Eye-Fi to offer new device

Eye-Fi Inc., makers of the world's first wireless memory card for digital cameras, today announced the Eye-Fi Explore, allows users to automatically geo-tag and upload photos from more than 10,000 hotspots.

Photo: Eye-Fi to offer new device

"The Eye-Fi Explore delivers the two enhancements most requested by our users,” said Jef Holove, CEO for Eye-Fi. "Our geotagging service automates what is today a compelling, though time-consuming and manual, experience. And, our hotspot access will allow travelers, bloggers, and anyone on the go to upload, share and save their pictures before they even get home.”

The size of a conventional SD memory card, Eye-Fi Explore allows users to automatically send photos directly from their camera to their PC or Mac, and to one of 25 online photo sharing, printing, social networking, or blogging sites using their home wireless network. Eye-Fi partnered with Wayport to enable hotspot connectivity (MacDonalds, hotels, Hertz offices) for the Eye-Fi Explore and with Skyhook Wireless to provide geotagging capabilities through its Wi-Fi positioning system.

Skyhook technology provides a position in reading signal from Wi-Fi hotspots without need to be connected to any of them. In North America, Skyhook currently provides coverage of more than 70 percent of the population. In Europe, the top 50 metropolitan areas are covered, along with 70 percent of the population in Germany, France and the UK. The rest of Western Europe will be covered in mid-summer 2008. Coverage expansion in key Asian markets, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other countries is currently underway.

The device will be available as early as June 6 for the price of $129.