Belkin Card Reader Review
Comments: 6
The Belkin Media Reader turns third-generation iPods into a storage bin for digital photographs. Very cool (and a great reason to update my original 5GB iPod ;-). This informal, first-impressions review on DPReview.com, however, suggests that the device may have problems with larger CF cards. Downloads appear to be impractically slow.
Belkin seems to be aware of the problem. Might make sense to hold off on purchasing this until the situation with larger cards is resolved.
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Posted to Computers • 2003.10.24 (Fri) • 09:36
Comments
Posted by Gen Kanai 2003.10.24, 10:19
This kind of mistake is really insufferable. How they could have shipped that product without testing it on larger capacity CF cards really speaks to serious flaws in their product testing.
p.s. My 15” PB has arrived! I am in awe! Waiting to load Panther before I really dig into it.
Posted by lil 2003.10.24, 11:28
That’s very interesting reading, Jeremy. I was actually considering picking one up next month since I’m not thrilled about having to lug my laptop around when I’m shooting more than a few CF card’s worth of images on a trip. I guess I need to think twice about it, and perhaps look at getting something like the FlashTrax reviewed over on A-Digital-Eye (useful to have the colour LCD but damn pricey!) or perhaps the Vosonic X’s Drive reviewed on PhotographyBLOG. Heard anything good about those?
Posted by lil 2003.10.24, 11:33
Just one more thing…interestingly, when I went to my local Bic Camera in Shibuya last week to find out what portable storage devices for image files were available here in Japan, they told me they didn’t actually sell anything like this at all! Either that shop was poorly stocked, the sales assistant was misinformed, or this kind of product is simply not available in the Japanese market (the latter of which I seriously doubt)!
Posted by jh 2003.10.24, 15:28
lil —- Thanks for those extra links. Didn’t know about the X’s-Drive. Looks like what I’m after. No LCD means longer battery life. I’m a little worried that all of these devices seem to use proprietary batteries —- I can’t just use my rechargeable 3-gata or buy a set from a nearby convenience store when travelling.
I have a feeling Belkin will work out what’s wrong with the slow transfers, and then the Rev B iteration will be a killer accessory (despite the fact that I still think it’s a bit big).
Gen —- I took a look at a friend’s new 15-inch PB the other day. Very sweet. You won’t want a card reader as you’ll probably prefer to carry your ‘Book everywhere. ;-)
Posted by jeremyw 2003.10.24, 23:51
I picked up a Sima ImageBank a while ago for a trip to Italy - 10 gigs of USB drive for only $99 US (from TigerDirect). It works as advertised and it works great, although I had to buy a MemoryStick CompactFlash adapter. I’ve been waiting and wishing for a way to use my iPod, but this isn’t it. Give me a cable (even if it is large) from camera to iPod and I’m a buyer. I don’t want or need another device to lug around. http://www.moonpost.com/jeremy/archives/001905.shtml By the way, I took over 1,000 pictures in 12 days and the ImageBank was awesome. Cost in MemorySticks would have been something like $600.
Posted by resonance 2003.10.27, 02:09
I’ve also been waiting to upgrade my iPod until it had some kind of “digital wallet” functionality. I purchased a digital wallet for my Morocco backpacking trip a few years ago (sold the digital wallet promptly upon my return) and it was wonderful not having to carry a laptop, perhaps especially in Morocco. Now that I shoot large RAW files from a DSLR, a 40GB iPod and this reader should do the trick.
Now it’s just a matter of deciding which of my vital organs I can pawn…
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