Canon will enter the storage arena in April with a specially-designed storage device, the M80, which is targeted at DSLR camera users.

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February 22, 2007: Canon will enter the storage arena in April with a specially-designed storage device, the M80, which is targeted at DSLR camera users.
Equipped with an 80GB hard disk drive and 3.7-inch TFT screen, the M80 has a tough, magnesium alloy body and includes built in CF and SD card readers. The LCD screen has a viewing angle of 160 degrees and can be used for viewing still images and movies. A clip-on stand is supplied for this purpose. The device supports a wide range of file formats, including JPEG, Canon RAW, MPEG, MP3 and WAV. It also offers a USB 2.0 HI-Speed connection to a PC. A headphone jack is provided for playback of audio files.
The menu system is easy to navigate and the M80 comes with a built-in system that validates files as they are uploaded from the memory card. To prevent unauthorised access, images and other files can be protected with an up to 8 digit password. Image files can be displayed with or without shooting data, in an index view and as slideshows. The M80 is also PictBridge compatible. File transfer speeds range from 3.8 MB/sec (SD to HDD) to 7.5 MB/sec(HDD to PC).
The BP511A battery that powers the device is the same battery as is used in Canon’s EOS 5D, EOS 20D and EOS 30D cameras. A fully-charged battery will support downloading of up to 37 1GB CF cards, 32 1GB SD cards, up to 2.6 hours of movie playback or between 4.3 and 4.8 hours of music playback. The M80 is also compatible with professional products such as the WFT E1 Wireless File Transmitter. The M80 measures 140 x 81 x 34 mm and weighs only 370 grams. Local release date and pricing have yet to be confirmed. For more information, phone Canon Customer Service at 1800 021 167.