Eye-Fi Share 2 GB Wi-Fi SD Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-2GB (OLD VERSION)
by Eye-Fi
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Eye-Fi Share 2 GB Wi-Fi SD Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-2GB (OLD VERSION)
Customer Review: Great card. A few technical things people missed on other reviews. (UPDATE 10/10/08)
Summary: 5 Stars
A few things to consider after getting the card:
1) Warm up time. If you haven't used the card for awhile or move to a different Access Point/Wireless router. It will sense it can't get a connection and goes through the access point list until it gets a connection if you have multiple WPA-TKIP entries it will add to this time. Hence the slowness of getting it started. Once it knows which AP to talk to. Uploads start within a few seconds after you take the picture.
2) As i tested it. It has the maximum security of WPA/2-TKIP. It can't do AES ecryption. They say WPA/2-PSK but don't mention at what level. It may frustrate some users trying to set it up. I spend 2 hours of pain until i reduced security on my wireless router.
3) The client is only required to setup the card. Afterwards the only reason why you need it is to recieve files onto a computer or setup more wireless access point.
4) Here's the big one. It always requires an internet connection. It always has to call home to the eye-fi service. Transfer to your computer is limited to you line's UPLOAD bandwidth. What it does is uploads your photos to the eye-fi service. The eye-fi service then sends it to your online service and then waits for contact from the eye-fi Client on your computer. Once the client connects it'll start downloading the image to the computer. So you can turn your computer off. Take a bunch of pictures. Turn your computer on and it'll start downloading all the pictures.
Almost 1 YEAR UPDATE
What can i say. The company is awesome. They've kept up with updates so early adopters can "upgrade" their cards to the newest features.
In fact all the new cards are the same card in reality just priced differently because of the features.
So with all the updates My old Problems #3 and #4 have been somewhat solved.
#3 - You still need to pre-configure the card. But now you can now pay $15 dollars a year for Hotspot access. So now you can go to a closed hotspot service and it'll connect. Check Eye-fi to see what hotspots you can use.
#4 - With the Eye-Fi Home edition they introduced the feature where it uploads to your computer first. And with the "Share"(original) and "explore"(geotag+hotspot 1 year subscribtion included) versions it'll upload to your internet spots afterwards. So now you can setup your computer and wireless router in a room. Take pictures and after a few seconds it'll show up on your computer. Also provided that you have the card setup with the access point and computer ahead of time. You can now shutoff the internet connection and it'll still work. Eg. Cheap man's wi-fi camera without internet connection. So if you bring a laptop and Wireless router (anything with DHCP enabled). You can shoot wirelessly directly to the laptop in the field even with zero internet connection. The coolest update.
You many have noticed there are various versions of the card. In reality ALL the cards are all the same. You can future upgrade even the most basic one. It'll end up costing nearly all the same. All it needs are firmware updates.
On another note. I never wrote about this but i was kinda mad that once you registered the card you couldn't tranfer the card to another address. I honestly thought i'd get rid of the card. But i didn't. Whats really nice. If you camera gets stolen and you have enough "open" access points pre-configured and maybe even the hotspot service. You might even catch the criminal like this lady did. http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Wi-Fi-Wireless-Memory-Card-helps-catch-thief
As they can't re-register the serial numbered card. And maybe you'll even get your pictures too.
Customer Review: What it Is and What it Isn't
Summary: 5 Stars
The Eye-Fi is a remarkable device that was quite the buzz at the recent CES and MacWorld shows, and with good reason in my book. What it is a standard 2GB SD Memory card with good read/white performance that also packs in a built-in Wi-Fi connection that has been seen a feature on a few digital cameras over the past year or two. What it isn't--is without a few minor limitations you should be aware of.
After you have set the card up using the Windows or Mac software included on the card (or downloadable from the manufacturer's website), including finding and registering the card on your local wireless network, then each picture you take with your digital camera will begin uploading after a few seconds to your favorite photo sharing/storage website. It will also support uploading as well as to your networked computer--if you choose.
I used the Eye-Fi at a party and told my friends that they would be able to view all the pictures on my webpage as soon as they got home. It worked flawlessly, the only issue being that really large resolution digital pictures will take some time to upload, as most home-based broadband internet connections have upload speeds capped off at 128 or 256MBS--far less than the gigabytes of download speed you might have. Again, this isn't the Eye-Fi's fault, but a limitation of your internet connection.
Don't get this card thinking it will replace the wired connection to download your photos to your computer, because it won't be as fast. Don't get it as your only memory card. Don't think you will be able to pop into any WiFi hotspot and begin uploading pictures--you have to set up the card with a computer to work with each specific wireless network.
DO get this as a fabulous add-on for your digital camera (assuming it takes SD memory cards), allowing you to shoot pictures directly to your computer or favorite photo website. DO plan to spend a few minutes setting it up for the first time--including some special set-up on your camera if you are using the Eye-Fi with a Nikon Digital SLR model camera (D40, D80, etc.) DO use the included SD to USB adapter to set up the Eye-Fi, the card may not read on other SD readers/cables (but the compact Eye-Fi SD reader does seem to work with all other standard SD format memory cards, so that's a nice bonus!) DO understand that it will drain your camera battery a bit faster because of the WiFi radio transmitter, but not horribly so.
In other words, the Eye-Fi rocks and is a worthwhile addition to almost anyone's digital camera set-up. Highly Recommended.
Customer Review: Eye-Fi delivers on its promises!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Eye-Fi Card has changed my photo taking and sharing behavior!
My husband and I work full-time, are both in graduate school, and have two young children. We don't generally have a lot of time to fiddle with wires, edit photos, or create web pages. We have family and friends overseas and across the U.S., and are often asked to share current photos of us and the kids. Until recently, we found it challenging to accommodate these requests.
A few months ago, a family friend had acquired an Eye-Fi Card as a Gamma user, and would sing its praises to me whenever we spoke. As this was right around the time of the card's public release, I decided to try it out for myself, and ordered one online. When my card arrived, I was immediately impressed by the attractive and compact packaging. The instructions for setting up the Eye-Fi Card were easy to follow and accessible, even for me (I'm not the most technologically savvy person). I ran into a set up glitch because of an outdated router, and had to call Eye-Fi for tech support. I received immediate and detailed attention, and was quickly on my way to snapping and sharing my digital photos.
Since acquiring the Eye-Fi Card for myself, I have taken to carrying my digital camera with me wherever I go, and have become an avid photographer. My subjects are usually our four-year old son and his LEGO creations, or our drooling six-month old. Nonetheless, it is incredibly rewarding to be able to painlessly share these priceless images with our extended network of friends and family, on the very same day they are taken. We enrolled in Phanfare so that others can easily access our photos, in high resolution, for themselves. We also utilize Snapfish and Facebook as sharing mediums - mostly for work-related projects. We upload all of our images onto our computer, so that if we do have a spare moment, we can edit and print or publish any and all of the images we capture. I love the versatility of the Eye-Fi Card, and am grateful for the ways in which it has simplified my life.
I would highly recommend the Eye-Fi Card to anyone who owns a camera - but can especially vouch for its benefits if you have a busy lifestyle, and possess little desire to deal with the otherwise taxing process of sharing or printing digital photos. I love Eye-Fi, and look forward to seeing how this product advances in the near future!
Customer Review: Eye-Fi - Works, but a few considerations
Summary: 5 Stars
Would like to change to 1; but Amazon will not allow rating change. I have only used for a few hundred pictures and NO Longer working. I had spent 4-5 hours with tech support getting it to work the first time; don't have more time to waste with inexperienced tech support. Good idea; not ready for prime time. I would encourage you to save your money! As the reviews are moving past the early adopters you are now seeing more NEGATIVE, than positive.
Prior review:
I would only recommend if you have very specific needs for this product. I like it because my wife takes pictures while I'm at work and refuses to load them onto the computer and upload them. Eye-fi solved that problem!
Product works if you have a single router connected to your modem; will not work properly if you use a second router in bridge mode to extend coverage. Tech support has not created a solution. Will only upload JPEG, creates a new folder based on calendar day and if you take more than 5 pictures Canon cameras will shut down prior to uploading (on max time till camera shut down.) You can not tell when it is done uploading and no way to turn off wi-fi feature if taking a bunch of pictures and willing to use card reader. It definitely eats up your battery due to setting the camera to stay on to do upload. Upload does not happen immediately after picture is taken, it pauses for a while before it does the upload. Personally I disagree with earlier review about working better with DSLR (Nikon D80.) I use with Canon SD870 for quick shots and auto upload for others to see. DSLR I shoot raw, take a ton of pictures and prefer using program like Aperture. If you find yourself doing a flow similar to this I would not recommend this product. It would add additional work/steps.
I tried multiple picture sharing sites to see which works the best with this product and have NO affiliation with any services (I'm a physician.) Phanfare does the best job because my wife can take a picture while I'm at work and after automatically uploading to Phanfare the picture downloads to my laptop Phanfare screensaver software. Nice treat at work to see new pictures of my Newborn without my wife doing any additional steps. Too bad Phanfare doesn't work with sidebar RSS or digital frames for the true closed loop experience.
Customer Review: Works Much Better Than I expected
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading some of the bad reviews here I was a little nervous buying this card.
We will be traveling all of 2008 and we always bring a router with us. I found that even in a hotel room if you have 2 computers (which we always do) a router is now a necessity.
Even with our router getting photos up on the net to drop on a travel Blog has always been a pain. FTP'ing photos up to the site was just another long process I didn't want to go through after a day of exploring.
When at home I always forget to upload the photos off the card or can't find the cable to my camera when I need it.
I got the card and fired it up so to speak. I have security on our wireless router and just plugged in the code. Bam it was on the network.
I don't normally use the online photo services (why upload them there and make an extra step) at all but went ahead and signed up for a picasa account just to test this thing out. I want to eventually use it with Google Earth anyway and Picasa fits in with them seamlessly.
After getting it on the network I just popped the card into my camera and started taking pictures. By the time I got back to my computer they were all in a folder I told it to save to during the setup. Very cool!!! Logged into my Picasa account and they were there too. Made a Blog post and used the URL from the photo and there it was.
Camera and Eye-Fi card took care of it all. No FTP, No cable hook up, No pop the card from the camera and upload to computer. Works much better than I would have expected!!!
Only thing I would ask for is a 4GB version.
Keeping my old Hi-speed card as a backup for fast action shots and will have to do it the old slow way.
FYI - I did notice someone said that they could not find the software for the card. The software for the card is on the card when you first set it up. Windows XP saw it right away and asked if that's what I wanted to open when I first popped in the card. If you look for it I am sure your setup will go as easy as mine.
~ Steve
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