With more and more mobile handsets embracing the microSD memory card format, it’s no surprise that companies are ratcheting up the storage capacities for this form factor. One of these companies is Kingston Technology who today announced their new 8GB microSD High Capacity (SDHC) flash memory card. The 8GB microSD card has a minimum sustained data transfer rate of 4MB/sec and is compliant with version 2.0 of the SD association specification. You’ll be able to purchase the Kingston 8GB microSD card for around $58 dollars.

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Technorati Tags: Kingston Technology, 8GB microSD card

Looking to vertically segment the flash memory market, SanDisk has announced a new line of flash memory devices designed for the mobile phone market called the SanDisk Mobile Ultra. Designed to “wake up your phone”. the new line consists of the SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSD, microSDHC, and Memory Stick Micro (M2) memory cards and come in capacities ranging from 2GB, 4GB to 8GB. The new cards all feature fast transfer speeds and come with the MobileMate MicroReader which plugs directly into a USB 2.0 port.

Prices for the new products are as follows:

• The SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSD 2GB has an MSRP of $34.99
• The SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSDHC 4GB has an MSRP of $59.99, the 8GB has an MSRP of $119.99
• The SanDisk Mobile Ultra Memory Stick Micro M2 2GB has an MSRP of $39.99, the 4GB has an MSRP of $69.99 and the 8GB has an MSRP of $129.99.

The new SanDisk Mobile Ultra lineup will be available in June.

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Technorati Tags: SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSD, microSDHC, Memory Stick Micro (M2)

Addonics has introduced a couple of interesting accessory items designed for the built-in Apple iPod hard drive.

The first accessory is the Addonics Toshiba 1.8″ ZIF to 2.5 inch IDE hard drive connector converter which allows users to connect the internal iPod hard drive as a 2.5 inch hard drive to other computers. If your iPod is dead but you think the hard drive is salvageable, then this accessory will allow you to reclaim that hard drive as an add-on for your PC. You can even use a 2.5 inch to 3.5 inch converter kit from Addonics to get the drive to work with a standard 40 pin IDE cable. Key features are as follows:

• Enable Toshiba 1.8″ hard drive to be used like a 2.5″ IDE hard drive
• Choice of ZIF connector converter (new 1.8″ hdd commonly found on iPOD) or IDE-50 pin connector converter (first generation of 1.8″ hard drive)
• Attach to standard 40 pins IDE cable (require optional 2.5″ - 3.5″ IDE converter)
• 1.8 inch 50 pin to 2.5 inch connector is $14.99
• 1.8 inch ZIF to 2.5 inch connector is $17.99

The second accessory from Addonics is the Addonics 1.8 inch ZIF-CF Adapter. To me, this is the more interesting product announcement because it allows you to replace the internal iPod hard drive with flash-based storage media.  You can utilize several types of Compact Flash media (supports PIO, DMA, UDMA4) with this accessory item. Simply remove the internal hard drive from your iPod and then insert a CF card with the ZIF-CF adapter and you’ll be all set. Key features are as follows:

• Install Compact Flash into a device which uses a 1.8″ hard drive with ZIF connector
• Can be used like a 2.5″ hard drive using the optional ZIF to 2.5″ IDE connector converter
• Compatible with Apple iPod
• Can be installed into laptops which use 1.8″ ZIF connector
• Current Compact Flash speeds support up to 40MB/s with UDMA4
• Supports PIO, DMA, UDMA depending on type of Compact Flash installed
• OS independent
• Fully RoHS compliant
• Price of $23.99

Technorati Tags: Addonics, Apple iPod, 1.8\" ZIF to 2.5 inch IDE hard drive connector, 1.8 inch ZIF-CF adapter

Panasonic has announced that the release date for the world’s first 32GB SDHC memory card with Class 6 speed specifications will be April of 2008. The new SDHC card (known as RP-SDV32GU1K) will be the perfect storage card for devices such as high definition camcorders. According to Panasonic, the RP-SDV32GU1K will be able to record up to 12 hours of 1440 x 1080 HD video in HE mode on the new Panasonic HDC-SD9 HD camcorder. At 1920 x 1080i, you can record up to four hours of video on the RP-SDV32GU1K. The class 6 speed specification means the card will be able to sustain a maximum data transfer speed of 20 MB/s.

Other features of the Panasonic RP-SDV32GU1K include:

• Labeling feature allows users to write titles or comments directly on labels on the front and back of the card
• Reliable under severe temperature conditions - from -13F to +185F

The RP-SDV32GU1K will have an MSRP of $699 when it comes out.

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Technorati Tags: Panasonic, SDHC, 32GB, RP-SDV32GU1K

Do you ever go on trips where you find yourself needing to carry multiple flash memory cards for your digital camera simply because you take so many pictures? Better yet - you find yourself needing to carry around a notebook system to offload pictures onto! Well, the folks at Brandess-Kalt-Aetna Group (BKA Group for short) have introduced a new portable hard drive called the Sanho HyperDrive COLORSPACE which basically allows you to offload your images from flash memory cards without the need of a PC. The HyperDrive COLORSPACE is basically a portable hard drive with slots for 18 of the most popular memory card formats out there. The device even comes with a 2.2 inch QVGA color screen allowing you to playback JPEG and RAW images (there’s a larger version called the COLORSPACE O which features a 3.2 inch QVGA color screen). Features of the HyperDrive COLORSPACE include the following:

• 2.2 inch QVGA screen
• Support for CF Type I/II, MD, SD, SDHC, MMC, MS, MS MagicGate, MS Select, MS PRO, MS PRO MagicGate, MS DUO, MS DUO MagicGate, MS PRO DUO, MS PRO DUO MagicGate, xD, xD Type-M/H
• USB data port
• DC charging socket
• user replaceable 2.5 inch IDE/PATA hard drive
• Generic rechargeable lithium ion battery
• measures 5.24 x 2.95 x 0.98 inches and weighs 9.5 oz
• Support for up to 250GB hard drives
• 25MB/s backup speed
• 120GB of backups before needing a recharge
• Built-in memory card recovery tools scan and repair bad sectors on any memory cards, recovering deleted, lost, formatted, or corrupted data
• Operates like a normal hard drive when connected to PC

The larger HyperDrive COLORSPACE O features a 3.2 inch QVGA screen and support for 11 card types in the same form factor. Prices for the COLORSPACE are as follows:

• 40GB - $259
• 60GB - $279
• 80GB - $299
• 100GB - $319
• 120GB - $339
• 160GB - $359
• 250GB - $459

The COLORSPACE O will be available in January of 2008 with prices to be announced shortly.

This is definitely a device I’d consider getting in lieu of having to carry my notebook everywhere or needing to carry multiple memory cards which I might misplace or lose easily.

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Technorati Tags: Sanho, HyperDrive COLORSPACE

Looking for a portable SD/MMC card reader? Check out the newly announced Transcend Compact SD/MMC Card Reader S5. The S5 is an all-white portable media card reader with a built in USB connector. The reader supports the latest SDHC standard for large capacity memory cards and supports both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0. Features include:

• Built in USB connector
• No external power or USB cables necessary
• Supports direct input of SDHC, SD, MMC, RS-MMC
• Supports miniSDHC, miniSD, microSDHC, microSD/TransFlash, MMCmicro with adapter
• 2 year warranty

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Technorati Tags: Transcend Compact SD/MMC Card Reader S5

SanDisk announced last week the availability of 8GB microSDHC and M2 flash memory cards to retailers world wide.With 8 GB of storage capacity, these new flash memory cards are capable of storing up to 2000 digital songs, or 5000+ high resolution images, or 5 hours of high quality MPEG-4 video.The new 8GB microSDHC card has an MSRP of $139.99 while the 8GB M2 card has an MSRP of $149.99.

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Technorati Tags: SanDisk, microSDHC, M2

Flash products are pretty boring right? Well SanDisk is looking to change all of that by partnering with world renowned motorcycle designer, Ducati, and introducing their new line of SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition products. The lineup includes the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition CompactFlash, the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition SD Plus, and the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive.  I’ll quickly go over the details here.

SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition Compact Flash

• Available in 4GB and 8GB configurations
• Fast 45 MB/second sequential read/write speeds
• Built to perform in extreme environments and temperatures (-13 F to 185 F)
• Includes travel case
• Includes RescurePRO Deluxe Recovery Software CD
• Comes with Lifetime Limited Warranty
• Perfect for fans of motorcycle racing
• Limited Edition release with official Ducati license
• 8GB MSRP is $314.99, 4GB MSRP is $164.99

SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition SD Plus

• Limited Edition release with official Ducati license
• Available in 4GB configuration
• Fast 20 MB/second sequential read/write speed
• Extreme temperatures (-13 F to 185 F)
• Includes key chain holder
• Includes RescuePRO deluxe recovering software CD
• Comes with Lifetime Limited Warranty
• MSRP of $129.99

SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive

• Limited Edition flash drive
• Available in 4GB configuration
• 20 MB/second sequential read/write speed
• Faster consumer USB Flash Drive SanDisk offers
• Includes SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition lanyard
• Includes RescuePRO Deluxe Recovery Software CD
• Comes with lifetime limited warranty
• MSRP of $124.99

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Technorati Tags: SanDisk, Extreme Ducati Edition, CompactFlash, SD, USB Flash Drive, Ducati