What can Santa bring the keen photographer who seems to have everything? This device stores images when away from your PC. So no more taking umpteen media cards, now you can take as many images as you like.
Digital cameras removed the need to change film always needed at the most inconvenient moment nowadays replaced by the changing of batteries, however the image storage media comes a close second. This device accepts Compact Flash type I and II and also IBM Micro Drive, Smart Media, Multi Media Card, Secure Digital as well as Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro. The only item that seems to be missing is the new Olympus/Fuji XD card and even this can be accommodated with a Smart Media adapter (£6 when ordered with an X Drive).
Should you work away from a PC for long periods it is very easy to accumulate lots of photographs on lots of different cards. These cards are small and easily misplaced in fact the safest place is in the camera.
For people out for a day or more then another card in the purse or wallet is easy to slip in when required. With 4 and 5 mega pixel offerings now being almost the norm larger capacity cards are required. Taking high resolution images often fill a card very quickly. The spare then gets called into use, last card, must be frugal with my images, and lots of potential desirable images do not get taken.
The X Drive II can solve that, this is a battery powered USB 2 device that stores your images until you are able to transfer them to a PC. It is 14x8x3cm and has slots to accept all the card types mentioned above. It has only two buttons, power to turn it on/off and copy to transfer the images to its hard disc. Being USB 2 the transfer of images is very fast (up to 40 times faster than USB 1.1) so the unit needs to be switched on for only seconds. I am told the batteries last for 1.6 hours between charges but 1.6 hours would certainly be weeks and weeks of normal use. There is a 5x2cm LED display that simply tells you battery status, if it is transferring, and its folders.
The unit is supplied with a mains charger as well as micro USB 2 lead to allow transfer of images to the PC when required. It comes in a zip up padded case with straps to hold the drive securely and even space for spare cards to be stored safely. There are five sizes of unit available 20GB, 30GB, 40GB, 60GB and 80GB ranging in price from £150 to £285. Insured next day delivery costs £10.
A full recharge takes around 3 hours and the charger is auto power sensing.
The unit could also be used to hold other data types as not only images can be stored on these memory cards. The manual states that it works with MAC as well as PC. If you have Windows ME or Windows XP then you do not any external drivers. For those who have Windows 98-98SE or Windows 2000 a mini CD is provided with the required drivers, this CD also has drivers for MAC 8.6 and 9.x and 10.x system users.
Link : http://www.primaryuk.com and click on latest products.
!!
