> 1.) You can use a second card and download from the first while using > the second in the camera.
That's a definite advantage > 2.) The card reader may be considerably faster transferring files than > you camera. That depends on the USB interface on your computer. If you've got a USB 2.0 interface, it is likely to be quite a bit faster. If all you have is USB 1.x then direct from-camera transfer will be nearly as fast.

