AAEON PCMCIA_CompactFlash - Manual (Page 3)

User’s Manual
3
Introduction
Thank you for buying one of our PCMCIA or CompactFlash™ ATA to
IDE drives or modules.
ATA PCMCIA drives
ATA PCMCIA cards have long been used in notebook computers for
data storage and information sharing. PCMCIA drives are compact
and durable and provide an inexpensive way to add hard drive capacity
to a notebook computer. Our ATA to IDE drives allow a desktop
computer system to use PCMCIA ATA cards to facilitate information
sharing between notebook and desktop computer systems. In addition,
our ATA to IDE drives give system integrators the option of using
PCMCIA drives as an alternative to conventional floppy, hard disk and
CD-ROM disc drives. PCMCIA drives are particularly well-suited for
use in harsh industrial computing environments where heat, dust and
vibration prevents the use of other types of drives.
ATA CompactFlash drives
CompactFlash™ is the world's smallest removable mass storage
device. The technology was first introduced by SanDisk Corporation
in 1994. CompactFlash cards weigh only 14 grams and are approxi-
mately the size of a book of matches.
CompactFlash cards connect to readers and other devices through a 50-
pin connector, compared to the 68-pin connector that is used by
PCMCIA cards. However, CompactFlash cards fully comply to ATA
specifications.