Travel Technology - hmmm 52 in 1 card reader?

Are there really that many kinds of data storage devices?Seems like overkill and it might be very impractical.
I have run into problems with incompatible data storage cards-why do there have to be so many types?
PS-this came to my attention via todays Newegg specials list.

It is a marketing ploy, mostly. For example, Memory Stick alone has about 15 different formats, however they all use only 3 types of connectors.

In a lifetime would anyone use more than 3 or 4? I have only used three total.

52? Great, now I have to go buy another 46 types of media!

52? Sounds like a deck of cards. :) 52-card reader? Sounds like an automatic shuffler, or something that would require marked cards. :D

Are there really that many kinds of data storage devices?

Let's take a look at a typical 52-in-1 reader.

# CF I
# CF II
# Extreme CF
# Extreme III CF
# Ultra II CF
# HS CF
# XS-XS CF
# CF Elite PRO
# CF PRO
# CF PRO II
# IMB MD
# Hitachi MD

So the CF card slot supports 12 different "types" of cards. Might as well list 2GB CF cards, 4GB CF cards, 8GB CF Cards, Kingston CF cards, Sandisk CF cards, Sandisk Extreme CF cards....and call it a 1000-in-1 card reader.

These typically support CF, SD, MemoryStick, XD and every incarnation/evolution/re-branding etc. - basically 3 or 4 actual slots for the various form factors.

And in my experience (and in other published tests), they are about 1/2 as fast than my $20 Sandisk Extreme USB 2.0 CF/SD reader that will support every card I need.