Eye-Fi's Direct Mode unites phone and camera in holy matrimony

The WiFi-enabled SD card wizards at Eye-Fi already have a mobile app kicking around that lets you upload shots from your phone to the cloud, but their relationship with mobile is about to get a whole lot cozier with the introduction of Direct Mode. Basically, Direct Mode lets the Eye-Fi card in your camera communicate directly with your tablet or phone -- with Eye-Fi software installed, of course -- giving you direct and immediate access to the photos that are on your camera without the need to either cable up or first allow the card to upload the images to a photo sharing service before they can be pulled back down on the mobile device. Granted, the cameras inside phones are getting better by the day, but most of them still don't come anywhere near serious point-and-shoot quality -- and that seems to be the angle Eye-Fi's trying to attack here, making it dead simple to share your "real" camera photos just as quickly as you would had you taken them with your phone itself. Look for it as a free upgrade for Eye-Fi's existing line of X2 cards "later in 2011." Free's nice, eh? Follow the break for the press release.

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GREAT IMAGES AND INSTANT GRATIFICATION WITH EYE-FI's DIRECT MODE – THE MOBILE SOLUTION

New Card Technology and Eye-Fi App Enable Consumers to Get the Best of their Digital Cameras and Mobile Devices; Further Expands Eye-Fi's Connected Ecosystem

LAS VEGAS, January 4, 2011 - Eye-Fi Inc. (www.eye.fi), makers of the world's first wireless memory card, today announced Direct Mode at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Leveraging a combination of new technology in Eye-Fi cards and new Eye-Fi mobile apps, Direct Mode enables consumers to bring together the imaging quality of a digital camera and the connectivity of a smartphone or tablet in an unprecedented way. This innovative solution wirelessly connects the camera to the mobile device to provide a seamless experience between the moment a memory is captured and when consumers want to browse, edit, save and share their memories.

"For anyone who has ever had to choose between taking great images with their digital camera and the instant gratification of sharing with a smartphone, Direct Mode is the answer," said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. "New technology in the card combined with a free Eye-Fi app on a mobile device means consumers no longer have to compromise between rich, lifelike memories and saving or sharing those memories from anywhere."

With Direct Mode, photos taken with your digital camera can immediately be sent to your smartphone or tablet. They can be viewed, used with myriad apps on the device, or uploaded and shared.

In addition, photos and videos can automatically and wirelessly be backed up and organized in the consumer's private Eye-Fi View account. From there, they are accessible for viewing and sharing from any Internet connected device – regardless of which camera they were taken with.

"We have a diversity of devices we use for different purposes," continued Holove. "Digital cameras are just plain better at taking photos and videos, especially when lighting, action, or zoom distance affect the shot. But, there's no doubt that the apps, touch interface and always-connected nature of mobile devices are compelling. With this new technology, we are bridging the gap between the camera and mobile, bringing the best of all the devices that we own to the capture and sharing of memories."

Eye-Fi also extends the browsing and sharing experience by providing a seamless connected imaging experience through its own ecosystem of partners – from leading digital camera makers like Canon, Nikon and Sony to 45 popular photo sharing sites like Facebook, Flickr and Picasa. The result is millions of photos and videos being effortlessly shared from cameras each month.

Direct Mode will be available as a free upgrade to all Eye-Fi X2 cards later in 2011.

To see more, Eye-Fi will be demonstrating this new capability at CES at booth #3615 in the "Living in Digital Times" section of the North Hall.

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.