Toshiba unveils 4GB SD memory card

Toshiba has taken the wraps of its first 4GB SD memory card (SDHC) and has promised that 8GB and 16GB versions will hit the streets next year.

The card, shown at the IFA 2006 consumer electronics show in Berlin, heralds a new generation of much higher capacity memory cards expected to arrive in the coming year from key manufacturers.

The announcement follows hot on the heels of Toshiba’s launch of its U3 series of USB Flash drives which range in capacity from 512MB to 16GB.

The new SDHC cards will feature a maximum data transfer rate of 5Mbytes/sec, making them compliant with SDA Speed Class 4 classification which demands a minimum data transfer rate of 4Mbytes/sec.

Toshiba claims the cards will be ideal for the recording and playback of Mpeg2 and Mpeg4 video in both standard and high-definition formats. They are due out this month but there is no pricing yet.

Sandisk is also offering a 4GB SDHC card. SDHC cards look exactly like SD cards but can only be read by compatible slots, though SD cards can be read by an SDHC slot. The spec allows for capacities up to 32GB.