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SanDisk intros 8GB, 16GB ExpressCards for camcorders
ExpressCard-based camcorders are still a pretty rare breed, but SanDisk looks set to keep them supplied with storage, today announcing the first product in its new SanDisk Express line. Dubbed simply the SanDisk ExpressCard, it'll be available in both 8GB and 16GB varieties, letting you record 30 or 60 minutes of high definition video, respectively. In the case of Sony's upcoming XDCAM EX, however, you'll be able to double up on storage thanks to the cam's dual ExpressCard slots. That will be a fairly expensive proposition though, with the cards set to demand $500 for the 8GB and $900 for the 16GB when they're released in November.
InnoDisk's 32GB Flash Disk ExpressCard also does USB 2.0
Neither 32GB USB keys nor 32GB SSD ExpressCards are anything new, but wedding the two ideas into a swank dual interface drive is a commendable twist. Notably, InnoDisk has done just that, as its 32GB Flash Disk plays nice with both ExpressCard slots and USB 2.0, touts a read speed of around 30M/S, a write speed of 20M/S, and also arrives in a few smaller capacities for those not needing all 32 gigs. Unfortunately, there's no word on price at the moment, but we'll keep our eyes peeled.
Option's GlobeTrotter Express HSUPA card wins FCC approval
Option has already done quite a bit of bragging about its various HSUPA and HSDPA offerings, but it looks like the company now has one more cause to pat itself on the back, as its GlobeTrotter Express HSUPA card has netted the all-important FCC approval. According to the company, that makes it the first such card to do so, paving the way for it to be released in the U.S. Apart from the ExpressCard form factor, however, the card is pretty much in line with the company's HSUPA USB adapter, with it boasting 7.2 Mbps download speeds and upload speeds approaching 2 Mbps, along with support for tri-band UMTS operation and compatibility with quad-band EDGE and GPRS. While there's nothing to hold it back now, there unfortunately still doesn't appear to be any word on a price or release date.
HP Compaq's 2210b/CT ultraportable aims for the suits
As you'd expect with any laptop carrying a corporate agenda, the 12.1-inch HP Compaq 2210b/CT isn't anything too riveting, but it's not a half bad option if you're scouting something small (and strictly for the office). Weighing in at just 3.7-pounds, this ultraportable packs a modest 1.86GHz Celeron processor, 512MB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, an optional integrated optical drive, a 1,280 x 800 resolution panel, Vista Home Basic, and your choice of a four- or eight-cell battery. Additionally, you'll find an SD card slot, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, VGA / S-Video outputs, gigabit Ethernet, audio in / out, and an ExpressCard slot to make that 3G wireless card feel at home. Get your boss' credit card ready -- this one lands next month for a mere ¥89,880 ($760).[Via Impress]
MicroU2E USB 2.0-to-ExpressCard adapter hearts OS X
The ole ExpressCard seems to be the apple of many adapter manufacturers' eyes, as here we have yet another way to integrated an ExpressCard into a machine that wasn't originally made to play nice with 'em. Of course, we've already seen other methods of getting your ExpressCard to function via USB, but the MicroU2E iteration is a simple, small, one-piece device that works solely with USB-based cards (read: not PCIe flavors) and provides all the power it should need for that HSDPA / HSUPA card to function as advertised. Not a bad piece to keep in your arsenal for $38 -- and fret not, as it gets along just fine with Vista and OS X, too.[Via MacNN, thanks Eric]
Transcend debuts 32GB SSD ExpressCard
You may "remember" recently that memory manufacturer Transcend busted out a 16GB ExpressCard for your flash-storin', no-moving-parts-havin' delight. Well, the gang is back, and this time they're packing 32GB of solid-state action and a serious "can do" attitude (note: the solid-state action is real, but we're just assuming they have a "can do" attitude). For $509 (according to the company's website), you can put your mind at ease by doing things like storing your OS and apps in one large, happy, non-volatile spot. The Vista compatible drive comes with a USB adaptor, for those not EC ready, and is available now.[Via PCLaunches]
Beastly Toshiba Satellite X200 laptop gets spotted
You already knew that Toshiba was doling out the HD DVD love to the X205, but a purported Satellite X200 machine has apparently been apprehended by a Frenchman (or woman) and revealed to the world. Reportedly, this "desktop replacement" starts off with a 17-inch 1,440 x 900 resolution LCD, and packs a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT, 2GB of RAM, a 200GB hard drive spinning at 4200RPMs, Harmon Kardon speakers, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, a DVD burner, 1.3-megapixel camera, hordes of USB 2.0 connectors, fingerprint reader, an ExpressCard slot, and even a numeric keypad thrown in for good measure. While we've seen nothing official, word on the street has this bad boy landing next month for around €1,599 ($2,147), but for now, click on through for the rest of the show.
MSI's Luxium external graphics solution spotted
Although external graphics on a laptop were once a pipe dream, things are starting to come together for those yearning for desktop-style graphics processing on a mobile machine. MSI's first shot at the solution is apparently dubbed Luxium, and our Chinese brethren were able to steal a few shots from the display kiosk at Computex. Details are a bit scant at the moment, but the device will apparently provide a PCI-e to ExpressCard interface to get your desktop GPU interfacing with your lappie, several USB ports, a "USB to LAN" connector, S/PDIF in / out, optical audio input, and 7.1-channel Dolby Digital support. Yeah, we can't wait to see the benchmarks on this one either, but for now you'll have to be content with tapping the read link and taking a good first look at this promising product.
Toshiba Qosmio F40W does Santa Rosa and DX10
Although you're probably still focused on how ashamed Toshiba should be of itself for hyping up this so-called SED TV for ages only to delay things once again, checkin' out the Qosmio F40W isn't a half bad way to get distracted. The 15.4-inch multimedia-centric machine sports a 1,280 x 800 resolution, Intel's Core 2 Duo T7300 (2GHz) CPU, up to 4GB of RAM, 120GB of hard drive space, a dual-layer LabelFlash-enabled DVD writer, built-in terrestrial digital TV tuner, and NVIDIA's new 128MB GeForce 8400M GS to handle the DirectX 10 action. Additionally, you'll find four USB 2.0 ports, a 4-pin FireWire connector, ExpressCard slot, a multicard reader that handles SD, SDHC, MMC, xD, and MSPro, 802.11a/b/g, Ethernet, VGA / S-Video / HDMI outputs, S/PDIF audio output, and a Li-ion cell that purportedly lasts a paltry 1.3-hours. Of course, no word of an American release, but those over in Japan should be able to snag one within the next week or so for ¥259,800 ($2,136).[Via Impress]
Sierra Wireless AirCard 597E ExpressCard to hit Sprint
Although Sierra Wireless launched its AirCard 597E EV-DO Rev. A ExpressCard last summer, the device is finally making the leap to Sprint-Nextel's Mobile Broadband Network. Aside from the aesthetics, just a few alterations have been made under the hood, but we know you're most interested in how it allows Sprint customers to hop on the 3G highway with their ExpressCard-equipped lappie (or desktop). Of note, this rendition does manage to add assisted GPS (A-GPS) capabilities which "plots your current location on a map and then searches for nearby points of interest," a "high-performance (albeit beefy) integrated antenna to improve signal capture and data speed," and the new 65-nanometer MSM6800A chipset from QUALCOMM. Reportedly, Sprint will be demonstrating the card at this week's Interop expo in Las Vegas, and while pricing details were left out for the moment, the card should slip into retail channels next month.
Sony's business savvy VAIO BX40 officially hits Europe
Granted, Sony's BX-series of VAIOs has been around for quite some time, but the long-standing business lappie is getting a makeover in Europe that includes a hop over to Santa Rosa. This 15.4-inch widescreen machine packs a 1,280 x 800 resolution X-black LCD, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, WiFi, a multi-function drive bay that houses your choice of a dual-layer DVD writer or a secondary hard drive, Intel's T7300 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 2300 handling the graphics, and up to 2GB of RAM. Additionally, users will notice a fingerprint scanner, Sony's G-Sensor HDD shock protector, Ethernet, a 56k modem, VGA out, stereo speakers, SD and MS flash card slots, a number of USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-pin FireWire connector to boot. Unfortunately, the VGN-BX41VN currently lacks an official price or release date, but there's plenty of similar alternatives already out if you need something on the double. Click on through for a couple more glimpses.[Via PCLaunches]
SIIG rolls out USB-to-ExpressCard adapter
We know how it is to finally break down and buy an SSD, multicard reader, HSDPA modem, or an entire expansion dock just to have something filling the void in your ExpressCard slot, only to find a superior alternative the next week. Fret not, as SIIG has rolled out a handy new solution to your "too many ExpressCard gizmos, not enough slots" quandary with the JU-000012-S1 USB-to-ExpressCard adapter. As the title implies, this here adapter simply enables any USB 2.0 port on your lappie or desktop to play nice with an ExpressCard, boasts a maximum transfer rate of 480Mbps, supports hot swapping, and works on nearly every edition of Windows and OS X 10.3+ sans a driver. The only real dig here is that it's only compatible with USB-based ExpressCard devices, meaning PCI-Express based cards won't function via this device. Nevertheless, you can start cramming more ExpressCards than you ever imagined into your machine right now for about $32 per adapter.[Via EverythingUSB]
Sierra Wireless AirCard 875U now available on AT&T Premier
At long last, the wait for Sierra Wireless' AirCard 875U on AT&T is over, as the USB WWAN modem has just popped up on the firm's Premier webstore. Unsurprisingly, this 2.2-ounce portal to the world connects via USB 2.0 and provides interoperable service between BroadbandConnect and EDGE networks. You'll find all the quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA love you could ever need here, and while Windows 2000, XP, and Vista users are all taken care of, it looks like the OS X crowd will have to sit this one out for awhile. So if you're interested in hopping on the 3.6Mbps mobile internet highway, head on over to AT&T Premier with $379.99 (or $149.99 with a new two-year contract) ready to hand over.[Thanks, Jake]
ExpressBox: use external PCIe cards with your MacBook Pro
The ExpressBox1 from Magma is a cool accessory for MacBook Pro owners that allows you to add a standard desktop PCIe card to your notebook via the ExpressCard/34 slot. It consists of a powered external enclosure for a PCIe card (either half or full length) together with a cable to an ExpressCard module that fits into the MacBook Pro. The "no latency" bandwidth is 2000Mpbs allowing you to run variety of external cards, even PCIe graphics cards (provided the drivers are available).All this coolness comes at a price, however; the ExpressBox1 is $729 for the half-length and $749 for the full-length enclosure.[via Macworld]
Magma ExpressBox mates PCI Express with ExpressCard
Desktop users longing to take advantage of ExpressCards on their machines have long since been quieted, but for laptopers looking to somehow stuff a PCI Express card into that diminutive slot, your prayer has been answered. Magma's ExpressBox / Express Box Pro allows users to operate a PCIe card up to 6.604- / 12.283-inches in length by handling up to 250MB/sec, providing dedicated power and cooling solutions, and playing nice with Windows XP, Vista, and OS X. The breakout box sports a fliptop lid for quickly changing out PCIe cards, and after installing the appropriate drivers, users will have full functionality of a PCI Express card right on their portable machine. Notably, these iterations only support cards that require 55-watts of power or less, and the company notes that gamers wishing to cram power-sucking GPUs into these boxes need to wait for the next revision before giving it a whirl. Even still, you better need the PCIe portability mighty bad to rely on one of these, as the ExpressBox and ExpressBox Pro will run you a stiff $729 or $749, respectively.[Via Macworld]
Lexar rolls out 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB ExpressCard SSDs
We already knew that Lexar had an 8GB ExpressCard SSD up its sleeve, but it seems that the company just can't get enough of that high-speed solid state storage, today announcing 4GB and 16GB cards in addition to officially announcing the 8GB model. From the looks of it, both the 4GB and 8GB models will give a peak data transfer speed of 250 MB/s (we assume the 16GB will be the same as well), with all three coming bundled with Lexar's auto-backup software, and each ready for use with Vista's ReadyBoost feature. While the whole lot of them are supposedly shipping now, there only appears to be pricing details available for the 4GB and 8GB models, with them setting you back $130 and $200, respectively.
Clearwire gets FCC nod to release WiMAX-class laptop card
Things are lookin' up in the WiMAX arena, as the oft stubborn FCC has reportedly given a green light to Clearwire to produce "the first WiMAX-class laptop card to connect to the Clearwire network." Of course, we've seen pre-WiMAX cards hit other continents and witnessed quite a bit of high talkin' at 3GSM, but now that the Commission has granted its final approval on this iteration, it won't be long before users here in the US can test things out. In an attempt to deliver "true wireless broadband with a device that facilitates even greater portability than the firm's existing modem permits," the forthcoming PCMCIA Type II card will utilize Motorola's Expedience wireless access system, but unfortunately only seems to play nice with Windows XP and Vista for now. Still, folks within a Clearwire service area should really start saving those pennies, as the currently unpriced card should be landing sometime "during the second half of this year."[Via TGDaily]
Nova Media intros Mac-ready GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 card
It's refreshing to see high tech wizardry with Apple flavor hitting the shelves; if you have a hankering for travel and need fast connectivity no matter where you go, the GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 Ready has you covered. This Mac-compatible ExpressCard will bring triple band HSDPA / UMTS -- up to 7.2 Mbps -- and quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE to your Book, and thanks to the "Zero-CD" feature, drivers and software are auto-magically installed from the card's memory on first use (no worries, Windows users, you are covered here as well). The simple "launch2net" software provides instant detection and configuration of 300 network providers around the globe, meaning less time spent fiddling with APNs and passwords and more time online -- we know your provider's support team and accounting depts. will love this feature. The Nova Media site shows this as pre-order right now for roughly $400 US, but it should start shipping in early May.[Via Macworld]
Lexar's 8GB ExpressCard SSD sneaks on the scene
While Lexar does a fine job competing in the flash memory arena, it appears that the outfit is giving it a go in the solid state disc realm as well. According a marginally descriptive product page, Lexar is offering up an 8GB ExpressCard SSD, which should go nicely above that 120GB PCMCIA NAND drive as you attempt to cram more storage into peripheral slots than inside your laptop's casing. Moreover, the device features a peak data transfer rate of 250Mbps, and while it doesn't appear to be available for shipment just yet, it'll run you a penny under $200 when it formally launches.[Thanks, Anthony P.]
HTC subsidiary will sell 3.5G data cards
Not content with simply making some of the best smartphones on the planet, Taiwanese powerhouse HTC is now looking to get into the data card game, with the company prepping a new HSDPA card through its BandRich subsidiary. The C100, as it's known, will offer download speeds up to 7.2Mbps where available, and is said to be just the first of many mobile modems BandRich is planning. DigiTimes is reporting that the C100 will be priced north of €200 ($269), so although we don't yet know when/where these are gonna drop, it looks like you'll have to part with at least a few C notes if this model lands in your neck of the woods.[Via jkOTR]
