microSD

Samsung's new microSD cards to offer fast speeds for LTE devices

Samsung is mass-producing a new series of microSD cards that it says are four times faster than the current generation.

Available in a 16GB version, the new UHS-1 microSD card will offer a maximum read speed of 80MB per second, according to Samsung's internal testings. That will provide a significant bump over today's advanced microSD cards with speeds of around 21MB per second.

In tech terms, the cards are made up of Samsung's 20 nanometer-class 64 gigabit toggle DDR 2.0 devices and use a Samsung controller that supports the ultra fast UHS-1 interface.… Read more

Five-deal Friday: A MacBook Air for $650, an iDevice speaker dock for $16, and more!

It's been a rough week for the Cheapskate. The blog, I mean, not the man. (I'm doing fine.) First that super-cheap powerline Ethernet kit sold out in what seemed like minutes, then yesterday's free DVD ripper caused all kinds of confusion (as these things always seem to do, despite my best efforts at making the instructions clear).

But do I buckle? Do I bend? Hell, no! I come roaring back with a week's worth of goodies in a single post! Because no way can five deals sell out. Bring it on, universe!

1. This is probably … Read more

Samsung waterproof microSD cards toughen up

Samsung is the latest electronics-maker to give its SD and microSD cards a thicker skin. Today Samsung announced that its newest two lines of products are waterproof, shockproof, and magnetproof.

Beyond that, they're "guaranteed to survive up to 24 hours in water, withstand the force of a 1.6 ton vehicle (3,200 pounds), and resist up to 10,000 gauss," which is nearly the power of a medical-grade imaging magnet.

This translates into tougher cards that can keep the digital contents of smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, and camcorders safe from the elements--or from you.

Samsung's … Read more

Developer offers $5K prize for bootable Nook Tablet card

Do you have mad Android hacking skills? Put them to good use and you might just earn $5,000--or more.

N2A Cards LLC, best known for transforming Barnes & Noble Nook Color e-readers into full-blown Android tablets, has thrown down the gauntlet to the development community: first person to create a bootable Android microSD card for the Nook Tablet (the Color's successor) gets $2,500.

And if you do it before midnight on January 22, you get a $2,500 bonus.

Here's a summary of what the contest entails:

N2A Cards LLC will offer a $2,500 reward … Read more

Nook2Android turns Nook into full Android tablet

Barnes & Noble Nook Color owners now have a new option that can turn their e-readers into full-fledged Android tablets.

Sold by a company called Nook2Android, a SanDisk microSD card preloaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the Android Market essentially transforms Nook Color readers into Android tablets.

Available in three sizes and prices ($34.99 for 8 gigabytes, $49.99 for 16 GB, and $89.99 for 32GB), the SD card plugs directly into the Nook, letting the device boot into Android mode. A boot menu gives users the choice of loading Android or the Nook operating system, while removing the card will automatically transform the Nook back into its normal e-reader state.

In Android mode, Nook owners can use the built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n to surf the Web and run various preinstalled apps, such as Gmail, Facebook, and Pandora, according to Nook2Android. Apps can be downloaded and installed directly from the Android Market. The company also promises that using the cards won't affect the Nook's internal memory or void the warranty from B&N.… Read more

The 404 830: Where sorry does not put the crackers in our stomachs (podcast)

It's graduation time for college students, but today we're exploring an offer from Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel to give a $100,000 fellowship to students who drop out and start their own company. He argues that people under 20 can learn more useful real-world skills at a start-up than at a university, where they'll ultimately leave in massive debt.

We're also offering tips on how to shop at Costco, the dropping prices of external media cards, the return of The 404 Audio Draft in a new Web site Outloud.fm, life lessons to be learned from Adam Sandler's "Billy Madison," and a couple of rules for leaving a voice mail on our show.

Have a fun (and safe!) Memorial Day weekend, everyone!

The 404 Digest for Episode 830

Google Wallet debuts, PayPal sues. PayPal co-founder offers $100,000 fellowship to students to quit college. Kingmax unveils world's first 64GB microSD card. Follow Jeff, Justin, Wilson, and The 404 Podcast on Twitter!

Episode 830 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Kingmax MicroSD card hits 64GB mark

A few years back during CES 2009, I was introduced to the first microSD card that offered 16GB of storage space. Considering the card's size, which is smaller than the nail on your little finger, that was really a wow. But it's not a big deal anymore.

Kingmax, a big name among system memory vendors, introduced today the first microSD card that offers 64GB of storage space. To put this in context, the device would hold enough data to fill two and a half Blu-ray discs (some 24 hours of 720p content), in a space that's again smaller than your fingernail. The new card supports the microSDXC standard, where XC stands for "extended capacity."

Kingmax says the little module features a Class 6 rating, meaning it can read and write at up to 48Mbps. While this is fast for a microSD card, it would still take about three hours to fill it up or pull all the data off of it.

Note that it's unlikely your smartphone can handle the card, as most smartphones are designed to work with microSD cards in capacities of 16GB or lower. For this reason, Kingmax hasn't announced the pricing for the new card yet, but expect it to be available for purchase soon.

Also expect other vendors to soon introduce their own 64GB microSD cards.… Read more

Five-deal Friday. That's right: Five!

It's Friday. I'm on no sleep. Got a crazy-busy weekend coming up. My to-do list is as long as my arm. Computers and electronics are failing all around me. (Two desktops in two weeks, one Xbox 360, and one Novatel Wireless aircard, plus my Comcast Internet keeps flaking out at random intervals. Shall I go on?)

What does all this rambling incoherence (or is it incoherent rambling?) have to do with today's post? For some reason it seemed easier to write briefly about five deals than to write at length about one. I may regret that decision; … Read more

Creative launching iPod Nano rival

Though most of its features mimic those of the iPod Nano, Creative's new Zen Style music player is trying to up the ante by including Bluetooth and a microSD card slot.

Available next month, the Zen Style M300 is Creative's latest attempt to carve out a bigger slice of the portable music player market.

The $79 device is a combination music, photo, and video player with a built-in FM radio and touch-control buttons to maneuver around the 1.45-inch screen. A built-in mic allows for voice recording.

The included Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity lets people listen to music through any compatible Bluetooth wireless headset as well as through Bluetooth wireless speakers. The microSD card slot can hold up to 32GB of music beyond the unit's internal storage space.… Read more