Using cheaper MicroSD memory in your PSP and Sony cameras is a no-no

David Carnoy | Jun 04, 2009

The SDHC MicroSD to Memory Stick MS Pro Duo Adapter Sleeve costs just US$2.85. (Credit: DealExtreme)

For anybody who complains that Sony's Memory Stick Duo memory cards are too expensive compared with other forms of flash memory, DealExtreme has a solution. It's the StarJade SDHC MicroSD to Memory Stick MS Pro Duo Adapter Sleeve, which retails for a mere US$2.85, including free shipping. Unfortunately, the only problem is that it's illegal (see "update" note at the bottom of the post).

A quick comparison on Amazon for prices of Micro SD and Memory Stick Duo reveals that an 8GB MicroSDHC card costs around $20 (with shipping), while an 8GB Memory Stick Duo card comes in around US$34 with shipping. (Yes, the adapter supports higher-capacity SDHC MicroSD cards). Step up to a 16GB card and the delta is about US$25, with entry-level 16GB microSDHC cards retailing for around US$50.

The description on the product page says the adapter works with a wide variety of portable electronics devices, including cameras and audio players. We can't vouch for the reliability of the adapter but we did order a couple to test out, which we now realize may have been a no-no.

Note: This adapter won't work with the new PSP Go, which uses Sony's Memory Stick Micro (M2).

Update: Mike McCarthy of SanDisk writes: "The microSD-Memory Stick adapter is illegal, unlicensed and infringes on Sony Corp patents. Maybe it's cool to promote this stuff as a 20-year-old blogger, but I thought CNET would have higher standards." As a result of Mike's comment, we have summoned some maturity and edited the post.

Via Crave CNET

Filed under: Games and Gear
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