Digital Foci Announces Media Buddy

Media Buddy Digital Photo Storage Securely Saves Photos on the Road on 30GB to 80GB Portable Hard Drives; Lower Cost Alternative to Digital Foci Picture Porter

Digital Foci, Inc. introduced today Media Buddy portable digital photo storage with hard drive and card reader that lets you instantly and securely save digital photos on a hard drive wherever you go, so you can keep snapping away and not worry about running out of memory card space.

Media Buddy is the traveler’s essential digital camera companion. Its built-in memory card slots let you copy and store photos directly from any digital camera card, without the need of cumbersome cabling. A lower cost alternative to Digital Foci’s Picture Porter, Media Buddy is priced starting at only $229. Both Media Buddy and Picture Porter save photos on their portable hard drives, so you don’t have to bring heavy laptops on the road, but Media Buddy provides a lower price by offering a backlit LCD for text-only use, instead of the Picture Porter’s 2″ color LCD screen for viewing photos (see http://www.thomas-pr.com/pressreleases/digitalocipictureportervmediabuddy.html for Media Buddy/Picture Porter comparison chart).

Portable Digital Photo Storage
With Media Buddy’s 30GB to 80GB hard drive versions, you¡ll virtually never run out of memory card space on the road again. Media Buddy frees up expensive memory card space and lets you reuse your memory card to keep snapping photos. Just insert the memory card from your digital camera into Media Buddy and download images into its built-in hard drive. The backlit text-based LCD screen lets users view file information and operation status, including copy progress and confirmation. You can select to save a specific folder or file from your card, or you can copy the entire contents of your memory card with the convenient one-touch Auto Copy button with no computer needed. A unique folder name is automatically created to indicate media card type and copy sequence per card type to keep you organized. When you get home, simply connect Media Buddy to your computer to retrieve your saved pictures.

Works with All Media Formats
Media Buddy works with all media card formats, including CF I/II, MD, SM, xD-Picture Card, MMC, SD Card, miniSD, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, and MS PRO Duo, so you can copy and save your precious pictures directly from any digital camera memory card. You can also make copies of photos taken from friend’s and family member’s digital cameras by quickly inserting their cards into Media Buddy for instant archival of special picture moments.

External Hard Drive, Data Bridge & MP3 Player
When connected to your computer, Media Buddy functions as an external hard drive. Use Media Buddy to back up and archive digital images, digital music and important files from you computer through its high-speed USB 2 connection. Since Media buddy is compatible with both Windows and Mac, you can also easily transfer files between computers with the different operating systems. In addition, Media Buddy is perfect as a portable MP3 player for listening to your favorite MP3 songs on the go.

Media Buddy Features:

• One-touch operation for copying pictures directly from your digital camera memory card without the need of a computer
• Backlit text-based LCD screen for viewing file information and operation status
• Reads directly from memory cards
• Memory card format support of CF I/II, MD, SM, MMC, SD Card, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture Card (and miniSD with adapter)
• Shows copy progress and copy confirmation
• On screen menu includes browse, single file copy, and delete feature
• Attractive brushed anodized aluminum casing
• External hard drive for backing up your computer
• High-speed USB 2.0 computer interface
• Compatible with both PC and Mac
• Transfers files between multiple computers running different operating systems
• MP3 music player
• Includes Ulead Photo Explorer to edit, enhance, and organize your photos
• Built-in Lithium Ion rechargeable battery

Media Buddy weighs 11 oz. (with hard drive and battery included) with dimensions of 5.8″ (L) x 3.4″ (W) x 1″ (H). It comes in 3 stylish colors: Powder Blue, Arctic Silver, and Pearl Gray and 4 storage capacities: 30GB, 40GB, 60GB, and 80GB. Media Buddy comes complete with Ulead Photo Explorer image management software (normally a $30 value), USB cable, earphones, AC adapter, Lithium-Ion battery, carrying case, resource disk, and user’s guide. It is available immediately at Digital Foci’s online store at www.digitalfoci.com starting at $229.95.

About Digital Foci
Digital Foci helps consumers manage and enjoy their digital content collection easily. The company enhances people’s lives by allowing them to seamlessly move digital photos, video, and music from one place to another. With Digital Foci products, consumers are able to enjoy any of their digital content on any device without ever worrying about format compatibility. Digital Foci products include digital picture frames, photo displays, storage devices, and card readers for transfer, storage, and management optimized for any setting where you choose to enjoy your digital content.

Digital Foci (pronounced “foe-sigh”) is the plural form of the word “focus” and symbolizes the many distinct points where light and sound converge and diverge. It is at these digital focus points, or foci, where you view and share your digital pictures, watch your digital video, listen to your digital music, and access your digital files.

MEDIA BUDDY SPEC SHEET

• Model no. MEB-300
• Memory card supported CompactFlash I & II, MicroDrive, SmartMedia, MultiMedia Card, SD Card, miniSD*, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, xD-Picture Card (* adapter required)
• Hard drive 30GB – 80GB 2.5″ hard drive
• LCD screen Text-based LCD screen with backlight
• Computer interface USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 1.1)
• Transfer rate Up to 480 Mbps
• Music format support MP3
• Bundled software Ulead Photo Explorer 8.5 SE (Image management software) for Windows
• External power AC 110-240V AC to DC adapter
• 12V/1.5 DC to device
• Battery power Built-in 7.4V 880mAh Li-Ion rechargeable battery
• Battery life 1.6 hours of continuous operation
• OS compatibility Windows XP Home/Pro, ME, 2000, 98/SE
• Macintosh OS 8.6 and later
• Linux OS kernel versions 2.4.x and later
• File system support Standard FAT 12/16/32
• Dimensions 5.8″ (L) x 3.4″ (W) x 1″ (H)
• Weight 11.2 oz. (with hard drive and battery)