PORTABLE DIGITAL PHOTO STORAGE

What do you do when your digital camera's memory fills up? You either have to download its contents to your computer or insert another empty flash memory card. But thanks to Delkin Devices, you're about to have a third choice. The eFilm PicturePAD is a new portable visual storage device made specifically for digital photographers on the go who don't want to lug around a computer. Yes you could carry around additional costly memory cards to store your images but then trying to remember what pictures are in which cards can easily become a problem. Plus organizing and trying to view what you've taken on the camera itself by inserting and removing cards can get cumbersome as the number of your exposures increase.

Around the size of a typical PDA, the PicturePAD will initially be available with either a 20 or 30 gigabyte hard drive with larger models planned shortly after. Sporting a built-in color, backlit 1.8 inch LCD screen, images can rotated and zoomed in for detail. Using a Windows-like interface, you can create, rename, copy and delete image files as you view thumbnail images via its built-in editor. Images from your camera can be offloaded to the PicturePAD by simply inserting the memory card from your camera into the unit.

If you have an external display available, the PicturePAD's video jack lets you connect it to any TV or video monitor. The included infrared remote control lets you use the PicturePAD as an ideal slideshow presentation device. The remote lets you display and control the images in a variety of ways. Or you can preset your slide show to specific photos along with the number of seconds between the images to be displayed.

The PicturePAD makes use of many different style adapters that add to its flexibility. For example, the device has only one built-in CompactFlash slot so there are adapters that allow you to accommodate other different memory card standards including SmartMedia, MultiMedia, SD Card and PC Card formats. Other adapters let you choose interfaces such as USB 2.0, Firewire and Ethernet for those times when you do want to directly connect the PicturePAD to your computer. Still other adapters give the PicturePAD additional abilities such as the Printer accessory that lets the PicturePAD connect directly to a printer without a computer. Currently this accessory works with the Epson Stylus Photo and HP Deskjet models. Delkin will continue to add other make and model printers via drivers that can be downloaded from their web site.

The PicturePAD can also be used as a portable card reader and writer so that you can transfer images back and forth between the computer and memory cards. The navigational keys let you easily move to any position on the screen and two LEDs indicate file transfer and charging modes. The rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries can power the PicturePAD for over 30 file transfers and up to an hour of LCD viewing. You can even set it to conserve battery life by defining the amount of time before it powers down.

Delkin also includes Adobe PhotoShop Elements, carrying bag, rechargeable battery for the unit, an AC adapter, USB and Video RCA cables, and a multi-language users manual with a quick start guide. On screen instructions can be displayed in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German. If you take lots of pictures with a digital camera, you may find the PicturePAD becoming a valuable, even a necessary accessory.

The PicturePAD supports Windows 98 or higher and Macintosh OS 9.1 and above. The 20 GB versions sells for $549. Check Delkin's web site for larger capacity and accessory pricing.