One of my favourite things about digital is how it moved cameras away from single use film technology, but Sandisk is looking at bringing it back by releasing a single write memory card, which is like disposable film for your digital camera.
Engadget received a tip from a SanDisk customer who took a survey about a proposed write-once memory card.
The most interesting new piece of information is the price: a 400 photo, 1GB write-once card for a proposed $5.99 as described by our tipster. We can’t vouch for his claims — nevertheless, what he says is consistent with what we’ve heard and certainly makes sense.
We aren’t sure when such a thing would be released, but this honestly, from a consumer standpoint, doesn’t make sense to me, with the price of rewriteable memory cards around twice or three times the price of the proposed write-once cards. I don’t understand the target market, and I definitely don’t see myself as a potential consumer of these cards.
Great idea, or huge flop, I guess we will have to wait and see.
One potential use would be a one-time use disposable digital camera. If you could get a 3 or 4 megapixel throwaway camera for $20-$30 that holds a couple hundred pics that could be handy. How many times do you wish you could have a camera, but were afraid of your ‘real’ camera being damaged and the camera in your phone just plain wouldn’t cut it? How about at the beach, amusement park or concert? How about an underwater disposable digital camera that you can use scuba diving or snokeling on vacation? How about at parties, weddings or other events where it is nice to let the guests take some pics with a ‘cheap’ disposable?
If the chip was re-writable, folks would buy the cameras, use it and then tear ‘em apart for the chip. With a write-once chip you can take all the pics you want and download ‘em to the PC, but can’t ever use the chip again. I can definitely see a use for such a chip and have commented for years that it would be nice to have a disposable digital camera so this just might make it happen.
Pretty sure there are already disposable digital cameras, and while this memory card might make such things “unhackable”, it seems to me that they are marketing this like “film” for a camera or as an archive storage system.
One place I could see this working – major vacation destinations. Think Disney World. You’ve filled up your paltry 512 MB card and it’s only day two, so you need some more memory. Disposable Sandisk to the rescue!
Basically, it is “extra film,” in the sense that it allows you to buy more temporary memory when you don’t want to spring for another full card.
Otherwise, I can’t imagine why anyone would buy it.
I’ve always wondered if there would be a niche market for this kind of thing in an MP3 Player for people who work in DOD Classified Environments or Corporate Environments where “recordable” devices are forbidden. Since I purchase all my Music through iTunes, CDBaby Mp3′s or Amazon MP3s I can’t listen to the music at work because only Store bought CD’s are allowed in, and no “recordable” MP3 Players are allowed in house.
I’ve always wondered if there would be a niche market for this kind of thing in an MP3 Player for people who work in DOD Classified Environments or Corporate Environments where “recordable” devices are forbidden. Since I purchase all my Music through iTunes, CDBaby Mp3’s or Amazon MP3s I can’t listen to the music at work because only Store bought CD’s are allowed in, and no “recordable” MP3 Players are allowed in house.????????