Michal Ždanský On the server Kickstarter.com another interesting project has appeared, this time it is a special adapter for a MicroSD card that fits exactly into the body of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro and thus allows the computer's memory to be expanded by several tens to hundreds of gigabytes. Especially for the slimmest pro notebooks, this can be a great and relatively inexpensive way to expand a relatively small SSD drive capacity.
Expanding the disk capacity is not exactly a cheap matter, moreover, disassembling a laptop is not a task for everyone, besides, this way you will lose the warranty. An external drive is a possible solution, but on the one hand you lose one USB port and on the other hand it is not a more suitable method for frequent portability, for which the MacBook Air is otherwise perfectly adapted. An alternative option is to use the slot for SD (Secure Digital) cards. Current MacBooks also support high-capacity SDXC cards (currently up to 128 GB), which allow transfer speeds of up to 30 MB/s. However, a regular SD card would protrude from the MacBook and, if permanently placed, would disturb the aesthetics of the computer itself
The Nifty MiniDrive is designed to blend in with the body of the MacBook, i.e. to be flush with the side edge of the chassis and to ideally match the color as well. The adapter part is made of the same material using the same process as the aluminum unibody of MacBooks, so it fits into the design of the laptop. In addition to the silver color, however, you can also choose blue, red or pink. Since the SD card slots are different for MacBook Pro and Air, the manufacturer offers two variants for each of the models. Pro version is also compatible with the new MacBook Pro with retina display.
The Nifty MiniDrive adapter costs $30 (roughly CZK 600) including shipping. You can buy a microSD card with the currently highest capacity of 64 GB (not included in the package) anywhere for around 1800 CZK, maybe even cheaper. So, for example, you can expand the storage of the basic 13" MacBook Air model by 50% for a total of CZK 2400. In the case of the cheapest 11" model, this method is not very worthwhile, because the 128 GB version costs "only" CZK 3000 more, that is, on the assumption that you are only going to buy a laptop. But if you already own a MacBook Air, this is the cheapest and most elegant solution to the problem of lack of disk space. It is definitely a cheaper solution than buying an 8000 CZK more expensive model due to the additional 128 GB, if you do not use all this space, but the capacity of the basic model is simply not enough.
The whole project is still in the stage of obtaining funds on the server Kickstarter.com, however, the $11 target amount to be raised has already been exceeded tenfold, with 000 days left until the end of funding. You can pre-order the adapter this way, however, the first swallows will arrive to customers sometime in the second half of October.
Is it not worth it for 11″? With him, it is completely impossible, especially due to the absence of an SD reader.
Well, I just wanted to note that it wouldn't be possible with the 11″ Air ;)
It really didn't work, fixed :-)
Interesting that such a "reduction" can be purchased for less than 5 dollars
Yeah? eg where?
Yeah? eg where?
You obviously do not own an MBA 13″, because otherwise you would know that the card slot does not accept the SD card in its entirety, but only about half of it, i.e. it sticks out badly. Yes, MicroSD adapters are sold but in the same size as the SD cards themselves = it doesn't solve anything. I was already slowly starting to wonder when someone on kickstarter would finally come up with this idea. I'm going to take a look at it and possibly sponsor it right away.
I'm sorry, I've never used the card slot, so I don't know. my fault. Of course, I meant the classic ones where you insert a micro sd card into an sd card
It's true, they are available for purchase and I've been thinking about making a similar "sticker" for a long time, but it wouldn't be as well thought out as this Kickstarter project offers. For a price of about 620 CZK at the current exchange rate, it's great. In addition, thanks to the fact that, as one of the few kickstarter projects, it is a project of people from the UK, shipping to Europe is free. worldwide then costs 5 USD.
Well, I backed it up, I was a bit shocked when I found out that it is currently not possible to get a MicroSDXC card of any capacity on the Czech market. Normally, only MicroSDHC with a capacity of up to 32GB is available, but it is slower than SDXC, but it can be purchased from CZK 400.
It honestly seems like a completely unnecessary thing to me. The best thing is how he started the time machine for it. Backing up to such a medium would only be a big suicide, let alone drag some large data onto it, it's slow, so I wouldn't want it, even though it's a good idea.
When I bought the MBA 13″ with this port, I was thinking in terms of a possible capacity expansion, and that's because paying extra for a 256GB SSD seemed rather expensive to me ;). Unfortunately, I later found out that the card was leaking, now the original intention will finally come true thanks to this jack. You are right that this is a rather slow solution, although cards are also made with write speeds of around 30-40MB/s and read speeds of 35-45MB/s, which corresponds to a quality flash drive with USB2.0, but it is still relatively slow. I definitely wouldn't be afraid of reading, so I'll take it as a data store that I don't need to move often, and so I'll mostly read it with the fact that I'll get over it one day and copy it there. BTW, backing up on TimeMachine is not exactly fast either, most of the time it is slower than USB2.0, the speed of Nkov Wi-Fi corresponds ideally to the speed of USB2.0 and if someone has Air (for which this product is mainly intended) then they do not have gigabit ethernet. provided it doesn't have a ThunderBolt and gigabit external ethernet (which is currently quite a new thing) so in a real-world situation TimeCapsule (TimeMachine) is about as fast a solution as an SDHC/XC memory card.
The best thing is a pulled up T-shirt around the neck, like the redhead has...
I thought that replacing the disc would not void the warranty. Or does it only apply to RAM?
Apple officially does not allow disk replacement at MBA, in other words, if there are screws on the bottom of the NTB for which you need specialized tools, then Apple does not allow it. With classic MBPs, both the disk and the RAM can be replaced without losing the warranty = there are classic cross screws at the bottom of the lid.
I just want to ask... if I send them 30 dollars, I will buy it and it will come to me in the mail or is it just a sponsorship gift?
Good day. Is there any way to expand the air 11 inch 64GB to 128GB, ????