Video demo after the cut

As with the SD card reader Apple offers, the CF adapter plugs straight into the iPad 2 (and, indeed the original iPad) dock connector. You can then import directly from the memory card onto the iPad’s storage, and from there import photos and video clips into iMovie for iPad. There’s also a USB port for hooking up cameras via a cable.

The adapter is a terribly reasonable $29.90, and will begin shipping from April 25. More details in the video below, though be warned it doesn’t support the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

iMovie for iPad 2 media side-loading demo:

[youtube QTc6IJy_vNU]

[via Engadget]

The new card offers 64GB of storage with 600x speed making it good for transfer and read speeds of up to 90MB/s. The card will work with any camera that has a CF slot integrated and supports PIO mode6, MWDMA4, and UDMA6.

The card will also support 8-bit or 16-bit host data transfers and has integrated ECC. The 600x card range has been around for a while from Silicon Power and the new version ups the available storage capacity. The cards can be had in 8GB up to the new 64GB card now. Pricing is unannounced at this time.

The only issue is that, SanDisk tells us, there’s no camera out there currently capable of UDMA 7 speeds. Retail product marketing director Susan Park assures us that’s not necessarily an issue, though; the card is backward compatible with UDMA 6 interface cameras and should still sustain the highest possible transfer rates. It’ll also work with existing PCI Express Card readers.

SanDisk expect the new Extreme Pro 128GB UDMA-7 CF Card to retail for $1,499.99; it’s available to pre-order now. We’ll be putting it through its paces as soon as they have a production sample available.

Higher speed means faster continuous burst shooting and speedier transfers back to your computer afterward, but there are also power consumption benefits which should increase battery life. Although it would be similar in size to a CompactFlash card, even accommodating ruggedness measures, it would not be backward-compatible with the existing standard.

Still, it’s in SanDisk, Nikon and Sony’s best interest to sell you new hardware, and you’ve got some time to save up; the CompactFlash Association is putting together a working group to look at the proposal, and then come up with some sort of roadmap for the new high-speed memory card’s development. It’s not clear how long that will all take.

Press Release:

SanDisk, Nikon and Sony Propose Industry Standards for Next-Generation High-Speed Memory Card Format

Companies Jointly Develop New Specifications to Meet Needs of Professional Photography and Video Markets

MILPITAS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), Nikon Corporation and Sony Corporation today announced the joint development of a set of specifications that addresses the future requirements of professional photography and video markets. The three companies proposed the specifications to the CompactFlash® Association (CFA)1, the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format.

“The ultra high-speed media, which will be realized by this new card format, will expand the capability of digital SLR cameras and other professional digital imaging equipment”
Professional photography and High Definition (HD)2 video applications require a new generation of memory cards capable of processing significantly larger files. To address the imaging industry’s future speed and capacity demands, SanDisk, Nikon and Sony proposed a new card specification whose performance and storage capabilities surpass those of existing memory cards. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.

The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second (MB/sec)3 (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the highly versatile PCI Express4 interface. The increased speeds will enable imaging and video applications that could not be accomplished using the current CompactFlash specification’s Parallel ATA (PATA)5 interface. CF6.0, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.

The new specifications’ faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images. The enhanced performance also allows users to quickly transfer storage-intensive high-resolution photos and videos from the card to a computer. The specifications combine high-speed data transfer with low power consumption via a power scaling system to extend battery life.

In addition to industry-leading performance capabilities, the new memory card specifications also meet the future capacity and durability requirements of professional imaging applications. The proposed new format has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond two terabytes (TB)6, making it especially useful for high resolution images and HD video applications. Similar in size to a CompactFlash® card, the new format’s access control function and highly durable form factor produce a combination of physical ruggedness and reliability that is indispensable for professional usage models.

“This ultra high-speed media format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda, Canon, and chairman of the board, CFA. “This next generation format is expected to be widely adapted to various products, including those other than high-end DSLRs.”

“The ultra high-speed media, which will be realized by this new card format, will expand the capability of digital SLR cameras and other professional digital imaging equipment,” said Mr. Kazuyuki Kazami, operating officer, vice president and general manager, development headquarters, imaging company, Nikon Corporation.

About SanDisk

SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards – 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 is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.

About Nikon

Nikon has been a pioneer in optical technology to develop worldwide since its inception in 1917. Today, Nikon offers a wide range of products utilizing advanced technologies, from consumer optics such as digital cameras and other camera-related products, binoculars and ophthalmic lenses, to industrial precision equipment including IC and LCD steppers and scanners, microscopes and measuring instruments.

About Sony

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $78 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

1CompactFlash Association (CFA) is an international standards organization developing specifications for CompactFlash products.

2Full HD (1920X1080X30fps, HD & 3D video support may vary based upon host device, file size, resolution, compression, bit rate, content and other factors. See www.sandisk.com/HD

3Based on SanDisk internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device. 1 megabyte (MB) = 1 million bytes.

4PCI Express is a serial interface, a computer expansion card standard.

5ATA(Advanced Technology Attachment) or PATA (Parallel ATA) is an interface standard between PC and storage devices.

6 1 terabyte (TB) = 1 trillion bytes.

In the video, Doherty plays a 17-minute long natively embedded video in the full Youtube site (you may want to skip the first 17 minutes of the video, your choice).  He proceeds to open the Android battery usage utility, which points out that only 6 percent of the battery has been drained (although the screen does dim out in the video).  He also reveals that Adobe in-house tests has seen three hours of H.264 playback over an Wi-Fi connection, which is enough for a movie or two, even Avatar.

It’s promising to see that the newest generation of Flash content can run without killing the battery life on the Nexus One.  Let’s hope that the Flash update actually comes now.

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/9705969[/vimeo]

[via Android Community]

The four cards also manage 90MB per second read rates, and can operate in temperatures between 0 and 70 degrees centigrade.  Pricing kicks off at $99.95 and rises to $299.95 for the 64GB CF card; they should be on sale through Amazon.

“I don’t know much about speed tests and all that technical mumbo jumbo–that’s best suited for labs in Silicon Valley and press releases, but what I do know is that I never waited on these cards, and I shot 25-frame RAW file sequences all day without running out of storage” Chase Jarvis

Thanks to the UDMA-6 bus the new Extreme Pro cards are twice as fast as SanDisk’s previous range, and there’s also new wear-leveling technology to prolong lifespan.  Meanwhile they’re each rated for use in temperatures ranging from minus 25 centigrade to plus 85 centigrade, and have an RTV silicone coating for moisture and humidity protection.

Finally they’re drop-proof from up to 9ft, and have a lifetime warranty.  They’re set to hit the market in October 2009, with UK prices of £197 to £657 for the 16GB to 64GB versions, and US prices of $304, $518 and $812 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models respectively.

Press Release:

SANDISK EXTREME PRO COMPACTFLASH CARD RAISES BAR FOR PROFESSIONAL GRADE PERFORMANCE, CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY

World’s Fastest High-Capacity Memory Card Features SanDisk
Power Core Controller That Optimises Card Endurance and
Boosts Read/Write Speed to up to 90MB/s

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today introduced a new line of SanDisk Extreme® Pro™ CompactFlash® memory cards, setting a new standard for fast, reliable, high-capacity memory cards designed for professional photographers. SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards feature a new SanDisk® Power Core Controller™, an advanced memory controller that enables lightning-fast read and write speeds of up to 90MB/s1, doubling the performance from previous SanDisk high-end cards. The cards are shipping worldwide now with capacities ranging from 16 gigabytes (GB)2 to 64GB.

“The new SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash line is the direct result of SanDisk’s passion, commitment, and break-through engineering innovation to provide best-in-class flash memory cards for professional photography,” said Eric Bone, vice president, retail product marketing, SanDisk. “The SanDisk Power Core Controller delivers unmatched write speed and reliability, providing photographers with a spectacular combination of performance, capacity and peace of mind that images are safely stored.”

SanDisk develops its flash controllers and memory chips together, allowing the company to perfectly match and fine-tune the two technologies throughout the testing process, resulting in high-performance products with industry-leading endurance. The SanDisk Power Core Controller brings numerous benefits to the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards, including:

· High-Performance: The SanDisk® Power Core™ Controller’s dual-lane architecture and software algorithms double card performance, enabling the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards’ read/write speeds of up to 90MB/s over a UDMA-6 bus.

· Increased-Reliability: The SanDisk Power Core Controller’s firmware algorithms and 42-bit ECC engine maintain data integrity and extended card endurance through optimised wear leveling.

· Simplified Design: To further increase overall card durability, the SanDisk Power Core Controller features an integrated design that requires fewer individual components on the card’s printed circuit board.

Pr Professional-Grade Memory:
Faster read and write speeds mean more opportunities to capture the winning shot and less time spent offloading gigabytes of images afterwards. Large storage capacity enables photographers to capture RAW images and high-definition video clips in a single session without running out of space.

“Professional-grade memory cards play an important role in producing optimal results from Nikon’s high performance Digital SLR cameras,” said Mr. Sasagaki, general manager, marketing department, Nikon Corporation. “The SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash card’s 90MB/s read and write speeds will boost overall DSLR performance and help photographers get the most out of our cameras.”

The SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards’ 16 to 64GB capacity range offers the storage space needed to allow extended shooting sessions without having to reload, while the cards’ 90MB/s read/write speeds ensure that professionals can transfer their data quickly. This unique combination of speed and capacity makes the new line of cards well suited for professional usage models involving large amounts of data and tight deadlines.

“As a professional sports photographer, I rely on aspeedy camera and high-performance SanDisk Extreme Pro cards to capture as many images as possible within a few seconds using continuous burst mode,” says Jeff Lewis, professional photographer and member of the SanDisk Extreme Team. “How fast you can download and edit images from the cards makes a big difference when it comes to getting sports images distributed. The first images out of the media room tend to be the ones that get picked up. Speed really counts for getting selected by the top photo editors.”

Renowned for their world-class durability, SanDisk Extreme cards guarantee operation at extended temperatures ranging from minus 13 F (minus 25 C) to 185 F (85 C). SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards feature RTV Silicone coating for added protection against moisture and humidity. The cards can withstand accidental drops of up to nine feet, and carry a lifetime limited warranty.3

SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards are fully compatible with any camera, card reader or other device that supports CompactFlash cards.4 The SanDisk Extreme Pro ExpressCard™ Adapter is optimised to take advantage of the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash card’s up to 90MB/s read speed. The reader carries an MSRP of $49.99 and will be available in late October on SanDisk.com and at select retailers.

Pricing and Availability
SanDisk is also introducing new SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash cards at increased performance of previous SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards. The new SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro cards represent the step beyond SanDisk Extreme III and SanDisk Extreme IV cards, respectively.

SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash cards will be available in capacities of 8GB to 32GB and MSRP ranging from £61 to £190, while SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards will be available in capacities of 16GB to 64GB and MSRP ranging from £197 to £657. Exact pricing for the cards will be set by retailers.

CompactFlash Card Line
Performance1
Available Capacity2
SanDisk Extreme
60MB/s read/write speed (400x)
8GB, 16GB, 32GB
SanDisk Extreme Pro
90MB/s read/write speed (600x)
16GB, 32GB, 64GB

About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards, 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. SanDiskis a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.
______________________________________________________________________
1Up to 90MB/s read/write. Based on SanDisk internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device. 1 megabyte (MB) = 1 million bytes. X=150KB/sec.
2 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes. Some capacity not available for data storage.
3 Warranty may vary by country.
4 Actual read and write speeds of the SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash cards are dependent on host device.

The Maxell USB+, for instance, bundles a microSD card reader with a USB memory key, for either using as a straight memory stick or offloading files from your cellphone or other device.  Capacities are available from 2GB to 16GB, and there are various colors to choose from.

Press Release:

Maxell Launches Flash Media

Flash Media and USB Flash Drives round out the Maxell High Performance Storage Media Assortment

Maxell Corporation of America, a global storage technology leader, announced today the introduction of a complete product lineup of flash media and USB flash drives. The high performance storage solutions are available in capacities ranging from 2GB to 16GB and in an array of contemporary styles and colors.

The new Maxell flash media product line – ideal for storing photos, movies, music and more – includes the Maxell secure digital SD Card, the Maxell micro SD Card and the Maxell high speed Compact Flash.

Maxell will also offer a family of high speed USB flash media in five exciting styles:
1. The Maxell USB Basic, available in blue and silver, is the ideal drive for file sharing and everyday applications.
2. The Maxell USB Slider, with a side push design, is a retractable USB drive. The Slider offers password protection for maximum security. Sleek design is available in white or black.
3. Maxell USB 360˚ is a stylish black unit with a rotating cover. The USB 360˚ offers password protection.
4. The Maxell USB Style includes password protected access, as well as the added security feature of encryption technology. Encryption technology secures and protects files by assuring that chosen files can only be accessed through the originating computer. The Maxell USB Style also features easy sync®, a unique and easy to use software that organizes and stores all of your important files. Easy sync® recognizes over XX files extensions and sorts the files into categories, such as music, video, picture and data, as you move them to and from the flash drive. The USB Style is available in black or white.
5. Users get a double duty bonus with the Maxell USB+, which incorporates the technology of a high speed USB flash drive with a micro SD card reader. No need for a separate card reader with this unit – simply move photos and video from your mobile device to the USB drive for easy to access storage. Enclosed in a sleek gray aluminum case, the USB+ also offers the added feature of the organizational software easy sync®. With the Maxell USB+ files can be quickly and efficiently offloaded, organized and stored.
The new Maxell lineup of high performance flash media is a natural extension for the company that has been providing high capacity storage solutions for over 40 years. “Consumers trust the Maxell brand for all of their storage needs” said Vander Morais, Product Manager at Maxell. “Maxell has been providing reliable products that protect user’s content for many years and we are excited to be adding to our extensive product lineup with high speed flash media”.

As with all Maxell products, a 24/7/365 toll free technical support service is available. Maxell also offers a one-year limited lifetime warranty on all of its flash media products.

About Maxell
Maxell Corporation of America, a technology and marketing leader, is a full line manufacturer of digital media products for consumer, professional and data storage markets. Maxell is a recognized brand for over forty years that delivers a comprehensive line of digital tape and disc-based recording media products for consumer audio, video, camcorder and data storage applications. The company also manufactures and markets a wide range of consumer battery products, as well as a full line of electronics care, maintenance, and accessory products including headphones, plasma TV cleaners, and iPod/MP3 cases and speakers. www.maxell.com

The newest SanDisk ImageMate All-in-one reader has a unique magnetic base to offer vertical placement when used with the supplied metal tripod stand. The stand itself has a rubber base to prevent scratching that precious bird-eye inlay workstation of yours, and fits comfortably but does show a tendency to come loose easily. We also found that the metal plate peeled off after just a few uses; frankly, it’s not the best magnetic fixture design we’ve seen, but it does offer instant portability on-the-go. The chassis is shiny black plastic and has a very thin profile for a multi-card reader; there’s just enough room to squeeze in the blue LED light used to indicate transfer activity. It works with all popular memory card types, with a claimed top speed of up to 34MB/s when used with SanDisk’s own Extreme IV 45MB/s CompactFlash.

Digital content can be transferred quickly and safely by the conventional drag-n-drop method, or alternatively a user-defined app can be launched from a button on top of the reader. We’ll skip this “juicy” feature from our review and go straight to performance in the speed tests, since most image or video editing apps are capable of similar tasks but with extra clicks of the mouse.

SanDisk also provided us with their 16GB CompactFlash Extreme III 30MB/s Edition card, and with that – plus a bag full of SanDisk Extreme Edition CompactFlash cards I’ve learned to trust over the last few years – we have enough to report both the host device and cards performance in camera and computer transfer speed.

To carry out the test fairly, camera settings such as WB and lighting are customized and constant. Across three round of tests, ten images are each taken with these manual settings and a stopwatch used to clock when the camera LED write-indicator turns off. On our Canon EOS-5D Mark II test-rig, the SanDisk Extreme III 30MB/s CF card tipped 23MB/s; there wasn’t much difference with its smaller 8GB sibling but the rate declined to 15MB/s on the previous-gen PIO-mode Extreme III 2GB CF card.

The Canon 5D Mark 2 supports UDMA though Mode 6, when used with a UDMA-enabled CF card like the SanDisk Extreme III 30MB/s Edition, for continuous shooting with the fastest possible buffer clearing. On a scene tested with ISO 400, F2.8 and 1/400s shutter speed, the camera captured up to 15 undisturbed Raw files written to the SanDisk, an extra image more than Canon’s claim of 14 Raw files burst speed. Keep in mind that ISO settings make a difference in image capture size, so your mileage may vary; generally, the higher the ISO, the bigger the file size.

On card-to-computer and computer-to-card performance tests, we transferred and clocked the time taken to write to the card from the computer via the SanDisk ImageMate and vice versa. A folder of 68 Raw images from the 5D Mark II, each shot with an average size of 22MB, amounted to 1.5GB to transfer. The speed of the reader is also dependent on the components inside your computer. The read performance above was achieved with a newer P45 logic board with 1TB of Western Digital Black Caviar storage; we saw rates of only half those speeds when we switched to an older, Santa Rosa based MacBook Pro with a 5400RPM drive.

On paper, the ImageMate is advertised as offering up to 30 MB/s read and 27MB/s write speeds with a SanDisk Extreme III 30MB/s card. In our tests, it achieved near those figures: 27MB/s in reads but falling ~6MB/s short in computer writing, and 4MB/s shorted in camera writing, making it easily the fastest USB reader I have ever used. The older Extreme III 20MB/s cards, both the SDHC and CF standards, proved significantly slower compared to the 30MB/s Editions, which is no great surprise.

The magnetic fixture stand doesn’t work for us, but who needs it? On the other hand, we like the idea of a detachable stand: it’s convenient being able to simply toss it into a backpack when we travel, not to mention the impressive transfer rate. In short, I have found the perfect USB reader to replace that bulky Firewire reader of mine. With a street price coming in under $30, it’s a bargain.

While the largest CompactFlash Extreme IV card is currently 16GB with a 45mb/s transfer rate, SanDisk’s Tanya Chuang, director of worldwide retail product marketing for high performance imaging, did tell us more was on the way.  While Tanya couldn’t give full details, a new design of CompactFlash card is on its way, with SanDisk addressing both capacity and speed.

As for SDC, SanDisk’s eventual plan is to fit a smart card web server onto each one, that would use the mobile device’s data connection to show up as an intelligent node on the network.  An embedded web server would offer themed HTML pages, content streaming and smart searches.  No word on when we’ll see those cards on shelves, but 32GB SDCs are expected sometime this year.

The ExpressCard is probably not an ideal choice for CF card reader, as it’s limited to notebook or Macbook Pro users with compliant Expresscard slot. For a much convenient set-up, a firewire 400/800 CF reader would be a better candidate for the use in both desktop and laptop platform. But the slim factor and cable-free card reader is still a popular choice among the frequent flyers.

The Sanwa ExpressCard, dubbed “ADR-EXCF” , is capable of 45MB/s transfer speed when uses in with a compatible UDMA CF storage. It’s compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 10.4-10.5’s version OSX. It’s now out in Japan, selling at 7,140 yen ($73) and if it were to make its way to US, would likely though its affiliate US online reseller, Amazon online.

Even with new standard still in lobbying effort, Pretec has the go-ahead with the SXDC small form factor flash-based memory standard that’s capable of reaching 2TB. Pretec will exhibit both the 32GB SXDC and 666x, that’s capable of 100MB/s transfer rate, at PMA and CeDIA tomorrow. We’ll visit each both tomorrow to dig deeper on the cost.

Hannover, Germany and Las Vegas, Nevada. March 3rd, 2009 － Pretec, creator of the highest capacity CompactFlash card in the world (100GB) and the fastest CF card in the world (433X), continues today its record braking history in the field of speed and capacity by unveiling the new SDXC 32GB, the world’s first, highest capacity and fastest SD card at CeBIT booth Hall21/D83 and at PMA CFA booth at LVCC South Hall K286 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SDXC (eXtended Capacity) is a next-generation SD card, with capacities up to 2 TB (2048GB), and read/write speed up to 50MB/s initially and up to 104MB/s in the future, with a possible 300MB/s as a long term roadmap. By using exFAT file system, Pretec’s 32GB SDXC card is not compatible with SDHC, which is using FAT32 file system. The maximum access speed of traditional SD card (SD 1.1 spec.) is 12.5MB/s and maximum capacity is 4GB, in which Pretec 4GB SD is the 1st such high capacity card in the world in July 2005 (www.dpreview.com/news/0507/05072804pretec_4gbcard.asp). World’s 1st 8GB SDHC card was introduced by Pretec in Aug. 2006 (www.tomshardware.com/news/pretec-8gb-sdhc-card,3377.html), and subsequently joint displayed with Sanyo’s DV Xacti HD1a in Photokina 2006 (findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_Sept_25/ai_n16838419); maximum speed increased to 25MB/s for SDHC (SD 2.0 spec.), which is the access speed of Pretec 166X SDHC card (http://www.pretec.com/epages/Store.storefront/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Store.Pretec/Products/%22news-Feb.%2018%2C%202009%22). Pretec 32GB SDXC card, sampling now to design-in customers, can reach the speed of up to 50MB/s, depending on the host system design which needs to be compliant with SDXC specification*, will be enhanced the capacity to 64GB SDXC by the 2nd half of this year.

Pretec also reveals 100GB and 666X CF card, which can reach the speed of up to 100MB/s at CeBIT and PMA today, to be the largest capacity and highest speed small form factor memory card in the world. The next generation of CF card, called CFast, was first introduced by Pretec at CES 2009 (http://www.photographybay.com/2009/01/11/pretec-cfast-compact-flash-card-transfer-rate-of-160mbs/), with current maximum transfer speed of 375MB/s and 750MB/s in the future.

The 2TB capacity memory card (www.dvhardware.net/article3774.html) was 1st revealed by Mu-Card in 2004, a joint effort by Pretec, ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) and a few other companies in Taiwan, with maximum transfer speed of 120MB/s. The significant boost of the capacity is due to the scheme of “Sector Addressing” instead of “Byte Addressing” (www.allbusiness.com/electronics/computer-equipment-computer-chips-memory/5054211-1.html) published by Pretec in 2005. Mu-Card Alliance was subsequently merged with MMC Association, which in turn is part of JEDEC organization.

* As of today, no SDXC compliant host systems are available in the market yet

Unlike its 266x Ultimate series lineup, the new card does not support a fastest UDMA interface with dual-channel simultaneous data access, but its speed should be enough to keep up with nowadays’ digital cams and high resolution DSLRs. “The Kingston 32GB CF Elite Pro card is designed to keep pace with and not limit the productivity of the most advanced digital camera equipment on the market,” said Wendy Lecot from Kingston Digital’s Flash business development manager

The Kingston 32GB Elite pro CompactFlash is available now at retail store for around US$154, and likes its full line of Elite pro, it’s backed with a lifetime warranty.

Kingston CF/32GB-S2 32GB Elite Pro
* Capacities*: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
* Dimensions: 1.43″ x 1.68″ x 0.13″ (36.4mm x 42.8mm x 3.3mm) — CF Type I
* Speed**: 25MB/sec. read, 20MB/sec. write
* Operating Temperature: 0o to 60o C / 32o to 140o F
* Storage Temperature: -20o to 85o C / -4o to 185o F
* Standardized: complies with CompactFlash Association specification standards
* Easy: plug and play
* Guaranteed: lifetime warranty
* Economical: autosleep mode preserves system battery life

The Ridata Superme Series 300X CF card sports an Ultra DMA mode and is capable of high speed reading and writing rate at 45MB/s and 31MB/s respectively. It’s also said to withstand and continue to work under extreme weather, below freezing or surrounding with excessive heat. Like most pro-level CF card, an embedded on-the-fly Error Correction Code is also supported.

To get the full advantage of any UDMA storage device, the pairing reader or your camera must has a built-in UDMA interface as well. Like always, we recommend RG’s CF database for reference. Price and availability have not yet announced but the manufacturer says to frequent Amazon online store for its latest street price.

GreenHouse 300x CF has a data transfer rate of 37 MB/ sec (read), 19MB/s (write) corresponding to the UDMA high speed compact flash realization and dual-channel simultaneous data access . The casing is adopting an eco-friendly low lead material. Also, it supports ECC (Error Control Code) function which can detect data error and repair automatically.

The product will hit the street of Akihabara by mid-December. The price is expected at USD$70, USD$102, USD$170 and USD$257 respectively.

The new cards have maximum capacity of up to 16GB available, and offer faster read and write times of 50/30 megabytes per second thank to the In-house GBDriver RA8 U.DMA 6-compatible NAND Flash memory controller and a high-speed, high-frequency write single level cell (SLC) NAND Flash memory.

In additional to speed, the Industrial grade NAND-based memories sport an advanced static wear leveling and robust error correction function scalable to 15 bit/sector ECC to provide high data reliability and improve product life span.

The company will began shipping CFG8A series of U.DMA 6-compatible CF cards and the SDG8A series of PATA-compatible SSDs in December.

While best known for batteries of all kinds, Duracell is venturing into new territory with not just USB drives and other compact media. They will also produce media card readers. But the real attraction is the company will push out marketing efforts in the places where Duracell is already a trusted name, such as pharmacies and grocery stores.

And it makes sense. After all, batteries are used in many electronic products that require memory. It makes it easier then, if you can rely on the same brand for batteries and memory options. In order to pull off this endeavor, Duracell has teamed up with Dane-Elec, which already has distribution in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Thanks to the support of latest and fastest UDMA, we’ve seen a significant improvement in-camera write speed. Take the newly announced Canon 50D for example, it supports UDMA up to Mode 6 and is capable of writing at the rate of 33.72MB/S to an 8GB Sandisk Extreme Ducati (RG database). That’s 3 times faster compare to its pre-successor 40D with the same CompactFlash. The improvement of in-camera write speed also free up the memory buffer, so you don’t miss a shot while shooting in continue mode.

Always refer to RG’s CF/SD performance database before you make the purchase; not all flash cards are created equal despite having the same rating, and not all DSLR works in harmony with the best card out there.

Both ranges use ruggedized metal housings for increased durability.  Up to four 64GB 233X cards can be combined to make a 256GB SATA SSD by using Pretec’s own Q-SATA, a flexible, scalable and modular SATA/PATA design. 

The new cards will debut at Photokina 2008, with the 233X 64GB and 333X 32GB CF cards available by the time of the show priced at $399 and $630 respectively.

Alternatively, if your photography or videography requires highest performance at the expense of capacity, Sandisk has the upper class Extreme IV and Ducati at 45MB/s but half the capacity. But trust me, the extreme III has better cost per performance, and the transfer rate is marginally small when using in your digital still or motion cameras. Available October, the new 32Gb Sandisk Extreme III will relieve you of $299.

The new Lexar Professional UDMA 300x 16GB CF card is designed for professional photographers and photo enthusiasts. Its lighting fast UDMA interface is capable to deliver a minimum sustained write speed of 45MB per second when paired with UDMA devices like the Lexar Professional UDMA FireWire 800 Reader or the Lexar Professional UDMA Dual-Slot USB Reader. Prices and availability are to be announced.

[via Lexar]

Storage is much lower than with either of the official drive options, of course, but it’s certainly a more cost-effective way of getting the speed of solid-state.  HD Tune 2.55 shows an average data transfer rate of 31.7MB/s, with a 0.9s access time.  Contrast that with using a 16GB Transcend class 6 SDHC card for storage, which only managed 13.8MB/s average transfer rates but with almost 50-percent more CPU use.

Addonics sell a CF to 1.8-inch ZIF adapter for $23.99.  Meanwhile Newegg have the same Compact Flash card datamate used, a Transcend 16GB 200x, for $165.99.

The USB 2.0 unit reportedly supports 52 different types of flash memory which should make it compatible with almost any kind of memory you could possible want to put in the device. The look of the reader is definitely attractive for those wanting to add a reader to their computer without taking away from their desktops aesthetic appeal.

Expect the Nervian CardReader Pro to become available in October. No word yet on pricing.

[via Engadget]

It’s all thanks to a specially-designed controller coupled with the latest in SLC flash memory.  In fact, the improvements introduce a big gap in Fuji’s range; the next option is the 100x CompactFlash card, which tops out at a measly 15MB/sec.

Three versions of the 310x card will be available; 4, 8 and 16GB.  Pricing is £49.99 ($98), £119.99 ($235) and £209.99 ($411) respectively, and they’ll be available in the UK at the end of July 2008. 

Press Release:

Fujifilm launches fastest CompactFlash to date

The professionals’ choice of storage device with Fujifilm quality

Fujifilm UK Ltd has announced the launch of a new 310x version of its CompactFlash card. The Fujifilm Professional UDMA enabled 310x CompactFlash card offers the fastest sustained write speed of any memory card available today.

Using a specially designed controller and the latest SLC flash memory chips, the Fujifilm 310x CompactFlashTM card is available in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities.

This memory card provides support for the latest generation of UDMA compatible digital SLRs and professional video cameras. With a staggering sustained write speed of 46.5MB/sec, the Fujifilm 310x CompactFlashTM card will cope with every picture a professional photographer could ever want to take and more!

*Correct at time of going to print and based on Fujifilm test matrix data.

Availability & pricing
The Fujifilm 310x CompactFlash card is available from UK retailers end of July 2008. Pricing is as follows:
310x CompactFlashTM card 4GB – SRP £49.99
310x CompactFlashTM card 8GB – SRP £119.99
310x CompactFlashTM card 16GB – SRP £209.99

Contact details for customers
For information about Fujifilm and its products, please visit: http://www.fujifilm.co.uk or call 0870 084 1310

About Fujifilm
Fujifilm is a global leader in imaging technology, products and services including digital cameras, photofinishing, digital storage and recording media, consumer and professional film, motion picture film, professional video, printing systems, medical imaging, office technology, flat panel displays and graphic arts. The company employs more than 73,000 people worldwide, with 178 subsidiaries stretching across four continents.

Uniquely placed to be a market leader in digital imaging, Fujifilm develops and manufactures its own sensors, lenses and processing technology. In addition to its production plants and R&D operations in Japan, the company has key manufacturing facilities in Europe and the USA for core products such as colour film, colour paper, single use cameras and CTP printing plates, and has further factories in Brazil and China. It has a global turnover in excess of £13 billion.

In the UK, Fujifilm has been supplying the imaging, printing and graphics industries, as well as consumers, professional and enthusiast photographers, with high quality, innovative products and services for over 25 years. Fujifilm UK currently employs more than 450 people and has become one of the country’s most popular photographic and imaging brands.

© 2008, Fujifilm UK Ltd. Specifications are subject to change.  

That’s the idea behind the DIY SSD. Just pop in two CompactFlash cards, hook it up and you’re good to go. In order to get the most out of your drive, you’ll want to buy the fastest CF cards possible. While you might not be able to afford the largest cards, you can always upgrade them in the future.

The two downsides I see here are the price, and connection. First, a $200 adapter is going to keep things pretty pricey. What’s strange is that while it is a SATA drive, it only supports 1.0. You’d think they would at least spring for SATA 2.0 compatibility.

[via CrunchGear]

It works with USB 2.0, the slide close design makes it relatively dust proof, and it supports SDHC cards up to 32GB as well. It will work with Windows ME and up as well as Macs.

The cards it supports are really handy as it supports all the trans-flash cards without an adapter, those would be the M2, MiniSD, and microSD cards that many mobile phones and PDA’s use. It also supports SD, MMC, RS MMC, MS, MS PRO, MS Duo, and MS PRO Duo. For some strange reason I don’t see CompactFlash on that list which could be a big detractor for this device considering the number of higher-end digital cameras that use CF cards. If you want one, its $15, so, even without the CF reader, the price alone makes it still worth it.

[via geekalerts]

If you need more four CF, you can daisy-chained the ImageRouters up to 12 cards workload. I guess i just found a perfect gift for my aunt sally’s decade-old 64MB CompactFlashs that she’ve been reluctant to update. They also have the BackupandBurn software to import images straight from reader to CD/DVD disc. The Delkin ImageRouter will be available in late March for $149 or as a $249 with bundled software.

[via tgdaily]

Transcend, one of the fastest growing memory card and digital media company announced a new addition with bigger capacity to their line of 133x CompactFlash family. The latest 32GB 133x CompactFlash operates in both IDE PIO mode 6 and Ultra DMA mode 4 with capability to produce read/write speeds up to 45MB/16MB per second. The RoHS compliant CompactFlash features built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) and comes with a lifetime warranty. Transcend has not disclosed the card’s price and availability at this point.

[via press release]

Once again, Pretec raises the performance and capacity bar on latest line of CompactFlash card. The Taiwanese has announced another breakthrough in Flash industry, the new line of CF333 ranged from 16GB, 24Gb to a whopping 48GB with an ultra fast 233x-333x speed of Read/Write up to 50Mb/40MB per second. The largest storage of 48GB is rated at lower speed of 233x but still capable to produce read speed of 35mb/s. The Trio supports ultra DMA mode 0-6 and are built with best reliable solution in mind. Pretec claimed a 10 times better in durability compare to a typical CompactFlash using its metal housing and ruggedized construction for protection.

[via press release]

The Advanced Media president, Harvey Liu stated “We are pleased to introduce the RIDATA SMART CompactFlash card, which is the first of its kind in the industry,” The new rugged and Smart CompactFlash also automatic power management function, embedded on-the-fly ECC corrections and supported Ultra Mode up to 4.

Advanced Media Announces RIDATA SMART CompactFlash Card [cdrlabs]

Sure you can come up with other ways to power it, but this is a highly efficient PC. It’s a small Linux-based PC using a CF card for the hard drive. That’s the base system, from there you can add a battery that will last for 14 hours, a solar panel, and a low power 10” monitor.

They say that an average UPS, one that would last a normal PC about 15 minutes, yeah, that will power this PC for about 6.5 hours. They are kind of pricey though, the base system (the black box plus the CF card with Linux on it) will cost you £199 for international delivery and the whole system, the battery, solar panel, low power monitor, and the base system all combined will cost you £499, but the upside is, apparently it all fits in a laptop bag, and takes 5 minute or less to setup, and, you don’t need to find a power source immediately if you already have the battery charged, you can wait till later and find one, or set-up the solar panel.

Off-grid computer invites you to dream up charging methods [via MAKE]

Users without UDMA digital camera can still benefit from the dazzling fast transfer speed by Delkin’s UDMA enabled FireWire reader and adapters to their computer. The high speed and high capacity Delkin’s PRO line gain it reliability from a high grade SLC NAND flash and advanced controller design. It comes with Lifetime warranty and has a MRSP of $399.99. Available now via Delkin online.

Delkin CompactFlash PRO UDMA 305X – 16 GB DDCFPRO2-16GB [via Delkin]
.