If there’s one thing I absolutely hate doing, it’s having to take my memory card out every time I want to transfer pictures to my computer – it’s either that, or keep a multitude of USB cords plugged in so I’m always ready to clear up space.  It is a very tiring process, and I’ve often wished for someone to come up with a better solution.  Thankfully, someone at Eye-Fi must have been thinking the same thing that I was, because their line of Eye-Fi memory cards have the potential to revolutionize the way you take pictures.

How the Eye-Fi cards work is such an ingenious concept, I’m amazed at how long it took someone to come up with it.  The Eye-Fi memory card has a tiny Wi-Fi antenna built in.  When you first plug it into a computer (you only need to do this once – after that the information is stored) you’ll specify any networks that you want it to be able to connect to.  After that, any time the card is within range of one of those networks, it will automatically upload your pictures to wherever you specified.  Most people will probably use it to upload things to sites like Flickr or Shutter Bug, but if you have a network hard drive and set up port forwarding, you can have the card upload it directly to there whenever you’re away from home.

Speaking of being away from home – say you’re at the beach and there’s no Wi-Fi network around, but you know your card is getting full – what are you to do?  Surely not stop taking pictures, after all what if little Jimmy does something cute or funny.  Well, as long as you have an Android phone or tablet, or an IOS device (and realistically, if you’re going to have something high tech like an Eye-Fi card, you’re going to have one of those devices as well) then your Eye-Fi card can go right into direct mode and send pictures to those devices for backup, or if you have a hefty data plan you can upload them then and there.

There are also upgrades you can purchase for your card – although some of them come free with more advanced cards; take Geotagging for example.  In order to enable Geotagging on my card, I would have had to pay an additional $29.99 for a lifetime license, but the Geo X2, Explore X2, or Pro X2 cards all come with that feature free.  I wasn’t really worried about having it, but in case you’re not sure how it works, the card will “imprint” each picture with the information about where you took it.  I have three cameras that do that for me automatically though, and they do it with GPS (giving me longitude and latitude), which in my opinion is more accurate than how the Eye-Fi card geotags things.  Since the card doesn’t have built in GPS, it instead relies on a Wi-Fi Positioning System.  It allows the Eye-Fi card to map the locations of wireless networks that it finds – even if they’re not on your list – and then gives you a general idea of where you were (i.e. city name and such).

You can also upgrade your card to be able to access AT&T Hotspots around the world.  This also costs an additional $29.99 a year (though the Explore X2 and the Pro X2 both come with a year free), and again I saw no need for me to upgrade to this function.  I always have my tab and iPhone with me (and my tab can make it’s own Wi-Fi network), so there was little point in spending money on a service I’ll never use.  I did think it was kind of neat however, because when you set it up you can also set the system up to sent you a text message (or email – or even tweet) whenever your Eye-Fi card was within range of a Hotspot.  Unless you take a LOT of pictures though, I’m not entirely sure that it’s worth the price.

On the subject of price – they’re actually a lot cheaper than you might think.  Okay, it’s going to be a good deal more expensive than that $5 4 GB card that Wal-Mart was selling on Black Friday – but it is also is a lot higher quality (I bought one of those $5 cards so I can attest to that).  The card I was sent was actually the cheapest of the bunch, and comes in under $50.  The others go up in price according to size and features, but since you don’t ever have to really worry about running out of room on these, I think 4 GB is plenty.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

The Bottom Line:  When you buy an Eye-Fi memory card, it has the potential to be the last memory card you’ll need – constantly transferring pictures to make room for more means you’ll realistically never run out of space; they do come at a price a good deal higher than standard memory cards though.

Pros:

• Being able to put pictures on your computer without having to remove the memory card or attach anything is absolutely wonderful
• The unlimited space option automatically deletes old pictures if they’ve been uploaded to make room for more, and is well worth using
• Since most people have an Android or IOS device, Direct mode is worth it’s weight in gold for when you’re traveling (and it is free)

Cons:

• Unless you’re willing to pony up more cash for an upgraded card, the add on features are extremely pricey
• The Geotagging feature on an Eye-Fi card isn’t as accurate as what might already be on your cameras
• $29.99 a year just to access a Hotspot (and only to use that Hotspot to be able to upload pics) seems pretty steep to me

You can get an Eye-Fi Connect X2 4 GB Class 6 SDHC Memory Card from Amazon for only $39.88 (and yes, they sell the others there as well)

Now there’s a new way for relatives to explore your family history when they come over for dinner.

Maybe sometimes you just can’t be bothered to tour the house with them and tell everyone that special holiday story. Maybe you have too many relatives, and hearing yourself talk can get repetitive.

Or maybe you want the generations to come to be able to hear your voice long after you’re gone. The Photo Album Storyteller will let you do that. Just record your voice with the pen shaped device, stick the bundled stickers on any photo, and whenever someone taps the sticker with the device, it will play the corresponding recorded message.

You can expound on the special ways in which every photo fits into the family history, you can identify every person present in the picture, and you can even go off topic as much as you want. The gadget has a stop button, so if listeners get bored they can move on to the next photo without hurting your feelings – since you’re not actually there.

Read

Making its debut at CES 2010 and yesterday at a press conference in Tokyo, Sony’s new Transfer Jet technology was made aware to the masses.  Shown here in its 8GB iteration, the memory sticks will also be available in 16GB and 32Gb versions.

Essentially a close proximity wireless transfer technology developed by Sony, it allows for data to be transferred at speeds up to 560 Mbps by holding the memory card within 3cm of the receiving device.

Isn’t this the same type of tech we’ve seen in Eye-Fi cards?

Read

Prettier than the AromaUSB, these little USB Scent Flowers have the power to fill your office space with fart clearing odors such as Jasmine, Chamomile, Ocean Breeze, and Lavender.  Each scent comes with 3 months worth of nasal enhancing odor cartridges and is very plug and play out of the box. The whole product can be purchased for only $10, so if you have a stinky workplace you best get on it!

[via EverythingUSB]

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Claiming 98% accuracy, this 4GB flash drive uses your computer’s webcam to identify whether or not it’s you accessing the memory stick.  All you have to do for set-up is register a couple pictures of yourself showcasing some of your best high security faces and you’re good to go.

The USB drive also works with the conventional password if you want.  Only available in Japan for the moment, it is currently priced at $110.

Read

Capable of reading over 70 memory card formats, this all in one device could be your one and only.  Mac and PC compatible via USB, this Universal Memory Card Reader has 6 different slots that support 23 CompactFlash cards, 23 Memory Stick cards, 24 MMC and SD cards, microSD cards, xD cards, and SIM cards.

Who knew there were that many deviations?  World travelers might find this gadget more useful as there may be more of these variable formats overseas.  On sale now for $30.

Read

It’s really, REALLY, hard to find a camera any more without an LCD display, so I was definitely shocked to find the OneShot camera, a camera so tiny that it’s about the same size, length and width, as your thumb.

There is no LCD display here.  No slots for flash memory, either.  But it apparently somehow manages to not only come with face detection, but also never need batteries.  This camera actually recharges like some of those flashlights you see–all you have to do is shake it.

The OneShot seems to not only run on a dynamo but also offers no expansions in memory.  This may be one of the weirdest cameras I’ve ever SEEN.

Read

March 19th will see the Japan only release of 4 new “Candy Colored” PSP 3000′s.  Looking very shiny and tasty, it’s a shame US consumers won’t get a chance at purchase.  Fingers can be crossed for what the future may bring however.  In addition, for $279 you get a 4Gb Duo Memory Stick, a handstrap, and a pouch.  Seems a little pricey to me, considering you can get a good ole’ US PSP 3000 and a 4Gb stick for under $200.

[Wired]

Today Sandisk announced their new Micro SD card, the SlotMusic. Each card will have a minimum capacity of 1GB and will play back music at up to 320 kilobytes per second. Every card will be preloaded with DRM free content from artists around the globe. The current publishers involved are EMI Music, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group artists. Video will also be available at the artists discretion. Any leftover space can be used for limewire any other files you want! As of yet, it is unknown which albums will be featured, the price, and when it will be released but we’ll keep our ears pricked.

By: Daniel O

Sandisk today announced their new 32gb Extreme III CompactFlash card trying to prove that big memory doesn’t mean slower cards. It comes with 30mb/s which is not a bad speed for something of it’s size but do we really need a card with so much memory?

$299 and out in October

Full press release after the ‘leap’

SANDISK EXTREME III COMPACTFLASH SERIES DOUBLES CAPACITY AND BOOSTS SPEED 50 PERCENT WITH NEW 32-GIGABYTE CARD

Whopping Capacity and Increased Performance Make New Card Ideal for Use in Professional Video Cameras

MILPITAS, Calif. September 11, 2008 – Who says big cards can’t be fast? SanDisk Corporation today announced the 32-gigabyte (GB)1 SanDisk Extreme® III CompactFlash® (CF) card, the latest addition to its award-winning SanDisk Extreme III line. Combining world-class storage capacity with fast data transfer rates, SanDisk’s new memory card is designed to meet the demands of professional digital videographers and photographers. For many cards, an increase in storage capacity often comes at a cost to speed, but the 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card at 30 megabytes per second (MB/s) offers customers the best of both worlds.

SanDisk’s New Card Caters to Video Professionals
“High-definition camcorders require high-capacity memory cards, and our 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards offer video professionals longer record times and improved data transfer rates,” said Susan Park, director of consumer product marketing for SanDisk’s performance cards. “Our award-winning SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards carry a tradition of excellence, and the recent series-wide speed increase to 30MB/s advances their legacy as professional-grade storage devices.”

Reinforcing SanDisk’s position as a leading innovator of flash memory technology, the 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card provides increased capacity for longer-duration filming, and its 30MB/s (200x) read and write speeds 2 enable users to record and transfer content quickly and reliably, thus maximizing critical workflow. These complementary features make the new card especially attractive to field producers and camera crews who typically operate under tight deadlines.

“The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards are a great fit for our Infinity DMC 1000/10 and DMC 1000/20 camcorders,” said Scott Sheehan, director of marketing for new and emerging markets at Thomson. “Our customers want a choice in media that meets the needs of their file-based workflows. Solid state memory provides the fastest access to such content, and with SanDisk CompactFlash it’s also affordable. Using SanDisk’s 32GB Extreme III CompactFlash card, our customers can record more than 80 minutes of 100 MB/s, 10-bit, 4:2:2 HD video at the high performance needed for today’s professional video applications.”

The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF memory card will be featured at the Thomson Grass Valley booth at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam Sept. 12-16. Thomson will showcase its line of professional camcorders in conjunction with SanDisk’s new 32GB card, and demonstrate the practical applications of the card’s increased storage capacity and speed.

Increased Storage Capacity Proves Advantageous to Photographers
The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card benefits professional photographers, who often shoot strictly in RAW format. RAW images demand up to ten times as much space as regular JPG images. Photographers often use continuous shooting mode during high-action situations such as sporting events or theatrical performances, and the high resolution photos add up quickly.

All SanDisk Extreme III CF cards from 4GB to 32GB, as well as the new SanDisk Extreme III SDHC™ and SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO HG DUO™, recently received a 50 percent speed increase from 20MB/s to 30MB/s. Renowned for their world-class durability, SanDisk Extreme III CF cards possess the industry’s widest guaranteed operating temperature, ranging from minus 13F (minus 25C) to 185F (plus 85C).

Pricing and Availability
The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price in the United States of $299.99. Worldwide availability of the card is targeted for October.

About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation, the inventor and world’s largest supplier of flash storage cards, is a global leader in flash memory – from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk’s product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk (www.sandisk.com/corporate) is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.
________________________________________________________________________

1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes. Some capacity is not available for data storage.

2 Up to 30 MB/s read/write. Based on internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device. 1 megabyte (MB) = 1 million bytes. X=150KB/sec.

Images of SanDisk products are available at http://www.sandisk.com/corporate/media.asp

SanDisk’s web site/home page address: http://www.sandisk.com

SanDisk, the SanDisk logo, CompactFlash, and SanDisk Extreme are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries. SD and SDHC are trademarks. MemoryStick PRO HG Duo is a trademark of Sony Corporation.  Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective holder(s).

More info here.

[Therawfeed]

More info here and video here.

Via Gadgetell via Pocketlint

Available here.

A few more pics after the ‘leap’

Via MobileMag