Eye-Fi Inc. today announced the launch of the Eye-Fi Geo X2, a Wi-Fi enabled memory card that seamlessly integrates with Macintosh computers, iPhoto and MobileMe. The Eye-Fi Geo X2 will be on sale in May, exclusively in Apple Stores in the U.S. and internationally for $69.99 USD.
As part of the new “X2” family announced last month, the 4GB Eye-Fi Geo X2 offers faster-than-ever wireless photo and video uploads through an 802.11n transmitter, improved performance with Class 6 read/write speeds, lifetime Geotagging service and virtually endless storage capacity with Endless Memory mode.
“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response to our new X2 line and the improved experience it’s brought our users,” said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi, in the press release. “Now we’re bringing the Eye-Fi Geo X2 exclusively to Apple so that their users can effortlessly upload photos and videos for seamless editing and sharing with iPhoto and MobileMe.”
With the new Eye-Fi Geo X2, Macintosh computer users can wirelessly back-up both photos and videos directly into iPhoto or any folder of their choice on their computer. The Wi-Fi enabled memory card can also automatically upload photos and videos directly to MobileMe or one of more than 25 sharing sites like Facebook, Flickr, Picasa or YouTube. With Endless Memory mode, the Eye-Fi Geo X2 can also automatically make space available on the memory card after photos and videos have been safely uploaded to the computer or Web.
The Eye-Fi Geo X2 includes lifetime Geotagging service using Wi-Fi positioning to automatically tag photos with location information about where they were captured. It works seamlessly with iPhoto ’09’s “Places,” enabling Macintosh computer users to easily browse, search and sort their photos on maps or by location name.
Eye-Fi’s entire X2 card line-up ranges in price from US$49.99-$149.99 and can be found in Best Buy, Office Depot and on Amazon.com, among other retailers. Eye-Fi has received numerous product awards including CNET’s Best of CES 2010 award, Mac Observer’s Editor’s Choice 2010 Award and Popular Photography’s 2009 Photography’s Outstanding Products (POP). It was also named a CES 2010 Innovations Honoree.
More info here.
Source: Eye-Fi, Inc.
OK, so I am confused. Where is the card used and exactally what does it do.???
en
@ElderNorm
The card … it …. I think …
Okay. I have the same questions.
me too, Norm…if you’re a MobileMe member, you already have cloud backup.
Read it?
Put it in your camera. It uploads the pics to your Mac via wi-fi.
this card will transfer your photos from the card to your mac via wifi if your camera and computer are both on the same wifi network. To me, the real value of this card comes from the auto geo-tagging, which is great for the places feature in iPhoto. I have one of these cards and recommend them, I will probably be buying this new one as well.
with this card, you don’t need the camera’s cable anymore
My guess is that just like your laptop/iPhone/iPad will detect and sign on to a local wi-fi network, permitting data transfer…an app will allow your device to detect and connect to the card for passive data transfer. As far as I can tell, it requires no card-slot reader.
For a quick video of how the card works. go here:
I’ve never used one of these cards, but the idea is cool. Especially if it geotags the photos. From my understanding, it doesn’t use GPS to geotag them, it uses wifi (similar to the ipad). I believe this means there is no geotaging unless the card is within a wifi signal.
I wish there was some way to use GPS geotaging with our Nikon DSLR. We are often taking pictures outdoors where there is not a wifi signal. Hmmm, maybe Eye-fi needs to make a card that has bluetooth on it. Then the card could get GPS info from my iPhone! That would be cool.
OK, so…
• it replaces a cable, and
• it adds geo-tagging to a camera that doesn’t currently have it
I get it. If either of those things are useful to you, go nuts. Personally, I’ll save the $$.
What I want to see it them make this card compatible with an iPhone or iPad app.
I would be interested to know how the use of the Wi-Fi connectivity offered by the X2 card affects the battery life of the camera (but not interested enough to actually read the article).
Go to site and read. These have been around for years but have slowly been improved. My guess is that if it was made by Apple you’d be standing in line waiting for it.
The card can be used for tethering. Auto previewing of your shots to clients on remote machines, automatic uploading as you shoot to your favorite printing site. I used it at parties to automatically display the pics I was taking on big screens live and wirelessly. There are a multitude of uses for it.
1. Will drain you battery on the camera.
2. 4GB with a DSLR Camera is way to small.
Nice concept, but not as practical as taking your card out and plugging it into your MacBook pro.
MDN poster: “uhh what is is it, what does it do?”
Everyone else: “hmm, maybe I should look up more information because I’m not sure what this is capable of.”
Reminds of people who get on the bus and then ask where it’s going. All the information is out there, utilize your brain and you can access it independently.
Tepid rant over – good day!
The concept is great – by using this kind of product, you can get the photos to the editor or the net while you still are shooting an event. You can´t be tethered during a concert of football game, nor can you walk away from the action to transfer the images off a card. You could use an assistant to do it, but even that wouldn´t give you the almost realtime transfer of pictures. You can buy a wifi handle from canon (for its pro and prosumer dslrs) but the price is several hundreds. My only criticism is that they don´t make CF cards – the ones used in professional dslrs.
at Finn:
Many, many “professional” DSLRs use SD instead of CF. Frankly, it is only Canon that is still clinging to the older CF medium.
How incredibly uninteresting…