Kingston's Class 10 microSD family gets bigger, stays tiny

Kingston is putting an extra boost the smallest of its tiny memory cards. The popular provider of flash storage is upping its 4GB and 8GB microSDHC cards from Class 4 specifications (up to a 4 MB/s transfer rate) to a whopping Class 10 spec and all of its 10 MB/s goodness. The newly announced models join a 16GB version that has been available for several months. By completing the family tree of Class 10 cards, Kingston is offering faster all-round performance for file transfers on smartphones, quicker write times for microSD-wielding cameras and basically a few seconds of your life back -- at lower prices than before, though you'll still be paying a premium compared to slower cards. Our microSDHC-accepting devices are itching to hop aboard this speedier train of data storage, and luckily we won't have to wait long. The two memory cards start shipping at the end of March and are being offered with an available Mobility Kit, which includes an SD adapter and a USB card reader. But, if you want a full-fat 32GB model, you'll have to wait for Q2 of 2011 like the rest of us. Pricing starts at $22 for a 4GB model up to $138 for the 16GB model -- check after the break for full breakdown of prices and more in the PR.

Show full PR text

Kingston Digital Extends the Speedy Class 10 microSDHC Family

* New Capacities Added for Memory-Hungry Devices
* Upcoming Mobility Kits Provide Adapter, Reader for microSDHC Card Versatility

CTIA WIRELESS 2011

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping a 4GB and 8GB Class 10 microSDHC card, joining the previously released 16GB Class 10 card. Kingston® will add a 32GB capacity to the family in Q2. The Class 10 cards have a fast minimum data transfer rate of 10MB/s.

"Kingston's Class 10 microSDHC cards are compatible with many of the latest mobile phones including Android™ smartphones and BlackBerry® devices, hi-def cameras and the increasingly popular tablet PCs"

"Kingston's Class 10 microSDHC cards are compatible with many of the latest mobile phones including Android™ smartphones and BlackBerry® devices, hi-def cameras and the increasingly popular tablet PCs," said Mike Kuppinger, Flash card business manager, Kingston. "The Class 10 speed provides faster data transfer rates and the various capacities help satisfy storage needs for users with both light and heavy memory needs."

Kingston takes mobility and versatility a step further when it makes these cards part of the Mobility Kit, which includes an SD adapter and a USB card reader. The SD adapter allows users to capture continuous images or videos in digital cameras while the reader provides a simple and fast way to transfer data to a host PC. The Class 10 microSDHC cards will ship as part of the Mobility at the end of March.

In addition to the Class 10 cards, Kingston currently ships the microSDHC card in a Class 4 specification as both a standalone and part of the Mobility in capacities up to 32GB. The cards are backed by a lifetime warranty and 24/7 live technical support. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com.

Kingston microSDHC Class 10 Features and Specifications:

* Compliant: with the SD Card Association specification
* Versatile: when combined with the adapter, it can be used as a full-size SDHC card
* Compatible: with microSDHC host devices; not compatible with standard microSD-enabled device/readers
* File Format: FAT32
* Reliable: lifetime warranty
* Capacities*: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB
* Dimensions: 0.43" x 0.59" x 0.039" (11mm x 15mm x 1mm)
* Speed: Class 10 – 10 MB/s. minimum data transfer rate
* Operating Temperature: -13°F to 185°F (-25°C to 85°C)
* Storage Temperature: -40°F to 185° (-40°C to 85°C)
* Weight: .1 oz. (2.7g)

*Some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. For more information, please consult Kingston's Flash Memory Guide at Kingston.com/Flash_Memory_Guide.
Kingston Class 10 microSDHC Cards
Part Number Capacity and Features MSRP (U.S. only)
SDC10/16GB 16GB microSDHC Class 10 (card + SD Adapter) $ 139.00
SDC10/16GBSP 16GB microSDHC Class 10 (card only) $ 138.00
SDC10/8GB 8GB microSDHC Class 10 (card + SD Adapter) $ 38.00
SDC10/8GBSP 8GB microSDHC Class 10 (card only) $ 37.00
SDC10/4GB 4GB microSDHC Class 10 (card + SD Adapter) $ 23.00
SDC10/4GBSP 4GB microSDHC Class 10 (card only) $ 22.00