Right now, a Sony Memory Stick can only work with Sony-made devices.

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It's not a straightforward process, and you'll need a card reader or a PC that's equipped to handle a Sony Memory Stick (as opposed to a normal USB drive).

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The camera can also shoot short video clips that can be saved to a Memory Stick--Sony's chewing gum-sized flash memory device.

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SanDisk actually co-owns the Memory Stick PRO with Sony, thanks to a partnership going back to 2003, and co-founded the CompactFlash (CF) standard with Canon.

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Even then, purchased music must be stored on a special type of Memory Stick another Sony design that includes Sony's MagicGate copy protection.

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Moreover, Sony pushes its own proprietary technology, including the Memory Stick used in the new Cli, at a time when the rest of the world has embraced open standards.

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And since it's a Sony product, it also uses that company's Memory Stick for removable storage.

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To that end, Sony deserves credit for the flexibility it's offered with its relatively expensive and unpopular Memory Stick Pro Duo.

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If so, the Memory Stick will join the likes of the Betamax and MiniDisc in the halls of bygone Sony standards.

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Many of Sony 's products (nyse: SNE - news - people) use that company's Memory Stick storage technology, which is about the size of a stick of gum and holds up to 64 MB.

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