The nascent Miniature Card (MC) format for Flash memory is coming to a desktop near you.

The Miniature Card Implementer's Forum (MCIF) said that connectivity products that link the tiny - about half the size of PC Cards - devices to desktop and notebook systems are imminent. The Intel-backed MC is intended to provide a means of storage for very small computing and communications devices.

The MCIF group showcased MC devices at the 1997 Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas. These included a USB-enabled Cherry keyboard that integrates an MC slot for transferring data to a host PC. For instance a card with images captured by an MC-capable digital camera could be uploaded. The demonstrations also included tasters of a Konica digital camera, Olympus voice recorder, and Philips' Windows CE-based Velo1 palmtop with dictation system.

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