Kingston Releases Media Card Reader with SuperSpeed USB 3

Kingston is already widely known as a maker of storage and memory product, and having just brought out the HyperX line of SandForce-based SSDs, the outfit decided to deliver another item, one that is more of an accessory than anything else.

Kingston has a fairly solid collection of NAND Flassh-based storage products, and the HyperX SSD line is just the most recent addition.

Then again, the company creates more than just full-fledged storage devices, such as accessories meant to transfer data between two formats or more.

One such product just became the subject of an official press release, being a media card reader that communicates with systems via the latest USB technology.

Dubbed simply Kingston USB 3.0 Media Reader, the small device leverages the high transfer speeds of the interface in order to allow any PC to read data off SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC and CompactFlash cards, as well as Memory Stick series products.

Measuring 3.66 x 2.07 x 0.63 inches (93.17 mm x 52.68 mm x 16.00 mm), it is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and comes with a two-year warranty.

Naturally, this Media Reader might not prove that big an asset to laptops, since mobile PCs usually have their own card readers, but the range of supported card formats of this newcomer is wider than that of most.

Either way, since desktops usually lack an integrated reader of their own, there will definitely be many users with a reason to consider buying this item.

“The Kingston USB 3.0 Media Reader’s ability to handle multiple card formats combined with its small form factor makes it perfect for use at home, on the road or in the office,” said Andrew Ewing, Flash memory business manager, Kingston.

“It is the essential device for reading higher-speed cards currently offered in the market and a convenient way to move photos, music, data and more between multiple platforms.”

Kingston's FCR-HS3, as it is called, costs $45 and is backed by a two-year warranty.