Right now, they’re only shipping in 8GB and 16GB capacities, which have been long available, but soon they’ll be releasing 64GB and even higher flash memory. The X4 tech doesn’t yet extend to SSDs, though it’s not really clear why, but it’s still great news for us gadget hounds. Many smartphones, especially those running Android, WinMo and BlackBerry OS, rely on microSDHC cards for memory, and a 64GB or even higher capacity card would make those much more viable as, say, multimedia machines. SanDisk assures us that the price will not skyrocket, which is a relief. X4 chips should start appearing in stores very soon. [CNET]

The MobileLite G2 features a dual-slider design: On one side lies the USB plug, and on the other, the card readers. Both sides, when slid outwards, protect what’s within. It sounds kind of complicated, but isn’t too hard to use, though it certainly requires more steps than a typical card reader. To insert a card, you push the card reader side toward the middle, revealing the slot for your card. After your card is safely in its slot, you extend that side back out again, protecting the cards (or not, you can leave them unprotected if you’re some kind of negligent owner). Then, push the USB side in, revealing the USB jack, and plug it into your computer.

It does sound a little complicated when I explain it, but really it’s pretty simple: Both the card side and the USB side extend to cover their respective delicate bits. (Note: The first person to say “foreskin” will be either banned or promoted, I haven’t decided which). Unfortunately, the MobileLite G2 only supports SD/HC, microSD/HC and Memory Stick Duo, not CompactFlash, which is a bummer. But it’s given an MSRP of $US11, and it could well retail for less. It’s a pretty handy little gadget to have around, that’s for sure, and it should be available later this week. [Kingston]

For instance, you could certainly store small, downloadable Virtual Console games and stream them from from the card. But what about full-game expansions, gigs of data? Traditionally, these couldn’t just load from SD as you’d expect.

According to IGN, Nintendo has opened SDHC storage to developers for DLC that can boot naturally with the game, straight from SDHC with no hard drive middle ground.

The reason you’ll want a new SD card is pretty simple; SD streaming will kick off with GH5. All the tricks used for both Guitar Hero and Rock Band in the past—leaving internal memory open—is gone. Instead, straight-up booting off the SD card is available, and that means easier downloads, larger expansions, and quicker loads when bringing in song data from the SD card into GH5.

It’s good to see that Nintendo is making SDHC a real solution for the system. [IGN via Kotaku]

To be sure, the Zoom Q3 looks like it neglects video quality in favour of audio: Its paltry 640×480 resolution is sure to look outdated next to the true 720p offered by the Flip UltraHD and others. But the Q3 is all about audio, and we’re pretty impressed with what Zoom packed into it. You can see in the picture above that it’s got two mics to give true stereo sound, and they can be aimed both manually and with the camcorder’s automatic presets. It looks pretty easy to get correct levels as well, with several modes to help get the best possible sound. As for audio formats, it’ll do 44.1/48kHz 16/24-bit Linear PCM WAV or MP3 up to 320kbps, which is slightly limited but should do fine.

At the basic hardware level, it’s got a 2.4-inch LCD, takes SDHC cards for memory (a 2GB card is included, but you’ll want to upgrade that pronto) and runs on 2 AA batteries. It’ll cost $US250 when it ships in September, which is a little pricey; the Flip UltraHD costs $US180 at Amazon. We’re not totally sold on the entire package, either: If the Q3 packed HD video as well as this level of audio, we’d be really excited, but we think video is probably more important for most pocket camcorder users than audio. Still, it’s definitely a unique product and hopefully we’ll see the product line develop more. [Zoom]

These cards are designed for HD video and are marketed with the new MacBook Pros in mind, since Apple’s new laptops finally (finally!) have SD card slots. 30MB/s is easily fast enough to comfortably boot an OS from the card slot, which we already know is possible. Plus, with all the new DSLRs capable of taking HD video, more space and faster speeds might be of considerable use to photographers and videographers. The cards will be available this August for an undisclosed price. Press release follows. [SanDisk]

SANDISK UNVEILS WORLD’S FASTEST 32GB SDHC CARD

30MB/s Read & Write Speeds and 32GB Storage Capacity Help
Photography and Video Enthusiasts Do More With Their DSLRs

32GB CardPMA, Sydney, June 25, 2009 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today introduced the fastest 32-gigabyte (GB)1 SDHC™ card on the market. The 32GB SanDisk Extreme® SDHC™ card at up to 30 megabytes per second (MB/s)2 read and write speeds combines industry-leading performance with massive storage capacity, helping digital photography enthusiasts utilise the advanced features of today’s DSLR cameras.

“The market for entry to mid-level DSLR cameras is growing, and SDHC is becoming the de-facto card format for these devices,” said Susan Park, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. “Our card’s 32GB of storage and up to 30MB/s read & write speeds enable DSLR users to shoot without worrying about storage or speed limitations. SanDisk Extreme SDHC cards provide consumers with a more enjoyable user experience, letting them focus on what is really important – the images that they are capturing.”

Lightning-Fast Write Speed Captures Images Quickly
A memory card’s write speed plays a crucial role in the overall system of the camera when taking pictures in rapid succession. If a card cannot process data quickly enough then the burst mode shooting may pause unexpectedly as the card catches up to the camera. Burst mode bottlenecks can lead to missing “the” shot, especially at sporting or other fast-motion events. The SanDisk Extreme SDHC card offers maximum data-transfer rates, giving consumers a memory card fast enough to unlock the full capabilities of their DSLRs.

The 32GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC card adheres to the SD Association’s new Class 10 specification, which exceeds requirement for today’s high definition (AVCHD) video recording. The card offers a sustained write speed fast enough to ensure high-definition video recording and capacity capable of storing 160 minutes of full HD 1920×1080 pixels at 24Mb/s data transfer rate.

Big Files Require Big Storage
Recently-released DSLR camera models like the Nikon D90 and D5000 offer consumers the ability to record HD videos, producing large files that can fill lesser-capacity cards quickly. Today’s high-megapixel DSLRs also can generate massive still images like those produced in the RAW format used by professional photographers who want to take advantage of the enhanced picture quality and flexibility that RAW allows during post production.

RAW images demand up to ten times as much storage space as regular JPEG images, and when taken in rapid succession during burst mode can quickly fill smaller storage cards. The 32GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC card can store up to 2500 RAW3 images, providing photographers with piece of mind and confidence that they will not run out of space for their images.

Renowned for their world-class durability, SanDisk Extreme SDHC cards guarantee operation at extended temperatures ranging from minus 13 F (minus 25 C) to 185 F (85 C). SanDisk Extreme SDHC cards are fully compatible with any camera, card reader or other device that supports SDHC cards.

When placed in SanDisk’s new ImageMate® Multi-Card USB 2.0 reader/writer, the SanDisk Extreme SDHC card transfers images and video to a computer at rates of up to 30MB/s. The card’s fast data transfer rates enable photographers operating under tight deadlines to maximize critical workflow and enter post production as quickly as possible.

Class 10 Performance Sets a New Standard
An SD™ card’s speed Class is based on its minimum data-transfer rate, and is used to ensure high-quality video recording standards. The SD Association added Class 10 as part of the SD 3.0 specification released earlier this year. The SanDisk Extreme SDHC card’s performance exceeds the requirements of even the highest-quality AVCHD video recording device, and is currently the fastest Class 10 card in the world.

Availability:
The SanDisk Extreme SDHC 32GB cards will be shipping worldwide to major retailers in August. Also in August, the current 4, 8 and 16GB capacity SanDisk Extreme SDHC cards will be upgraded from Class 6 to Class 104.

About SanDisk:
SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards – from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk’s product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk (www.sandisk.com/corporate) is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company with more than half its sales outside of the United States.

According to a fresh Knowledge Base article, a properly formatted SD card can be used to boot OS X from the internal slot. As (vaguely) described, this could be a valuable backup and restoration tool, or a convenient way to maintain a semi-portable install of your OS. In proper giveth/taketh fashion, Apple states in the same posting that, despite being the clear, inevitable replacement for the SDHC standard, SDXC card’s won’t be supported, meaning storage will effectively be capped at 32GB.

If Apple really wanted to make this useful, they’d extend Boot Camp to support external storage devices; a feat which is currently only manageable through complex and unwieldy hacks. On this, the article is tellingly silent. [Ars—SDXC tip from Richard L.]

USB flash media readers aren’t exactly ripe for innovation, so it’s rare that they surprise us in a way that doesn’t inspire laughter. But 69ing two readers into one compact, featureless lump? That’s kinda genius.

Designed by the same folks who brought us those wiseass USB “Keys”, the LaCie Data/Share is proudly simple, which is the source of both its strengths and its weaknesses. Along with plain card-reading capabilities, it offers a great way to store an extra SD or MicroSD card on the go, consolidating case and reader into one unit and eliminating dust and fragility concerns for both. That said, it could stand to do a little more; SD cards are well and good, and I know LaCie is aiming to keep things small, but nowadays it’s taken for granted that SD readers can handle at least a handful of other flash media as well.

The Data/Share isn’t yet listed on LaCie’s website, but it’s expected to ship at around $US15. [Electric Pig]

With the new Wii Menu 4.0 update, you can download content directly from the Wii Shop Channel to your SD/SDHC, and the card will show on the Wii’s main menu. You can then open the card to see your content in Channel format (up to 240 SD Channels are supported).

Given that the SDHC format reaching 32GB (12GB more than the hard drive in the original Xbox 360), supporting the open standard sounds like a much better solution than a honking standalone box anyway—at least to me. Other thoughts? [Kotaku Liveblog Here]

Apparently it’s not just an either/or scenario. The cable can simultaneously charge a mini-USB device and transfer photos to your hard drive. Plus if microSD is more your speed, there’s a version for that, too.

Either cable will cost you $US12. [Brando via CrunchGear]