Portable Computer Cards (PC cards) are interchangeable peripherals designed to be inserted into laptop computers in order to enable extra hardware functions. Such cards include (but are not limited to) flash memory, modems, network interface cards, and SCSI disk controllers.
They were first called PCMCIA cards as the original standards were set by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. This awkward initialism was jokingly expanded as "People Can't Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms" or "Personal Computer Manufacturers Can't Invent Acronyms". A later revision of the PC card is known as CardBus. The PCMCIA has developed a new notebook peripheral specification called ExpressCard.
The first PC cards (PCMCIA, with the more logical IBM meaning: Peripheral Component Microchannel Interconnect Architecture) were Type I, and supported actual Memory Cards (e.g. Linear or ATA Type I Flash Memory Cards), such as SRAM or flash memories. Type II cards added I/O support in addition to memory applications, and type III expanded functionality. The interface's role as I/O for various devices has largely superseded its role as a Memory Card, but this role did spawn a generation of flash memory cards that set out to improve on the size and features of ATA Type I cards (CompactFlash, MiniCard and SmartMedia).
Say it ain't so AVG, say it ain't so: AVG LinkScanner = Badware? Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:11:01 -0700 The Register covered a very interesting story about AVG. Apparently AVG is spamming the Internet with traffic that looks to be coming from Internet Explorer. AVG software pre-crawls search results to try to protect users, but uses a user agent that makes the software appear to be Internet Explorer. This pre-crawling is flooding websites with... Beaches and BBQs vs. Blackberrys: Holiday weekends of the IT set Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:48:48 -0700 "Weekend? What's a weekend?" While the rest of the country is escaping their offices for a leisurely weekend, many in IT could end up back at theirs at the beep of a Blackberry. by Deb Perelman Airport security part 4: Attack of the body scanners! Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:52:00 -0700 If you read my blog postings semi-often, you know that I'm very, very critical of problems with airport security. Nicole Wong of the Boston Globe reported that Boston's Logan International Airport will become the next airport to implement full-body scanners (thanks for the link from the LiquidMatrix guys!) that can see... First look at Ubuntu 8.10 - Intrepid Ibex Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:01:09 -0700 On Saturday the first alpha release of Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" was made available for download. So what's new on the horizon for Ubuntu users? by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes Getaway day: How to secure your laptop for holiday travel Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:24:20 -0700 It's getaway day and as we prepare to hit the road, trudge through airport security and snag that car rental, spare a thought for the valuable data that travels with you on that trusty old laptop. According to a recent study by the Ponemon Institute, more than... Amid ugly job picture, tech related employment holds up Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:55:20 -0700 The U.S. economy lost 62,000 jobs in June for the sixth straight month of employment losses with an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent, but underneath the technology sector is holding up well, according to Labor Department statistics. What a difference a downturn makes. Last...
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Personal Computer Memory Card International Association - An international standards body and trade association with over 300 member companies that was founded in 1989 to establish standards for Integrated Circuit cards and to promote interchangeability among mobile computers where ruggedness, low power, and small size were critical.
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:6:5 color hardware double buffered NTSC framebuffer, 900MHz wireless networking, PCMCIA bus interfaces, multi-media ...