not a problem.
Ever since I’ve had a mobile device, I’ve always bought at least one removable flash memory card (also called storage card or expansion card) to avoid being inconvenienced by running out of storage space. |
| What is a flash memory card? | A flash memory card is a small wafer-thin card that you can slide into the expansion slot on your mobile device. If you have a digital camera, you probably already have one size of flash memory card to expand the capacity of your camera to store photos.
Flash memory is non-volatile or persistent memory, which means that it retains the information stored (on the card or chip) even when the device is turned off (or lost). Memory, in this context, means long-term storage. Another advantage of flash memory cards is that they are very durable. They are able to withstand extremes of temperature and even immersion in water. (Although we do not recommend trying this at home!)
The Secure Digital (SD) memory card format was originally developed by Matsushita, SanDisk, and Toshiba. The new Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) format has caused some confusion, as it is not compatible with all devices. The “secure” in the name refers to allowing some enforcement of digital rights management. |
| Choosing the right memory card | Before you go reaching for that 8 GB card on a retailer’s shelf, remember that not all memory cards are the same. When selecting a memory card, you need to check your phone manufacturer’s specifications for these three parameters: physical size, memory capacity, and type. Then, you’ll be making sure you’re buying a storage card that your phone can support. | Physical size Memory cards have been getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller. Some PDAs still support the Compact Flash (CF) card, which is the largest of all the flash memory cards. The size of the card has no relationship to the capacity or amount of data it can store. SD cards come in three sizes: Secure Digital (SD) cards – Physically largest SD card. SD cards include a write-protect switch, to guard against accidental erasure MiniSD cards – About 60% smaller than SD cards MicroSD cards – The smallest of all
Memory Capacity The cost of a memory card rises with the amount of storage capacity. If you don’t plan on storing a lot of photos, video, or large applications and associated data; you may be fine with a one or two GB card. SD or SDHC Type When buying an SD memory card of two GB or more, be sure to check whether your device supports the SD High Capacity (SDHC™) type card based on the new SDA 2.0 file system specification. (If you want to get technical about it, legacy SD cards are FAT 16 file system compatible and the SDHC cards are FAT 32 compatible.)
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| SDHC cards are the same physical size as a regular or legacy SD card but are not backward compatible, which means they only work in devices that support the new format. So, to transfer data from my SDHC storage card to my computer, I must slip the card into the USB carrier device that came with the card. But, it’s worth it; I like having 4 GB of space—that’s equivalent of one DVD—packed on to my phone.
When buying an SDHC card, look for the official logo from the Secure Digital Association (SDA). |
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 Figure 1. SD and SDHC logos |
How to find what your device supports |
| To discover what my new device would support, I checked the specifications. On my mobile operator’s Web site, I found that the phone supported a microSD™ (up to 4 GB), but there was no mention of whether it supported SDHC.
I checked the Windows Mobile Browse and Buy catalog. I looked up my phone, then under the Hardware section, I found what I wanted under “expandable memory.” |
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 Figure 2. Check the device specifications to see what your phone supports. |
Using your memory card | The slot for the expandable memory card may be on the side, the bottom, the top, or even adjacent to the battery on the phone. Some phones come with a plastic blank in the slot, to keep it free of dust or debris. A word of caution: These cards may be durable when it comes to extremes of temperature, but they are still delicate electronics so insert them firmly but carefully. Check to make sure you have the right end up. You’ll hear a “click” when the card goes in place correctly.
Having lots of room makes it easier to try applications that either improve your productivity, or are just plain fun such as games, music, podcasts, or videos. Here are some of the things you can do. | Install and run applications - Because of improvements in memory card technology and device processing power, many large applications run quite well from a storage card. For example, recently I upgraded to the latest version of Microsoft Office Mobile and loaded it on my storage card instead of system memory. My advice is to check individual software vendors to see their recommendations. To make it easier to manage applications on my phone, I used File Explorer to create a new folder on my storage card I call “To Install,” where I download applications before installing them in the Program folder. Note: Some programs do not show up if they are moved to a storage card. Save e-mail attachments – When I configure my e-mail on my phone, I always choose the option of saving attachments to my storage card instead of in system memory. That way, I’m automatically preserving system memory. This is how I did it on my phone with Windows Mobile 6: In the Messaging application, click (or tap) Menu, click Options, then click the Storage tab and select the When available, use this storage card to store attachments check box. Back up files - To learn more about how to use your storage card with third-party backup utilities, read Protect Your Data: Back Up And Synchronize.
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| Once you have a storage card in place, it’s easy to transfer files from the built-in memory to a storage card. | Click (or tap) Programs and then click File Explorer. Click and hold the document you want to move and options will appear. Click Cut. Click My Device and navigate to the list of folders. Click Storage Card. Click and hold on an empty space in the new folder and options will appear. Click Paste.
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| Remember that Active Sync does not synchronize files on a storage card. However, there are third party applications available that do. |
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|  |  | About the authorTyson Greer is CEO of Ambient Insight LLC, a research and development firm that specializes in wireless productivity products and mobile learning technology. As a mobile maven, Tyson makes a habit to keep in close touch with colleagues and customers on the latest mobile device she can get her hands on. |
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