Eye-Fi Expands Hotspot Access Service Worldwide

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Eye-Fi Inc., makers of the world's first wireless memory card for digital cameras, today announced it will add hundreds of thousands more Wi-Fi networks to its Hotspot Access service, including a significant expansion of its international hotspots. By the end of May, Eye-Fi X2 users with an active Hotspot Access plan will be able to upload photos and videos directly from their camera to their home computer, and the Web, from commercial and open Wi-Fi networks around the world.

"Digital photography lets us capture the moments of our lives, wherever we are," said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. "Now we can enable our users around the world to back-up and share these memories from anywhere, whether traveling abroad or out running errands."

The expansion is made possible through a partnership with Devicescape, a provider of Wi-Fi connectivity solutions for mobile devices. Eye-Fi X2 users with Hotspot Access will automatically benefit from the service expansion in several ways:

• Eye-Fi users with a personal hotspot subscription to a Wi-Fi hotspot provider, such as Boingo, BT Openzone, T-Mobile, SFR, Orange and Vodafone, can add their existing credentials to their Eye-Fi account to upload in these supported locations, and potentially expand their hotspot upload coverage to millions of hotspots.
• Eye-Fi users at schools and universities across the world can now add their campus Wi-Fi network credentials to their Eye-Fi account.
• Eye-Fi users will be able to automatically upload through hundreds of thousands more open hotspots because the Eye-Fi card now navigates through splash screens.

"Our users want to be connected no matter where they are or what device they are on," said David Fraser, CEO of Devicescape. "Eye-Fi has come up with a way to make virtually any camera wireless and, with our help, now those cameras can back-up and share from more places."

Last month, Eye-Fi expanded its coverage to more than 21,000 Wi-Fi hotspots through a partnership with AT&T. Users can upload photos through any Starbucks in the U.S., in addition to Marriott Hotels, Barnes & Nobles and more.

Beginning June 1, 2010, the expanded Hotspot Access service will be available as an upgrade for $29.99 per year.  As a limited time offer, the Eye-Fi Connect X2 and newly released Eye-Fi Geo X2 can be upgraded to a year of Hotspot Access service for $14.99 until May 31, 2010. The Eye-Fi Explore X2 and Eye-Fi Pro X2 cards include one year of Hotspot Access service and will benefit from the expanded footprint in May.

Eye-Fi's entire X2 card line-up will be rolled out internationally beginning today through May in the U.K., Canada, Germany, France and Switzerland.

In the U.S., Eye-Fi cards range in price from $49.99-$149.99 USD and are available for purchase at Best Buy, Apple Stores, Office Depot and on Amazon.com, among other retailers. Eye-Fi has received numerous product awards including Mac Observer's Editor's Choice 2010 Award, CNET's Best of CES 2010 award, and Popular Photography's 2009 Photography's Outstanding Products (POP). It was also named a CES 2010 Innovations Honoree. For more information, please visit www.eye.fi or follow us on Twitter @EyeFiCard.

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.  

SOURCE Eye-Fi