Card Reader

What Does Card Reader Mean?

A card reader is a hardware device that can read and write to a memory card or memory stick. It is often used to deliver data to computers or other devices for display and/or storage purposes.

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Techopedia Explains Card Reader

In the most basic sense, a card reader is used to access the contents of a memory card in a given format and passes them on to another device. Often, the memory card or stick shows up as a "mounted drive" on a computer or device. One of the biggest aspects of designing card readers is the range of drivers and software solutions needed to achieve the conversion from one format to another. The methods and strategies used in such conversion vary from one product to another, but, overall, manufacturers have made improvements in making USB card readers and other devices consistently universal, so that most recipient devices can recognize and read the data from a portable card or stick.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…