Toshiba Bows World’s First SDHC Memory Cards With Built-In NFC Functionality

Toshiba’s Semiconductor & Storage Products group is using this week’s CES to preview the world’s first SDHC memory card with built-in near-field communications functionality, the company said Thursday. Cards will be available for sale starting next month in 8-, 16- and 32-GB sizes, it said. “In order to find out what is stored inside SD memory cards, you usually need to put them into PCs or digital cameras,” Toshiba said. The new product uses NFC technology to “exchange data simply with a touch,” it said. Holding an NFC-enabled Android smartphone with the Toshiba Memory Card Preview app installed over a new memory card lets one preview on the smartphone screen the available storage space on the card, it said. The smartphone also displays up to 16 thumbnails of the photos stored in the card, it said. The free app will be available at the Google Play store when the memory cards are released for sale, Toshiba said.