DailyTech - Eye-Fi Adds Al a Carte Features, Faster Upload Speeds

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Gadgets Eye-Fi Adds Al a Carte Features, Faster Upload Speeds
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - September 23, 2008 2:00 PM

18 comment(s) - last by Muirgheasa.. on Sep 25 at 12:57 PM

Users can add features like geotagging to Eye-Fi cards and more

One of the things that most confuses users new to digital photography is getting the images from the camera onto the computer. It is also a problem for many when the memory card runs out of space.

Eye-Fi was the first SD card to add integrated WiFi that gives users the ability of directly uploading images automatically to their PC via a wireless network. This feature also virtually assured you wouldn't run out of storage space as long as you were close to a wireless network. Eye-Fi announced that it has doubled the speed at which the Eye-Fi card is capable of uploading images.

The original Eye-Fi SD card was capable of uploading at 54Mbps. Users can now upload images directly to Apple Mobile Me and AdoramaPix. Previously, users had to purchase different Eye-Fi cards to get capabilities like geotagging.

Eye-Fi now allows users to purchase one card and upgrade to different services on an ala carte basis. Starting on October 5, new and existing Eye-Fi owners will be able to add features not included on their cards and renew annual services using an updated version of the Eye-Fi Manager Web application.

Among the services that users can add to the Eye-Fi card are Web Sharing for an annual fee of $9.99, Geotagging for $14.99 annually, and Hot spot access for $14.99 annually. Eye-Fi has also announced that it will be expanding its retail availability with product available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Ritz Camera Centers, and online retailers. Retail pricing for the Eye-Fi cards is $79 to $129 depending on the model. Eye-Fi will also make its products available to users in Japan and Canada.

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poisonous trend

By LumbergTech on 9/23/2008 3:32:37 PM , Rating: 3

just my opinion, but i think this current trend of selling crippled hardware and asking users to pay over and over again to activate certain features is quite toxic, i already feel like its becoming overwhelming.....how many devices will have to purchase seperate features for? what happened to an all fucntion device OUT OF THE BOX

RE: poisonous trend

By sigilscience on 9/23/08, Rating: 0

RE: poisonous trend

By quiksilvr on 9/23/2008 4:36:25 PM , Rating: 3

You are totally seeing this the wrong way. It's like selling a keyboard with keys missing (who uses X and Z anyways? That scroll lock button is SOOO overrated) and then charging to activate it. It's like selling a camera without zoom and then paying extra to give it the capability to do so. It's like having a 3G phone with bluetooth that doesn't tether to PCs and then buying the software that allows you to do so.

Companies really have to stop nickel and diming consumers. Did the Service Packs cost money? Do firmware upgrades for consoles cost money?

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RE: poisonous trend

By sigilscience on 9/23/2008 4:48:06 PM , Rating: 2

That's a stupid analogy. A keyboard with a missing X and Z is pretty useless. But a SD memory card without "unlimited geotagging" is still a fully-featured memory card.

My last car had an option for a backup camera and heated/cooled drinkholders also. Is my car "crippled" because it doesn't have those features? No way.

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RE: poisonous trend

By quiksilvr on 9/23/2008 5:03:06 PM , Rating: 2

Again, you are missing the point. Suppose your car HAD a backup camera but you couldn't use it because you have to pay extra for the software to see it on your dashboard. Suppose your drinkholders HAD cooling and heating capabilities but you had to pay to activate it. That is what I'm talking about.

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RE: poisonous trend

By ebakke on 9/23/2008 5:20:45 PM , Rating: 2

Reading your analogies is fun - I hope some other obtuse mind questions you (or you get bored, and just make some more for fun).

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RE: poisonous trend

By MPE on 9/23/2008 5:29:58 PM , Rating: 2

Geotagging is a SERVICE of the software!!!
Not a hardware feature.

Your comparison is why comparison is so dumb in the internet. You can compare anything you like- even if it is beyond common sense.

They have partner (aka paying) to do the service.
http://www.eye.fi/services/geotagging/

Sheez.

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RE: poisonous trend

By quiksilvr on 9/24/2008 3:16:12 AM , Rating: 2

But it's within the realm of capability. If my computer has the ability to play any video and audio format it wants, should I have to PAY to have that feature? NO! Media Player Classic along with K-Lite Codec Pack does it for free and quite well. Geotagging is a nifty feature but there shouldn't be fees and annual fees tagged to it, it should just be free along with the card.

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RE: poisonous trend

By Homerboy on 9/24/2008 9:47:40 AM , Rating: 2

wow you really don't get it do you?

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RE: poisonous trend

By dude on 9/23/2008 10:21:15 PM , Rating: 2

You can't say 'crippled'.

You have to say 'physically challenged' or people will blast you for not being 'pc'.

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RE: poisonous trend

By fotoguy on 9/23/2008 7:32:45 PM , Rating: 2

What Eye-Fi is doing is changing their business model from a one time purchase to an ongoing revenue model.

Currently, you can buy the "Eye-FI Explore" card and it comes with unlimited geotagging. With this new product, you will pay an extra premium for geotagging. But come next year, you will be paying for the premium again. Same feature, yet you are paying again and again.

They Eye-Fi currently have different models so that you do not have to buy geotagging.

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I'm confused....

By Souka on 9/23/2008 2:59:46 PM , Rating: 2

Two statements contradict each other....

"Eye-Fi announced that it has doubled the speed at which the Eye-Fi card is capable of uploading images."

and

"The original Eye-Fi SD card was capable of uploading at 54Mbps"

So the new eyefi card can upload at 108Mbps? wow...

RE: I'm confused....

By b534202 on 9/23/2008 6:12:41 PM , Rating: 2

I see no contradiction to those 2 statements.
And yes, 108Mbps is obviously what they mean. Otherwises it would just be lying.

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Features

By inighthawki on 9/23/2008 3:55:56 PM , Rating: 2

Out of curiosity, does this chip have software that will automatically download pictures to the computer after every shot? If so that'd be kinda cool, but I'm the kind of person who hates installing any unnecessary software on his computer.

RE: Features

By Souka on 9/23/2008 5:45:38 PM , Rating: 2

No.. it only uploads, via a wi-fi that you manually configure, to a pre-defined photo-web site.

Range on wi-fi is very short, so unless you have camera near router, you'll need to somehow keep the camera on while near the router when yuo want the pics taken off...which can take hours depending on your broadband conenction upload speed....

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Title error

By Xs1t0ry on 9/23/2008 6:32:50 PM , Rating: 2

Should be "a la carte," not "al a carte." It's french for "on the menu," (literally, "of the card")

RE: Title error

By Muirgheasa on 9/25/2008 12:57:51 PM , Rating: 2

I'm glad someone else pointed that out. I mean, I know French is a little difficult from time to time, but if you don't know how to spell it - well, no one's holding a gun to your head, are they? Just use another phrase. Or (god forbid) look it up.

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Cheaper?

By prenox on 9/23/2008 5:15:59 PM , Rating: 2

With the price of these cards and then the price of hotspot access annually wouldn't it be much cheaper to get a 4gb or greater SD card to start with?