The biggest 512GB SD card in the world

While 128GB seemed like an enormous storage space fitted inside a minuscule memory card, Sandisk has now taken a leap by launching a gigantic 512GB SD card. The Sandisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I packs in 512GB into its flat frame – the highest ever seen on an SD card.

SanDisk unveiled its first 512MB SD card in 2003, though capacity demands have increased exponentially in just over a decade.  The new 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I card represents a 1,000-fold capacity increase at the same size footprint. This translates to nearly 800 music albums in MP3 format or more than 150 movies. 

It claims to deliver write speeds of up to 90 MB/s and comes under the UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) category – ideal for high-resolution video recordings and even 4K Ultra HD videos. This Sandisk also claims transfer speeds up to 95 MB/s, though actual read and write speeds may differ.

Needless to say, the massive 512GB SD card doesn’t come cheap. You’ll have to shell out a whopping $799, which translates to approximately Rs 48,700. However, it could be priced slightly lower when available via retailers and online stores. 

“The new 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card offers incredible speed and capacity,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “Our Pocket Cinema Camera customers shoot in every type of circumstance and location, and get amazing wide dynamic range RAW images capturing the brightest highlights and darkest shadows at the same time. The additional capacity of the SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card will extend the creative freedom for our customers shooting in RAW and open up the ability to use wide dynamic range RAW files with even more productions.”

The new 512GB card is aimed at 4K content. It offers both the speed and capacity needed to support 4K Ultra HD video capture, which you can watch on a 4K TV. Other key features include its build quality, which has been tested against harsh conditions to protect it against extreme weather conditions, water, shocks, and X-rays. Sandisk also backs it with lifetime limited warranty and the RescuePRO Deluxe data recovery software which helps restore accidentally-deleted images.

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Images of Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime with 5 megapixel front camera leaked

At a time when the world is going crazy over the selfie phenomena, Samsung is rumoured to have developed its first selfie-centric smartphone. The Galaxy Grand Prime reportedly has a 5MP front-facing camera fit for clicking a great self-portrait.

It has a five inch, high definition quality (540 x 960 pixels) display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor and 1 GB of RAM, Vietnamese website thegioididong.com reported.

The ‘selfie’ phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat and is said to be equipped with an 8MP main camera which can record video in 1080p. It also has 8 GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot and a 2600 mAh battery.

According to the website, it will be priced at approximately $236 (Rs 14,000). Galaxy Grand Prime will be a dual-SIM device with 3G connectivity and is expected to arrive in October.

It’s not clear whether this model will launch globally or will be restricted to South-East Asian countries. Competitors on the selfie-front would be the Lumia 730 and the Sony Xperia C 3 both of which have a 5 megapixel front camera.

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Intel launches kids tablet Eddy in India

Intel and Metis Learning have launched a tablet for children aged 2-10 priced at Rs9,999, an official said. 

"The technology landscape is changing in India. Tablets can be used as a learning tool. The kids tablet Eddy, combines an ideal balance of performance and battery life coupled with strong learning content to provide an innovative and exciting solution for kids," Sandeep Arora, Intel South Asia director, marketing, said.

Bharat Gulia, co-founder of Metis Learning Solutions, told IANS the company has done a pilot project for the tablet with 500 children.

"We have spent 2 to 3 years creating this and building solution. It is very important to give kids something that is engaging. These years of their lives are the best potential years," he said.

Eddy comes with Android 4.2 and has an internal storage of 16 GB and can be expanded up to 32 GB. It comes pre-loaded with over 160 learning apps selected by educators and experts to accelerate a child's social, emotional and cognitive development.

The size of the tablet market in India is 4 million and of that 10% is the children's tablet market.

"We are trying to tie-up with schools and pe-schools for this tablet. Especially pre-schools are showing a lot of interest," Gulia said.

Eddy will be available in e-commerce portal Amazon for around a month, following which it will be available in retail stores, he said.

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Google wants to teach programming to millions of American girls

Internet giant Google is seeking to teach computer programming to millions of girls in the US under its Made with Code initiative, which has an eye on developing women programmers in the Silicon Valley.

"Less than 1% of high school girls are interested in studying computer science. This is the problem we are addressing," Made with Code spokesperson Kate Parker said.

The initiative was launched in mid-June and, over the next three years, Google will set aside $50 million for the programme.

The project began against the backdrop of an ongoing debate about the lack of gender as well as racial diversity in the Silicon Valley.

For example, only 30% of Google's employees are women. A similar gender disparity, if not worse, exists in other companies like Twitter, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft.

To resolve the problem, Google seeks to go to the root — the lack of interest among girls in programming and computer science, as only 18% of all students majoring in the subject in the US are women.

This figure is well below the 37% recorded during the 1980s, and the trend contributes to the existing male dominance in Silicon Valley.

According to Google, this lack of interest among girls is due to them not relating programming with the fields of their interest, not realizing that other girls do it too or not knowing that they can do well in this field.

"We look to change the perception about programming. We hope that once the girls see all the incredible things computers can do, they develop an interest in the subject," Parker said.

Made with Code will organize events where girls will be invited to do programming together and discover that computer programme codes can be used to make and print bracelets using 3D printers, design accessories to superimpose on "selfies" or compose an instrumental piece.

The initiative will also have a strong virtual presence which Google considers as extremely important for a wider reach.

The website of Made with Code draws the attention of girls to the fact that many of the things they like are made using codes, and even includes simple classes to enable them to take their first steps in programming.

The website — which has pink overtones — also includes several videos where young people like MiralKotb explain how coding and dance go hand-in-hand in Broadway musicals.

In other videos, girls successful in their fields narrate how computer technology can help to combat diseases and crime, design video games and create special-effects in movies made at Pixar studios.

"The message we are trying to convey is that programming and computer technology is a naturally creative field and serves as a gateway to many industries and other diverse fields," Parker emphasized.

"We want the girls to understand that basic knowledge of computers is necessary for anything they want to do when they grow up," she added.

Susan Wojcicki, a Youtube representative, said during the launch of Made with Code that programming is "a new form of alphabetization and offers the possibility to create, innovate and, literally, change the world".

Google will seek the support of parents and teacher, which it considers crucial for the girls to progress in this field.

The company is also associated with organizations like the Girl Scouts of the USA, National Centre for Women and Information Technology, Teach for America and Unicef, among others, in order to present the initiative to young people in their networks.

The US Department of Labor estimates that by 2020 there will be over 1.4 million job vacancies in the field of computer science, but going by the present rate, only 30% of these posts will be filled by graduates from the US who are competent in the field.

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Social Media Impressed With PM Narendra Modi's Speech

NEW DELHI: Indians took to the social networking site Twitter in large numbers impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden speech on the country's 68th Independence Day.Reacting to Modi's speech from the Red Fort here, @PriyalGuliani wrote: "I liked this speech... Rape...cleanliness.. equality ..communal violence .. development."

Another Twitter user, @sanjeevsanyal said: "Wow, what a speech! PM Modi lays out a clear, actionable vision for India. Now over to implementation."

Reacting to Modi's speech from the Red Fort here, @PriyalGuliani wrote: "I liked this speech... Rape...cleanliness.. equality ..communal violence .. development."

Another Twitter user, @sanjeevsanyal said: "Wow, what a speech! PM Modi lays out a clear, actionable vision for India. Now over to implementation."

User @smitabarooah said that after the Prime Minister's "inspiring" speech, "Believe our nation has a roadmap, our nation is in safe hands".

Another user @rashneek wrote: "Great to hear names of Aurbindo Vivekananda and Lal Bahadur in an independence speech. A truly inspiring speech from toilets to technology."

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