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Lexar kicks out Eye-Fi powered Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card, other less interesting flash cards
We'd heard Lexar and Eye-Fi were getting snuggly back in January, and look at that -- nine months later the Lexar Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card has arrived on our doorstep. The 2GB card is basically just a Lexar-branded Eye-Fi Share, so you pretty much already know how it works -- you shoot, it uploads -- and it's even the same $99 price, so yeah, yawn. Hopefully these two will do something a little more interesting now that they've gotten used to working together. Lexar also kicked out a number of other cards, including a new 4GB Memory Stick Micro M2 card, a 16GB Platinum II 60x SDHC card, and a 16GB Platinum II 80x CompactFlash card -- no pricing or availability on any of those yet, but we'd expect them soon. [Via Gearlog]Read - Shoot-n-Sync Read - Platinum II cardsRead - M2 card
Sony reveals MS PRO-HG Duo HX, pushes the limit on flash card naming schemes
Hey Sony, since you're so in love with tacking on random letters and such to your flash memory line, how's about we toss three capital consonants in your direction capped off with a lovely question mark? In a move that is depressingly not at all surprising, Sony has introduced the Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX, that latest in a long, long line of proprietary Memory Stick products that it insists on producing. These are supposedly "ideal for high performance digital cameras and HD camcorders," and they rely on an 8-bit parallel interface to achieve whatever level of performance they're capable of. Weirdly, Sony only quotes transfer speeds (a maximum of 20MB/sec read and 15MB/sec write) when the card is used in conjunction with the bundled MSAC-UAH1 USB adapter, but anywho, they'll be available in 4GB / 8GB flavors this October for those who care.[Thanks, Rob]
SanDisk's 8GB Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo clocks 30MBps
Beating Sony to the punch is SanDisk's new 8GB Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo card. The "Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo" touts the most convoluted name in portable flash storage as well as 3x the performance -- 30MBps read and write -- of standard Memory Stick Pro Duo cards. As such, they are perfect for high performance DSLRs and camcorders. Available worldwide in June for $150.
Sony's new $300, 16GB Memory Stick
The march of progress continues unabated as Sony has unveiled a new 16GB Memory Stick Pro Duo at CES. The PSP- and PS3-compatible proprietary storage solution will cost a whopping $300 when it comes out in March. That might seem a little steep, especially when similarly sized SD cards are half the price and available now. Still, it could be worse -- back in 1956, you'd have to pay $10,000 $50,000 (Edit: whoops. Typo) for a 5MB hard drive. So, really, this new card is a bargain![Via PSPFanboy]
Deal of the Day: 4GB Memory Stick for $35
The 4GB Memory Stick Duo Pro continues to slowly lose a few dollars in price. Back in June, we were able to score a 4GB stick for $40 ... now we can get one for $5 less: $35. If you don't have a Memory Stick yet (maybe you're waiting for the new redesigned PSP?), getting a large capacity stick is crucial to having fun with the system. We're quite pleased with the amount of music, videos and demos the 4GB card can hold (although we're keeping an eye out on the 8GB Memory Stick!).Go to FRYS.com to take advantage of this great deal.[Via CAG]
Deal of the Day: 4GB Memory Stick for $40
While we'd love to get our hands on a 8GB Memory Stick Duo, our wallets cringe at the sight of its steep price tag. Thankfully, 4GB cards continue to plummet in price. Fry's is offering a Lexar stick for only $40, including shipping. 4GB is more than enough space, even for videophiles that like to encode their videos in full resolution. As these sticks continue to slowly decline in price, one wonders when a 8GB card will be as affordable as this.[Via IGN Boards]
Jimi Game Shells wrap your babies in recycled goods
Every now and then, someone produces a product that just makes sense, and the Jimi Game Shell is a great example. We already know that DS games are incredibly tiny; in fact, so much of our media these days comes, like dynamite, in small packages. SD cards, memory sticks for the other guys, and our own games, and we're always looking for great new storage solutions. So when the folks behind the Jimi Game Shells offered to send us a couple of samples for a test drive, we jumped on it.The idea of a small, separate case designed just for our DS games is nothing new; some cases include storage space for games, and there are a variety of retail solutions. They're also great fodder for preorder swag, and there's always the DIY route. But what makes the Jimi shells so interesting is that they're designed to hold a variety of media ... and they're made from eco-friendly (well, friendlier) recycled polypropylene.
New Memory Stick Entertainment Pack installs new movies
Sony is finally upgrading their long-forgotten "Memory Stick Entertainment Packs." These packs come with a bundled DVD that features four movies, pre-encoded for PSP playback. The previous pack came with the choice of cinematic masterpieces, such as The Grudge, S.W.A.T., Hitch, and XXX: State of the Union. Yeah ...According to IGN, the new MSX-M2GSEP model will feature a different collection of four movies: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Spider-man 2, Hellboy and S.W.A.T. (again?) While the selection isn't too great, the sheer convenience is certainly appreciated. Unfortunately, the DVD can only be used to unlock one movie, so make sure you choose wisely.This package will be available at Sony Style stores for about $60. The package will also include a 2GB Memory Stick.[Thanks, Joel!]
Sony rolls out speedy Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards
Sony first announced its speedy new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards all the way back in December, but it's now finally gotten a bit more specific about them, including providing the all important details on pricing and availability. Set to be available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities, the cards boast a new 8-bit parallel interface that Sony says translates to a 30MB/sec transfer rate, which makes 'em about three times faster than the standard Memory Stick Pro. To take advantage of all that speed, Sony's also providing an ExpressCard adapter for the new Memory Sticks, although they will still be compatible with standard 4-bit parallel interface hardware, albeit at a significantly reduced speed. While there doesn't appear to be any word on how much the adapter will cost, you can look for the cards themselves to set up back $60, $90, and $150 for the 1, 2, and 4GB variations, respectively, with all three available in August.
PSP firmware 3.30 served up
It's been seven long weeks since Sony last updated PSP's firmware to version 3.11. The extended lapse between then and today's firmware v3.30 could be a sign of two factors at play: 1) 3.11 actually secured the handheld (for almost 2 months), despite the firmware being quickly decrypted; and 2) compatibility issues weren't plaguing downloadable PS1 titles (because there weren't any new ones(!) -- unless you count WipEout). So what does 3.30 offer users besides the obvious security patch and extended PSN support? Not much: Support for thumbnail images of items has been added under [RSS Channel] Support for thumbnail images of videos that are stored in the "VIDEO" folder has been added The following sizes of MPEG-4/H.264 AVC Main Profile (AVC CABAC) video files can now be played in the "VIDEO" folder: 720X480, 352X480, and 480X272 (native resolution) [Use Wireless Hotspot] has been added as a feature under [Network Settings] The expanded video size options are the most notable addition, but IGN reports that the feature is "very touchy" (read: it has yet to work with IGN's user-created files). But the added resolutions, particularly 720x480, could foreshadow a pending Remote Play update enabling DVD playback (via PlayStation 3). Download here.Update: corrected Remote Play analysis. [Thanks, Zamfir]
Deal of the Day: 4GB Memory Stick for only $50
Memory Sticks just continue to get cheaper and cheaper. FRYS.com is now offering a 4GB Gaming Memory Stick Duo Pro for only $50, after rebate. What's so special about the gaming cards? Well, they come in colorful plastic! And ... that's about it. Of course, does it matter if your Memory Stick is bright red, when it's hidden away in your PSP? Don't think so.For those of you still struggling with the Value Pack's original 32MB stick, now is the time to upgrade! Certainly, this deal won't last long ... until the next dirt-cheap Memory Stick deal comes along.[Via SlickDeals]
Deal of the Day: 4GB Memory Stick for only $60
Memory Stick prices just keep on going down and down. Frys.com has a sweet deal where you can get 4GB for only $60, after rebate. You'll be able to place a mind-numbing amount of music and videos on a Memory Stick that big![Thanks, Tom!]
Deal of the Day: 4GB card for only $70
I personally use a 4GB Memory Stick, and I find it's ridiculously huge. It's much more storage than I could possibly ever need ... and that's a good feeling. Sure, there's an 8GB stick coming down the line, but you certainly won't get such a sweet deal for quite some time. FRYS.com has a 4GB SanDisk card for only $70, after mail-in rebate. Yes, the website lists the card as $120, but once you add it to your cart, you will see the price magically change.[Thanks, Dane! Via slickdeals]
Marsilli kicks out cellphone-controlled toy car / flash drive
We're not exactly sure what's up with Asia's infatuation with toy cars and shoving completely irrelevant (but entirely useful) features inside of them, but now Marsilli is offering up its own admittedly peculiar flash drive in the shape of a vehicle. Presumably in direct competition with Gold Kiwi's Bluetooth GPS receiver ride, this Mobile Remote Control Car is a diminutive four-wheeled ride with impressive aerodynamics, a 512MB flash drive built-in, USB connector in place of a central-mounted exhaust, and it even allows users to drive it around a cardboard course with "any cellphone." Of course, we're not entirely sure if all that controlling action is done over Bluetooth or some other propriety channel, but we have strong suspicions "every mobile" might not be equipped to handle this road burner. Nevertheless, you can probably pick one of these up in the near future at your favorite street corner vendor in Asia, but for now, click on through for a more closeups.
Is your Memory Stick the real deal?
There are tons of fake Memory Sticks out there, and while some of them do work, many feature less than reliable performance. mavy, a programmer from PSX Reality, has come up with a comprehensive, homebrew method to check if your flash card is a fake. The test won't be fast, and it will involve doing a reformat of the disk, but it does appear to be quite comprehensive.However, I've also heard that there's a poor man's way of checking for the real deal. Go to the PSP's XMB, and have "Memory Stick" highlighted as one of your options. Hit Triangle and then "Information." If MagicGate, Sony's proprietary copy-protection scheme isn't supported, chances are high that you have a fake.[Via PSP3D]
8GB PSP Memory Stick priced at $300
As expected, Sony will soon roll out its 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, priced at $300. That's steep, but given previous trends, the price should plummet quickly. Last summer, the 4GB Memory Stick debuted at $250, but could be found for as low as $65 (SanDisk model) during a recent (but expired) Google Checkout promotion on Buy.com.PSP firmware v2.81 or higher is needed to use the 8GB Memory Stick with Sony's portable gaming device.
Sony doubles Memory Stick Pro Duo format capacity to 8GB
They're slightly behind schedule on this, but Sony today announced the expected doubling of the Memory Stick Pro Duo format to 8GB. You'll be able to pick one of these bad boys up in February for the low, low (as we say in Kazakhstan: NOT!) price of $300.
CES: 8GB Memory Stick Duo priced
Portable flash memory continues to get more and more impressive every year. Sony has announced pricing for the impressive 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo at CES ... and as expected, it's not coming cheap. It'll be released in February for $300.You'll need firmware 2.81 or above for your PSP to recognize such a massive card.[Via PSP-Vault]
Hacked PS1 emulation on PSP now more efficient [update 1]
Dark_AleX has released another edition of his custom PSP firmware. Just as it appears '3.03 Open Edition Revision A' (OE-A) is essentially a modified version of Sony's official v3.03 fimware. 3.03OE-A also comes with a modified version of Sony's PS1 emulator, popstation; and with this latest custom firmware release, custom-made ISOs (game files) can now be compressed to conserve memory stick space.Ethical concerns aside, it's amazing how the PSP homebrew scene has exploded ahead of Sony, unlocking the company's emulator for use with all PS1 titles. With just a few hours of research, a stack of old PlayStation games on hand, and perhaps a little trial and error, you now have the power to forge your own emulation experience -- imagine that. You don't even need a PlayStation 3.Update: clarified that popstation is a modified version of Sony's PS1 emulator.
4GB Value Pack not such a good value
Sony has to start making "Value Packs" that live up to their name. The latest effort in the bundle-crazed European market is a new "Value Pack," going for €329 ($425 US). This package, a mark-up of €130 contains a 4GB Memory Stick and Sony's Media Manager 2.0. Considering how most freeware makes Media Manager unnecessary, and how Memory Stick prices are plummeting, there's no reason for Sony to charge as much as they are. Educated European customers will obviously avoid this bundle, and simply buy the Core system, with a Memory Stick of their own choosing.[Via kingplayer]
