The ExpressCard™ specification was developed as the next generation PC card by the PCMCIA standards organization. ExpressCard™ will be compatible with advanced serial bus technologies including USB and PCI Express. The new ExpressCard™ products will be available in two standard card sizes. Express Card 34 and Express Card 54 will both fit into a universal slot with one common connector size. The new specification provides the proven reliability and ease of use of the PC Card form factor while offering faster performance and ease of use.
The ExpressCard™ connector is a "beam on blade" design which will provide low cost and reliable performance. The interconnection system includes a 26 position Card connector and a surface mount, 26 position right angle Host connector. The connector system is designed for 10,000 cycles durability on the card and 5,000 cycles on the host. TE Connectivity contributed both mechanical and electrical engineering input during the development phase of the new specification. The connectors are compliant to the current specification Revision 1.0 of the Express Card Standard. The ExpressCard™ host interface supports a PCI Express single lane (x1) operating at 2.5 Gigabits/second as defined by the PCI Express Base Specification and low, full, and high-speed USB as defined by the USB 2.0 Specification.