PictBridge technology may be a popular way to share phenomenal photos with family and friends, but it is hardly the only way. Another very effective and easy way to print frame worthy shots is through a card reader.
These days you will be hard pressed to find a digital camera that doesn’t have the memory space to store at least a few thousand high-resolution pictures. However, if you want to move your cherished shots from your camera directly onto your computer without using cables, you’ll need a card reader.
This is where a Secure Digital (SD) card comes into play. Many point-and-shoot digital cameras on the market today have a little slot for a memory card. These tiny cards are a little smaller than a postage stamp and can store up to 32 gigabytes of information, which translates into a few thousand low-resolution pictures.
Here’s what I see as the benefits of purchasing a SD card: First, they are exponentially more durable than traditional storage media, such as hard drives, especially since they have no moving parts. What’s more, SD cards can be dropped from about 10 feet without sustaining damage. Think about what would happen if you tossed a hard drive from that height.
Another pro is the fact that SD cards are extremely accessible. Dozens of companies make and sell SD cards. Moreover, they are relatively inexpensive and available a variety of big-box discount stores, including Wal-Mart. A 2GB card, which stores hundreds of pictures and/or some video, costs less than $10 at most stores.
Finally, to get your pictures made into prints all you need to do is pop the SD card out of the camera and slide it into a card reader. This method is a plus because you save battery life since your camera is never on when you download photos this way. Another bonus: Many standard PCs and laptops come equipped with built-in SD card readers.
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