If there was one problem with the otherwise excellent Eye-Fi card it’s that images stored to the card had the nasty habit of appearing on public Flickr accounts without their owners knowledge – images that usually involved the owner in a compromising position with a close, naked friend or a barnyard mammal. Sure you can control where the Eye-Fi sends stuff but not many people bothered with those settings.
The company has just announced Eye-Fi View, a sharing system that makes sense. View creates a temporary private storage space for all Eye-Fi users where it keeps photos safe and sound for up to a week (you can buy unlimited storage for $4.99 or $49 a year.) You can see the updated View UI at http://center.eye.fi/.
You can also send and share your photos via email from the View UI. In all, it’s a solid improvement over flinging photos willy-nilly into the ether.
New System and Email Feature Let People Quickly Show Off and Share Content on Multiple Devices
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 27, 2010 — Eye-Fi Inc. (www.eye.fi), best known as makers of the world’s first wireless memory card, today launched Eye-Fi View, giving consumers a new way to access their photos and videos from virtually any computer or mobile device. Along with Eye-Fi View, Eye-Fi also introduced a new email-sharing feature, allowing direct, private sharing of full-resolution images without clogging inboxes or requiring viewers to login.
“When we released the first Eye-Fi card three years ago, we solved the fundamental problem of getting pictures off the camera and onto computers and online sharing sites. As we enter the biggest photo-sharing season of the year – Halloween to Christmas – we’re delivering an even easier way for people to view and share photos from any device, with more control than ever,” said Jef Holove, President and CEO of Eye-Fi. “Photos and videos of the kids trick-or-treating can be easily emailed to grandma and shown off on dad’s iPad”
When it comes to photography, viewing the images is the point, and more devices – from netbooks to smartphones to tablets – create more ways consumers want to view and show their memories. With Eye-Fi View, this content is now accessible from virtually any Internet connected device and can be viewed and shared at home, at the office, or on the road.
Whether selecting certain photos to share on public sites like Facebook or Flickr, or privately sharing several images or full albums with trusted email contacts, Eye-Fi makes it easy. By simply logging into their Eye-Fi account from any device, users can view photos, publish them on the web, or share them via email.
“There are many sites on which pictures and videos can be shared. But even in this age of social media, email remains the most popular method of sharing among consumers,” added Holove. “With our unique approach to email sharing, Eye-Fi is extending its ease of use capabilities to customers who want to email their photos. Because, put simply, photos are created to view.”
With Eye-Fi’s email feature, users select contacts from their own address book, and recipients – whether Eye-Fi users or not – can easily download full-resolution images through a single link, without worrying about overwhelming their inbox.
Pricing and Availability
With the latest Eye-Fi Center release, Eye-Fi X2 card users can automatically send content to their Eye-Fi View. Access to content uploaded within the last seven days is always free. Upgrade to Eye-Fi Premium to maintain access to an unlimited amount of content for only $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. All Eye-Fi users can take advantage of the new email sharing feature.
Eye-Fi products are now available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. Wal-Mart is the latest national retailer to feature Eye-Fi, following the addition of Target earlier this year. Availability beyond electronics and photography outlets underscores the expanding consumer demand for Eye-Fi’s unique solution. Additionally, Eye-Fi’s international users can now subscribe to all Eye-Fi services including Eye-Fi Premium. For more information, visit www.eye.fi.
About Eye-Fi
Founded in 2005, Eye-Fi is dedicated to building products and services that help consumers manage, nurture and share their visual memories. Eye-Fi’s patented and patent-pending technology wirelessly and automatically uploads photos and videos from digital imaging devices, including digital cameras and the iPhone, to online, in-home and retail destinations. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the company’s investors include LMS Capital, Opus Capital, Shasta Ventures and TransLink Capital. More information is available at www.eye.fi.
Eye-Fi memory cards work like a regular SDHC memory card and are compatible with most compact and DSLR cameras. Users can also select which photos and videos are uploaded, and where they’re shared – choosing from 45 partner sites, including Flickr, Facebook, Picasa and more. Never run out of space with Endless Memory.
Eye-Fi products and services are now available at Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Office Depot and Apple stores nationwide and online. For more information about Eye-Fi, please visit www.eye.fi.
