The FluCard
Henn Tan, the Singaporean that brought the thumbdrive to the world has now invented another device that will take the world by storm. It’s the FluCard. We presume it was name this way as it will spread like a flu virus.
It is a thumbdrive with a difference. This time, you do not need any USB connection to transfer your files. All you need is, Wi-Fi.
The FluCard is a powerful SD card with built-in Wi-Fi technology. It is this technology that enables photos to be sent through the air to a person’s FluCard.
With the FluCard, you can exchange photos and video clips with friends and family even when outdoors. You can also transfer photos from your camera to your computer wirelessly. This means we can throw that USB cable or card reader into the bin.
The FluCard will work in most digital cameras, video cameras and digital photo frames that use Secure Digital Memory Cards (SD Cards). There is no need to configure anything, simply insert your FluCard into your camera and it is ready to exchange photos. You are given the option of configuring your FluCard so you can send photos to your personal server, or create a private photo-exchange group.
The FluCard can be configured using a computer or a mobile smart phone with Wi-Fi compatibility.
With regard to power consumption, Poo Teng Pin, vice president of Operations in Trek 2000, said the Wi-Fi module is activated only when users are sending or receiving files. Otherwise, it draws power like a normal SD card. Poo also told CNET Asia that the FluCard has an effective transmission range of 10m. Beyond that distance, it can still operate but may be subjected to interference from other wireless devices.
For now, the FluCard is able to transmit to one device only. If there is more than one FluCard equipped cameras around the vicinity, the card will connect to the nearest shooter with the strongest signal. This raises some security concerns because images and videos may be sent to another device which is not the intended recipient. In hindsight, the transmission range is still quite short, so you will know who you’re sending the pictures to. Hence, it seems secure to a certain extent.
The FluCard will be available in Singapore from next quarter.
As to whether the FluCard will be made available in other forms, such as Compact Flash cards, Henn Tan, president of Trek 2000, said the company will monitor the market for demand.
From all these specifications, it seems Trek’s FluCard is slated to be the next generation of wireless SD cards for imaging devices. The Singapore Company anticipates professional photographers to be the first to adopt this media before it gains popularity among the masses.
The FluCard also receives support from Toshiba which will appoint Trek as the official OEM manufacturer for the card. The Japanese firm will also form a consortium to support the distribution of the FluCard as well as oversee the intellectual property protection for this latest innovation.
Trek aims sell the card in capacities ranging from 8GB to 128GB. The 8GB version will cost around US$100 and is expected in Singapore in the next quarter. The next market to get the FluCard will be Japan.
Source: CNET Asia