Uni-Creation's All-in-1 memory card reading calculator

Aside from the typical mathematical applications obviously associated with your average calculator, we've seen some pretty nifty implementations that took advantage of the not-exactly-advertised features hidden beneath the number pad. But Uni-Creation has taken the reverse approach here by stuffing a tabulation machine on top of a multi-format memory card reader. The All-in-1 pocket-sized conglomerate handles your checkbook balancing with ease, but it seems the primary duty of this contraption is to read just about every memory card format we've ever heard of (and some we haven't). Just check out this impressive list of cards it can digest: SMC, XD, SD, MMC, MMCⅡ, RS-MMC, miniSD, CF, CFⅡ, MicroDrive, MS, MS Pro, MediaGate, MediaGate Pro, MS Duo, MS MediaGate Duo, MS Pro Duo, MS MediaGate Pro Duo, and to top it all off, its fully compliant with the "UTMA Fish Card," whatever that may be. While you may assume that managing all those formats would be "all-inclusive" enough, the device goes an extra mile by sporting a calendar, alarm clock (with 8 monophonic tones to wake you), and even stores world times for 16 international locales (you know, since this is presumably the perfect travel accessory). Since we're hard pressed to think of a scenario where having a calculator and card reader on hand would be essential to your well being -- especially considering that handy "Calculator" app that comes pre-loaded on most every computer these days -- it's difficult to postulate when this awkward combination of gadgets would actually come in handy.

[Via Red Ferret]

[Jerome @ Aug 17th 2006 8:36PM]

I for one find the calculator application kind of cumbersome. If it is a travel companion I would assume it is with a laptop, and it is would be easier to type the numbers on a calculator than a laptop keyboard.

[WTO605 @ Aug 18th 2006 6:24AM]

I understand this is probably a Nich market... but whenver I travel to other people's houses for extended perods of time those are the two things I usually miss the most... Granted it's because I am the laziest person ever when it comes to math but "lugging" that little box is a lot less painful than taking half an hour just to share ONE 1g card because they only have an old usb 1.1 card reader (or because you have to use the camera interface, which requires downloading the driver over their [most likely] dial-up connection).

P.S. about that whole format jazz... it isn't anything special they are all just variants of the basic 8, MMC, SD, SMC, CF, MS, MSpro, XD, MD. (and the only reason MS and MSpro are seperate is because sony was slow enough for enough MS devices to be released that wouldn't work with the pro)

[Perry @ Aug 18th 2006 12:09PM]

Actually, a calculator can be pretty handy at times, and a hardware one is often more convenient and easy to access than the software ones.

What would be really nice is if the keypad on this thing could be used as a number pad for your computer when it's plugged into it, since most laptops are lacking one.

[ScooterJP @ Sep 19th 2006 9:38PM]

16 time zones? er...