Memory cards play a crucial role in recording and storing your precious memories. Though your device may have some built-in memory, it won't be enough and you will also need larger memory cards if you are looking at shooting high-resolution images and full-HD videos. A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage devices used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles. They are small, re-recordable, and able to retain data without power. Memory cards are quite sturdy and you can expect cards to be capable of working through more than one million data write/read/erase cycles. The card itself has its weakest point at its socket connectors, which are used when you remove and reinsert the memory card into a device. You can expect a memory card to be capable of withstanding around 10,000 insertions. These numbers, of course, will differ slightly between manufacturers. Like with any consumer electronic or device, proper care is required by the users to meet the lifespan of the device. You should avoid applying too much pressure on your memory cards, and never drop or bend the card either. When the correct memory card is being used in a device, it will fit into the slot only in one direction and it will easily slide and click into place. You should never have to apply any amount of pressure to make the card fit. Memory cards should also be kept away from electrostatic sources and should never be introduced to direct sunlight or extreme ranges of temperatures. Lastly, damaging the card or the data contained on it can happen if you try to eject the card from the device or card reader, or if you try and turn the device off while you are transferring the data to or from the memory card. So definitely avoid doing that to protect your data and card itself. Memory cards first took off as the storage medium of choice in photography, with cameras dispensing with film rolls to instead rely on the much smaller and cost-effective memory cards. As well as digital cameras, memory cards are commonly used in mobile phones to store information like photos and music, as well as in camcorders to store video. Memory cards are also used in other consumer electronic devices such as televisions, portable game devices, printers, DVD recorders and more. Many TVs come with card slots which allow users to see any stored photos on a big screen, while some printers allow you to print directly from images stored on a card. Types of memory cards Over the past few years the number of different types of memory cards has reduced drastically, due to standardisation. The main types currently available include SD, MicroSDHC card and Compact Flash cards. Other, less common varieties in older devices include MMC, xD Picture Card, Memory Stick and Smart Media. Some new types like XQD cards and Wi-Fi-enabled cards are also gaining popularity.