SanDisk Corp. has introduced the USB 2.0 ImageMate 8-in-1 card reader that’s compatible with Mac OS X (10.1.2 and higher) and Mac OS 9 (9.1 and higher).
Built for those who use a variety of flash memory cards for digital cameras, PDAs, MP3 players and other electronics gadgets, the new ImageMate has four slots that accept all industry-standard storage cards, including CompactFlash Type I and II cards, SmartMedia, SD cards, MultiMediaCards, Memory Sticks, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Cards. The four slots can be used simultaneously to transfer data between individual cards and/or your Mac.
USB 2.0 is a high-speed peripheral interface that enables devices to communicate at up to 480Mbps, though flash storage peripherals won’t come anywhere near that speed. The Power Mac G5 is the first Mac to ship with USB 2.0 support, though it’s available to other Power Macs and PowerBooks using third-party expansion cards.
The 8-in-1 card has a suggested retail price of US$39.99 and comes with a docking station. For travel, the multi-card reader can be removed from the docking station and used with a short cable that’s included with the reader/writer. It also boasts power and activity lights that show when the device has power and if the cards are properly plugged into the memory slots and ready for use.