# PocketZip

> floppy disk storage system

**Wikidata**: [Q1671976](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1671976)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PocketZip)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pocketzip

## Summary
PocketZip was a proprietary floppy disk storage system developed by Iomega and later LenovoEMC, launched in 1999. It utilized small 40MB and later 100MB disk cartridges, marketed primarily as "Clik!", targeting portable data storage needs for early digital cameras and PDAs.

## Key Facts
- **Inception:** 1999
- **Manufacturer:** Originally Iomega, later LenovoEMC
- **Storage Capacity:** Initially 40MB, later upgraded to 100MB per disk cartridge
- **Disk Type:** 2-inch removable magnetic disk cartridges (floppy disk class)
- **Primary Market:** Portable storage for early digital cameras and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants)
- **Aliases:** Clik!, Clik, ポケットズィップ (Japanese), ポケットジップ (Japanese)
- **Nickname:** Clik!
- **Logo:** [Iomega-Clik!-40-Logo.svg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Iomega-Clik!-40-Logo.svg)
- **Image:** [IomegaClik! PocketZip Drive and Media](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/IomegaClik!PocketZipDriveandMedia.png)
- **Subclass Of:** floppy disk storage medium

## FAQs
### Q: How much data could PocketZip disks hold?
A: PocketZip disks initially held 40MB of data, with later versions offering 100MB capacity.

### Q: What was PocketZip primarily used for?
A: It was marketed primarily as portable storage for early digital cameras and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants).

### Q: Who manufactured PocketZip?
A: PocketZip was developed by Iomega and later manufactured by LenovoEMC.

### Q: Why was PocketZip considered revolutionary at the time?
A: It offered significantly higher storage capacity (40MB/100MB) in a much smaller physical form factor than traditional 3.5" floppy disks (~1.44MB), making it suitable for portable devices.

### Q: What happened to PocketZip?
A: It ultimately failed to gain significant market traction and was discontinued; its market was overshadowed by CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and USB flash drives.

## Why It Matters
PocketZip represents a significant, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, effort in the late 1990s/early 2000s to address the critical need for high-capacity, portable data storage emerging alongside digital cameras and early PDAs. While its proprietary format and cost limited adoption, it demonstrated the demand for small, removable media exceeding the capacity limits of floppy disks. Its fate also highlights the rapid pace of change in portable storage during this period, as it was quickly eclipsed by flash-based solutions. Understanding PocketZip is crucial for appreciating the evolution of personal computing peripherals and the challenges faced by proprietary formats competing with emerging standards.

## Notable For
- **Miniature Disks:** Used exceptionally small 2-inch disk cartridges, a significant size reduction compared to the standard 3.5" floppy.
- **High Capacity (for its era):** Offered 40MB and 100MB capacities, dwarfing the 1.44MB of contemporary floppies at launch.
- **Targeted Portable Devices:** Was specifically marketed and designed for integration with emerging consumer electronics like digital cameras and PDAs.
- **"Clik!" Branding:** Widely marketed under the prominent "Clik!" nickname and brand name, distinct from the Iomega Zip product line.
- **Proprietary Format:** Operated on a closed, proprietary system unlike common open formats of the time.

## Body
### Overview
PocketZip, also widely known by its nickname Clik!, was a proprietary floppy disk storage system introduced in 1999. It was developed by Iomega and later manufactured by LenovoEMC. It belonged to the floppy disk storage medium class.

### Physical Media
The system utilized small, 2-inch square disk cartridges containing removable magnetic disk media. These cartridges held significantly more data than the ubiquitous 3.5" floppy disks of the era.

### Specifications
- **Storage Capacity:** Initial cartridges held 40MB of data. Later versions increased this capacity to 100MB.
- **Disk Type:** 2-inch removable magnetic disks (classified under the floppy disk category).
- **Drive Interface:** Included PC Card (PCMCIA) adapters for laptop connectivity.

### Market and Usage
PocketZip was primarily positioned as a solution for portable data storage needs. Its key target applications were:
- **Digital Cameras:** Offered a way to store more photos than smaller capacity media like SmartMedia.
- **PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants):** Provided expandable storage for early personal digital assistants.
Despite its advantages in capacity and small size for the time, the proprietary nature of the system and the rapid rise of flash memory-based storage (like CompactFlash and later USB drives) limited its market adoption.

### Naming and Branding
While the official product name was PocketZip, it was heavily marketed under the "Clik!" nickname and brand. International aliases included the Japanese terms ポケットズィップ (Poketto Zippu) and ポケットジップ (Poketto Jippu).