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Next Generation SD card specifications announced

The SD Association has announced the next-generation SD card specification, the SDXC. This new SDXC specification provides for up to 2TB storage capacity.

Matthew Fitzgerald Associate Testing Analyst
Matthew Fitzgerald, a CNET associate editor, has been involved with digital camera technology and the photo industry for more than 15 years. His background includes work as a professional photographer, a technical representative, and a repair technician.
Matthew Fitzgerald
SD Association

First there was just SD, then SDHC (high capacity), soon there will be SDXC (extended capacity). The SD Association has announced the next generation SD card specification, the SDXC. This new SDXC specification provides for up to 2TB storage capacity and brings the SD interface speeds up to 104MB per second by the end of 2009, and with a future road map of 300MB per second. Specifications for this new SDXC standard will be released in the first quarter of 2009. The new SDXC specifications make some major jumps in capacity while retaining the standard SD card interface. Their proposed size would allow for lots of portable entertainment with a 2TB card capable of holding 100 HD movies, 60 hours of HD recording or up to 17,000 high-quality photos. That's a lot of media on a little memory card, giving handhelds incredible storage capacity as well as camcorders; that's a lot of high quality HD footage on a little SD card. The new SDXC card specification employs Microsoft's exFAT file system to support its large capacity and compatibility with a broad range of PCs, laptops, handhelds, digital cameras, and more. For more info about the SD Association, please visit here.