Hasta La Gadget!

Elecom is releasing new 4 models of their memory card reader writer in mid July.

MR3-K005 series:

“MR3-K005 series” is an USB3.0 compliant model that allows high-speed transfer of large-volume data. It’s compatible with 26 different kinds of media including microSD memory card.

Price: ¥4,063
Compatible device: Windows 8/7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X (10.6～10.6.8, 10.7～10.7.5, 10.8～10.8.2)
Color: black, red, white
Interface: USB3.0/2.0
Power source: USB bus power
Length of cable: 32mm
Size: 77x12x40mm
Weight: 26g

MRS-MB05BK:

“MRS-MB05BK” is a memory card reader writer for tablets and smartphones. Without extra adapter, it’s compatible with 44 different kinds of media.

Price: ¥1,743
OS: Android 4.0 or later
Interface: USB2.0
Power source: USB bus power
Length of cable: 70mm
Size: 63x24x12mm
Weight: 18g

MRS-MB07BK:

“MRS-MB07BK” has both of USB microB connector and USB A connector built-in so that it can be used for smartphones, tablets and PCs. Without extra adapter, it’s compatible with 31 different kinds of media.

Price: ¥3,528
Compatible device: Tablet or smartphone that have USB microB connecter, USB2.0 compliant Windows PC or Mac
OS: Android 4.0 or later smartphone/tablet, Windows8/7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X (10.6～10.6.8, 10.7～10.7.5, 10.8～10.8.2)
Interface: USB2.0
Power source: USB bus power
Size: 65x40x21mm
Weight: 40g

MRS-MB06 series:

Round shaped “MRS-MB06 series” includes a cute face designed model and models in bright colors. Without extra adapter, it’s compatible with 27 different kinds of media.

Price: ¥2,278
Compatible device: Tablet/smartphone with USB microB connecter
OS: Android 4.0 or later
Color: black, green, pink, face (white)
Interface: USB2.0
Power source: USB bus power
Length of cable: 44mm
Size: 47x29x47
Weight: 20g

ASK Inc. Japan has listed a new 2-bay removable external HDD enclosure ‘G-Dock ev Thunderbolt 2000GB JP’ from G-Technology on their product page. This aluminum enclosure has 2x Thunderbolt ports, RAID (0,1) and JBOD support, a cooling fan and is equipped with 2x HGST made 2.5-inch 1TB HDDs. The G-Dock ev Thunderbolt 2000GB JP will begin shipping this month for 84,800 Yen (about $837). [Product Page]

Toshiba has released the 16GB version of its FlashAir WiFi-enabled SDHC memory card. Codenamed SD-WC016G, this thumb-sized card comes with Class 10 speed specification and has built-in WiFi connectivity. Pricing info is still unknown at the moment. [Toshiba]

Japan Trust Technology is bringing you their latest mobile battery charger, the minicar battery GT5200 coupe. Shaped just like a Hot Wheels die-cast 1/43 size, this eye-catching battery charger is equipped with an LED panel in the sunroof section for checking the battery level, LED headlights that can be used as a flashlight, a micro-USB charging port, one USB 5V 1A output port and a high-capacity 5200mAh battery. The minicar battery GT5200 coupe retails for 3,980 Yen (about $39). [Product Page]

Talk about trying to cover bases. Korean news outlet ETNews reports that Samsung’s Galaxy Note III isn’t going to be an only child when it launches later this year — instead, it will be joined by up to three siblings that will apparently debut at the same time.

The Google translation makes it bit tricky to discern what’s going on, but ETNews claims that while the four devices will feature the same applications, processors, and hardware platforms, they’ll sport different configurations of displays, cameras, and cases in a bid to appeal to certain sorts of computers. As the report goes, the most premium of these Note IIIs will feature a flexible display and a metal chassis, components that won’t appear in the more cost-conscious variants meant for different markets. What’s more, the size of the display will vary slightly between those different versions — they’ll reportedly range between 5.68 and 5.7 inches.

At this stage though, the Note III itself is still a wild card — techies and pundits expect Samsung to officially reveal the device at the IFA trade show in Berlin like it did with the Galaxy Note II. Earlier rumors also alleged that the Note III would have a 5.9-inch display (which doesn’t jibe with this new report) — either way the device will definitely strain some pockets, but thankfully not as much as Sony’s gargantuan 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra. Rounding out the purported spec list is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.3GHz and 3GB of RAM, which would propel the phone to the top of the heap in terms of horsepower (though LG’s Optimus G2 may be right up there with it).

As always, you should take all this with a hefty grain of salt, but this is nothing if not a well-worn strategy for Samsung — the company has made a habit of crafting what they imagine will be a popular new smartphone, and then pushing out spin-offs based on that original design meant to appeal to different niches. We saw it with the Galaxy S III and its little brother the S III Mini, and Samsung saw fit to expand the Galaxy S4 family in a big way with three curious variants revealed over the past few months. So far the Note series of phablets haven’t been subjected to Samsung’s desire to endlessly tinker, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see if that wasn’t the case for very much longer.