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iPad, iPad 2 get unofficial CF card compatibility (video)
Given the impressive knockoffs and official camera kits we've seen, we'd say the iPad's definitely got the stuff to help out most shutterbugs, but up until now, uploading content from a CF card wasn't exactly easy. Well, our friends over at MIC Gadget recently showed off an iPad / iPad 2-compatible card reader that fixes that on the cheap. Simply called the CF card reader for iPad and iPad 2, the thing slips right into the slate's dock connector port and, as you can see from the video below, it transfers HD video and high-res images in a snap -- it also sports USB connectivity. Like its predecessor, the reader's available from MIC for $29.90, but you'll have to wait at least a month to get your hands on one. Oh, and a word of warning, you might want to make sure the iPad supports your camera's video format before shelling out the dough, as MIC found the slab couldn't playback video from a Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
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.
Lexar now shipping 128GB and 64GB SDXC cards from the future straight to your door
One of the great many announcements of CES 2011 was Lexar's new pair of Class 10 SDXC memory cards, one sized at 64GB and the other touting a spectacular 128GB capacity. The two performance -- minimum transfer speeds of 20MBps -- and storage enhancers for DSLRs and camcorders have now started shipping, asking for a measly $200 and $330, respectively. Those are steep price hills to climb, to be sure, but they're peanuts compared to the initial $400 and $700 MSRPs that Lexar was touting back in January. And hey, that Professional label adorning the new cards isn't there accidentally either, Lexar's offering a limited lifetime warranty with each storage cell. Full press release and locations where you can buy the new SDXC lovelies await after the break.
NGP features two proprietary card slots for memory storage, games
The NGP's memory storage capabilities are puzzlingly absent from the hardware specifications released by Sony today. During the PlayStation Meeting 2011 press conference, the company briefly introduced a "new game media" format, a flash memory-based card on which retail titles will be sold (replacing the clunky, power-sucking UMD). These SD-looking game cards -- said to be proprietary -- will feature extra storage for relevant data, including games saves and add-ons. "NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles," a Sony press release later confirmed. "Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games." But where will users store non-game data? The NGP's LiveArea UI suggests that multimedia applications will be integral to the handheld, and many of these apps will obviously require data storage -- not to mention the storage requirements for downloadable games. While Sony has not mentioned an internal flash memory component of the NGP, SCE Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida revealed to Game Informer that the device will feature "two slots" for memory cards; one for the new game card format (which Yoshida confirmed would be proprietary -- not SD) and a second port for additional storage. Whether the additional slot has been designed for Sony's existing proprietary Memory Stick (the "Micro" version is used for PSP Go memory expansion) has not been specified. "At this point, all we're saying is it is proprietary storage capabilities," SCEA boss Jack Tretton told Engadget, "we're not getting into defining what it is yet." [Update: In an interview with GameSpot, Yoshida said that the secondary slot is for "the media card that we are developing" (in addition to the game card), suggesting that NGP might use a proprietary media card other than an existing Memory Stick format.]
Kingston launches USB 3.0 roadmap, SDHC UHS-I UltimateXX card
The SD Association took the opportunity to introduce the UHS-II standard here at CES, but Kingston's doing its best to just make the most of the protocols that are available in the here and now. The outfit has just introduced its latest range of SDHC cards, the USH-I UltimateXX, which is set to ship later this month and be perfectly backwards compatible with Class 4, 6 and 10 equipment. We're told that it'll hit read rates of 60MB/sec and write rates of 35MB/sec, with pricing set for $69.99 (8GB), $179.99 (16GB) and $349.99 (32GB). In related news, the outfit's also launching its DataTraveler HyperX 3.0 USB flash drive, and it has plans to launch an entry-level flash drive in "late Q2 / early Q3." Head on past the break for the full skinny.
Maxell debuts SSD family, Acoustabar soundbars, accessories galore at CES
If you come all this way to the Consumer Electronics Show, why introduce just a single product? You wouldn't, as evidenced by Maxell's smorgasbord here in Las Vegas. Kicking things off is the outfit's new Acoustabar soundbar lineup, which boast integrated subwoofers and hardwood enclosures. The 32-inch Eht model includes ten speaker drivers, while the SD320 delivers 430 watts of audio through five drivers. Moreover, that guy touts a built-in iPod dock, and it allows for connectivity with any TV, DVD player and game console. The 32-inch SD-400 simply steps up to 520 watts of audio. Once you're done dreaming of ways to enhance your own home cinema, the outfit has one to consider for the kids. The KDP-1 projector includes an inbuilt DVD player and provides a plug-and-play experience that'll shoot up an image as large as 45-inches. You'll also get built-in speakers, a microphone input for karaoke and an undisclosed native resolution. We'll confess that not knowing the latter scares us a bit, but those who couldn't care less can find it nowish for $129.99. As you'd expect, Maxell's also dishing out a slew of new storage products. It'll be pushing out 1.8- and 2.5-inch SSDs (64GB, 256GB and 512GB models) in late 2011, SDXC cards and readers sooner than that, a number of USB 3.0 flash drives / HDDs and a non-networked. MP-100 media player. There's plenty of details on earbuds, iPod cases and other accessories after the break, too. %Gallery-112224%
SD Association triples SDHC and SDXC speeds with UHS-II standard, adds secure eBook specification
Don't ever knock the SD Association for lagging behind. A scant seven months after the aforesaid entity revealed the UHS-I specifications, in flies the predicted successor at CES. UHS-II is a newfangled bus-interface system that promises high-def recording speeds of up to 312 megabytes per second, enabling pro shooters and videographers to actually consider an SDHC or SDXC-based camera rather than relying solely on CompactFlash or SSD. The protocol will be an integral part of the SD 4.00 specification that's going out to members later in the quarter, and naturally, it'll only be useful to SDXC and SDHC cards. We're looking at a 3x increase in transfer rates, and these same upticks will be gracing UHS-II microSDXC and microSDHC cards, too. Best of all, UHS-II cards will be fully backwards compatible with older devices and readers, as the speed increase simply relies on a new row of pins on a familiar form factor. In related news, a new eBook SD application has been announced, though the details surrounding it are murky at best. So far as we can tell, eBook SD cards will have their content pretty well contained, giving publishers the ability to rest easy while still getting content out to the myriad products that can understand SD. Peek the full release after the break. %Gallery-112383%
Lexar unveils 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card, quick-fingered Android users celebrate
Lexar. It's Where Memory Matters. And it's also the only game in town to introduce a Class 10 microSDHC card. For those currently using an Android phone with a user-accessible microSD slot, you've probably gritted your teeth on a number of occasions waiting for your current Class 2 or Class 4 card to catch up with your demands. It's one of the downfalls to removable storage, but thankfully, the device you see above looks to us like a glistening solution. The 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card promises a minimum sustained write speed of 10MB per second and a read speed of nearly 20MB per second, which should all but eliminate any lag from loading up your favorite playlist. Lexar plans on shipping this guy with preloaded software to manage and sync stored images and videos, and speaking of shipping, it should be available right now on Amazon for $149.99.
Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon propose 500MBps memory card with more than 2TB capacity
While the CompactFlash Association scoots along at a maximum transfer rate of 167MB per second under its just released CF6.0 specification, Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon are already looking to the future. The trio have just officially proposed a new memory card format that switches from PATA to the PCI Express serial interface to achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second with a potential to extend maximum storage capacities beyond 2 terabytes. The proposed set of specifications hints at the high performance requirements we'll soon face as DSLRs and camcorders are updated to capture continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images and ever higher definition video. Naturally, the spec also enables photogs to transfer their troves of data more quickly to computers for post processing and combines high-speed transfer with a scaling system to extend battery life. The CompactFlash Association has already announced a new workgroup to study the proposal. Canon's Shigeto Kanda, CFA chairman of the board, had this to say about the proposal: Future professional photography and video applications will require memory cards with faster read/write speeds. The development of a new high-performance card standard with a serial interface will meet the needs of the professional imaging industry for years to come and open the door for exciting new applications. Sounds like tacit approval to us. And really, anything that brings Sony and Sandisk together on a future storage format should be seen as a positive step. Unless, of course, you're the SD Card Association or anyone who recently purchased a CFast card.
HTC 7 Mozart gets its microSD card swapped, but only after an intense teardown session
Man, Microsoft really isn't keen on having you swap out the microSD card that ships within its Windows Phone 7 devices, eh? After finding that the HD7's card could be replaced if you threw caution entirely to the wind, we're now seeing that the same is true with HTC's 7 Mozart. But unfortunately, you're still facing the same dilemma -- should you seriously risk destroying your phone forever just to get a capacity bump from 8GB to 32GB? One Andy Hamilton answered that with a definitive "yessir," and in the source link below, he proceeded to initiate an iFixit-level teardown in order to unearth the deeply concealed 8GB SanDisk Class 4 microSD card. He made a few mistakes along the way that you'll want to pay attention to if you end up tossing your own mobile on the operating table, but seriously, watch where you slide that X-Acto knife. [Thanks, Michael] Update: And now our gracious host has a video series detailing the process. Enjoy!
Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates
February 2010 has come and gone, and we're still not seeing a heck of a lot of traction with regard to CFast. Hailed as the next major leap in the CompactFlash standard, CFast cards rely on the SATA interface versus UDMA / IDE, with Transcend's latest expected to boast transfer rates of 108MB/sec. As with other CFast cards, these too are shaped exactly like existing CompactFlash units, and while it seems as if the company is pushing these towards enterprise and industrial applications right now, it's just a matter of time before they make the jaunt to your local camera shop. Expect four sizes (2/4/8/16GB) to pop up in the next few months, and feel free to let your imagination run wild with respect to prices.
Eye-Fi gets social with the Eye-Fi View online picture portal
Yeah, we know. E-mail is like so 1999. Kids today are all about their tweets and their texts, but if grandma can decode a digital picture at all pretty much the only way she's going to get it is via e-mail, and Eye-Fi is making that easier. It's launched Eye-Fi View, an online sharing site not unlike your Picasas or your Flickrs, except that pictures are (nearly) instantly and automatically uploaded straight from the camera, where they can be shared (or not shared) with others. Users can also set up e-mail alerts so that grandma can get a private link to Gerard's graduation photos. Eye-Fi View is free if you don't mind your pictures disappearing after seven days, but if you want unlimited storage for an unlimited time you'll need to step up to the $4.99 monthly or $49.99 annual plans. The disembodied hand? We're pretty sure that's not included.
Elecom's rotating USB memory card reader tries not to block your ports
It's still not a substitute for a built-in memory card reader in a laptop, but Elecom's new MR-C25 Series USB memory card reader might just be the next best thing. In addition to reading both SD and microSD cards, it's able to rotate a full 180 degrees to give you access to ports on either side of the card reader. From the looks of things, you may still run into some problems with ports that are particularly close together (and with bulky plugs or devices), but it should definitely prevent at least some unwanted USB swapping. Unfortunately, there's no still word on a price or release over here just yet, but it does apparently come in both black and white to better match your laptop.
Kingston introduces Class 4 32GB microSDHC card, charges dearly for the speed
Well, at least you've got options now. Just days after SanDisk's once-rare 32GB microSDHC card fell to $87, along comes Kingston with a nearly identical unit of its own. The difference? It's Class 4 instead of Class 2, which means that you can look forward to a 4MB/s minimum data transfer rate. Of course, you'll be paying dearly for the speed boost when it starts shipping on Monday with the card alone priced at $153. Slow and cheap, or pricey and snappy? Decisions, decisions...
SanDisk's 32GB microSDHC card falls below $100, is actually in stock
Holding out on upgrading that paltry 2GB microSD card that shipped in your Android device of choice? Hold no longer. Amazon is now stocking SanDisk's oh-so-capacious 32GB microSDHC card for just $89.73, which is notably lower than what it retailed for at launch. It's also readily available elsewhere on the web for around the same amount, with the "readily available" part equally as impressive as the "for really cheap" part. Of course, it's slower than molasses crawling uphill on a winter day (read: Class 2), but it's not like you'll be throwing this in your D3S and firing off 11 shots per second. Right?
Panasonic announces speedy new 8GB, 16GB UHS-I SDHC cards
We've already heard some of the claims made about SHDC cards using the new UHS-I specification, and it looks like we'll now soon have our first actual cards based on the spec courtesy of Panasonic. The company has just announced some 8GB and 16GB UHS-I SDHC cards at IFA, which boast a Class 10 speed specification and promise to deliver a maximum data transfer speed of 60MB/s, or about twice that of Panasonic's current top-end cards. No word on pricing just yet, but Panasonic says they'll be out this November. Full press release is after the break.
PhotoFast GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter gives your pro DSLR another storage option
You're probably wondering how you'll get 2TB or so into a single CF slot of your D3S. Or even if you're not, you're probably wondering how you can strap a trio of CF cards together for a 6TB slab of flash storage. So far as we can tell, PhotoFast's the first with an adapter that enables devices with CompactFlash slots to accept those minty fresh SDXC cards, which would theoretically allow anything that understands CF to now recognize. The GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter is expected to ship next month in Japan for ¥2,980 ($35), but there's no word yet on when it'll be headed up over the Bering Strait and down into the US of A.
Pandigital PhotoLink portable scanner review
If you're anything like us, you may find yourself in need of scanning in a few last-minute receipts for reimbursement. Or maybe your oldest youngster left his essay sitting on the kitchen table, and you need to shoot him / her over a PDF on the double. Or maybe you've just got way too many tax-related documents cluttering up your basement. Point is, just about anyone could find a reason or two to invest in a scanner, and Pandigital's making things a lot easier with the PhotoLink personal photo scanner / converter. The $149.99 device was launched last week, and we've been toying with it a few days here at Engadget HQ. If you've been on the fence about buying a portable scanner, join us after the break for a few impressions along with a riveting video of this thing... well, scanning. %Gallery-97761%
SanDisk's elusive 32GB microSDHC card on sale tomorrow at Verizon: $100 with a Droid X, $150 without
Oh, sure -- SanDisk's 32GB microSDHC card has been "shipping" since late March, but have you actually tried to find one? It's been a lesson in frustration for many, and while a few e-tailers have shown stock off and on, the card has generally evaded archivists who simply need an insane amount of available storage on their handset. Starting tomorrow, however, that should change. Verizon Wireless -- of all companies -- has somehow managed to become the "only retailer that offers customers the 32GB SanDisk microSDHC card." We're assuming it's referring to brick and mortar retailers, but at any rate, the gem will be on sale tomorrow at VZW outlets for $149.99, or just $99.99 if you purchase one alongside Motorola's Droid X. The only trouble with that? You're stuck figuring out what to do with the 16GB microSDHC card that ships inside of the phone. Thank heavens for the Bay, right?
Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter cuts the cable, writes to memory cards
The act of scanning a photo generally entails something along the lines of placing the photo onto a device, loading some photo software, waiting while the scanner groans away, cropping the resulting image, and then shuffling the resulting bits off into a folder somewhere. Pandigital's latest, the Personal Photo Scanner/Converter, helps to cut down on that process -- a little bit, anyway. You can simply feed documents through it (up to 8.5 x 11 in size) and have them written straight to memory card (SD, Memory Stick, etc.) at 600dpi resolution, which could certainly speed up your workflow and let you run through reams of photos without lugging that dusty 'ol album to your computer. (You can still connect it via miniUSB and do it the old fashioned way, if you like.) The one thing we're not seeing in the specs is a battery, which would make this thing truly portable, but for $149.99 you can't have everything. It is, at least, available now. Update: We've updated the post to include a pic of the new model.
