The Shifted Librarian - Shifting Libraries at the speed of byte
 Thursday, January 09, 2003

Okay, just one more, because it sounds so damn cool: Trek Puts a Camera on a Key Chain.

"Key chain USB drives have a place in the hearts and pockets of many geeks. But simply storing files isn't enough; the next generation of Trek's tiny ThumbDrive devices, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show here, can take photos and play music.

They join a growing selection of key chain USB devices seeking to distinguish themselves with extras like recording functions, enhanced security, and cameras.

The ThumbDrive Camera from Trek, for instance, combines flash memory with a digital camera in a package about the size of a couple of packs of gum.

The prototype Trek is demonstrating at the show takes distinctly blurry photos, and with a maximum resolution of 640 by 480 pixels, it won't replace a dedicated digital camera. But Trek doesn't intend it to: The ThumbDrive Camera is aimed at casual photo snappers who value convenience over image quality....

When not connected to a PC, a single AAA battery powers it. And like previous ThumbDrives, the camera version doesn't need drivers, so you can plug it into a PC in a hotel or cyber café and access the photos or files stored on it. The ThumbDrive Camera is scheduled to ship in February priced at $179.

For the more musically inclined, the ThumbDrive Music is a combination of key chain USB drive and digital audio player. It has 128MB of memory, can play MP3 or WMA digital audio files, and can run for as long as 12 hours powered by a AAA battery. It is scheduled to ship in February as well, with a $169 price tag." [PC World]

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SanDisk introduces Compact Flash Wi-Fi

"Alan Reiter writes up SanDisk's announcement at CES of their Cmopact Flash-based Wi-Fi cards that are available in configurations with 128 Mb and 256 Mb or no memory. The memory plus Wi-Fi combination is particularly useful because in cameras that could be upgraded to handle Wi-Fi networking support, for instance, it would require much more engineering to add double Compact Flash slots." [80211b News]

Digital cameras with lots of memory and Wi-Fi.... I need a sound icon of Homer drooling over donuts....

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It's the Convenience, Stupid

Sony Predicts Rebirth of Television
"A key executive at the consumer-electronics giant takes the stage at CES, proclaiming that television is still in its infancy and will be the center of home entertainment networks." [CNET News.com]

Dell: PCs Still Rule the Roost
"In a gentle slapback to remarks from Sony's president, Michael Dell tells CES crowds that the PC will become the center of the digital home entertainment universe--not the TV." [CNET News.com]

Remember, convergence isn't just for phones and PDAs! They're still trying to figure out which appliance will serve up your media. Yet another race, but the question is which group will focus on the single biggest concern of consumers? Convenience is the key, and so far no one has found a way to make DRM easy, which is only going to stall the fun part.

10:49:08 PM  |   Permanent link here  |    |   Trackback [] | Google It!