Memory Stick is a removable
flash memory card format, launched by
Sony in October 1998, and is also used in general to describe the whole family of Memory Sticks. In addition to the original Memory Stick, this family includes the
Memory Stick PRO, a revision that allows greater maximum storage capacity and faster file transfer speeds;
Memory Stick Duo, a small-form-factor version of the Memory Stick (including the
PRO Duo); and the even smaller
Memory Stick Micro (
M2). In December 2006, Sony added the
Memory Stick PRO-HG, a high speed variant of the PRO to be used in
high-definition video and still cameras. Memory Stick cards can be used in Sony PSP, Sony XDCAM EX
camcorders via the MEAD-SD01 adapter.
SanDisk and
Lexar are among few third-party Memory Stick producers.
Kingston offers universal microSD to Memory Stick Pro Duo adapters, but these are unofficial.