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Lexar to sell XQD flash memory cards

Lexar, one of the top-shelf makers of flash memory cards, said today it will support the new XQD format with new models that will go on sale in the third quarter.

For the mainstream flash card market, SD dominates when it comes to price and usage in cameras, video cameras, and devices including tablets and PCs. But though bulkier, CompactFlash, maintains a foothold in the higher-end market such as professional SLR cameras.

As CompactFlash aged, though, Sony, Nikon, and Lexar rival SanDisk came up with XQD as a faster, smaller successor to CompactFlash. One big selling point is fast transfer speed -- 2.5Gbps initially with 5Gbps planned with an upgrade to its underlying data-transfer technology, called PCI. The first big XQD use was Nikon's top-end D4 SLR, and Sony offers XQD cards, but so far there hasn't been much evidence of enthusiasm beyond that.

SanDisk hasn't announced XQD support, and Lexar had been noncommittal. No more.

"We are committed to offering innovative and industry-leading photography solutions, which is why we're working with Nikon to offer and co-market XQD memory cards. We view the XQD standard as one of the most logical ways to increase interface speed beyond that of existing CompactFlash technology," said Wes Brewer, Lexar's vice president of products and technology, in a statement. … Read more

Twitter feed reveals nirvana of human doltishness

This is for all who believe trust between humans was dead.

This is also for all who somehow thought that homo sapiens were frightfully sapient people, merely hamstrung by the limitations of the technological world.

For this is a Twitter feed called NeedADebitCard. It serves a vast social purpose.

Yes, it reveals all those who happen to share pictures of their brand new debit cards. Full frontal. Numbers exposed. Names attached.

It is currently unknown who is behind the site. However, the names of those who indulge their Instagramming, most creative selves in order to expose their debit cards seem … Read more

MasterCard, Deutsche Telekom team up on mobile payments

Financial services giant MasterCard and mobile carrier Deutsche Telekom announced this morning that they would partner to accelerate adoption of mobile payments, which allow consumers to use their mobile phones to pay for goods and services.

MasterCard sees business opportunity in Deutsche Telekom's 93 million mobile customers in Europe.

The companies plan to begin in Poland and Germany, Deutsche Telekom's home country. The effort will begin with mobile phone tags and cards, with a "mobile wallet" service to follow. (The mobile wallet will be open to MasterCard's partners, such as banks and other financial institutions.)… Read more

Can you stay alive long enough to complete your mission?

Spellsword is an excellent and almost blindingly fast-paced arena-combat arcade game with addictive RPG elements, super-cute 16-bit fantasy art, and often hypnotic chiptune sound.

At first glance, Spellsword shares some similarities with another great game, Super Crate Box: Both have you dodging enemies and chasing powerups around a satisfyingly cramped playscreen--but Spellsword adds a couple of twists, with a mini RPG-style purchasing system (you collect "rupees," which you can then use between levels to buy equipment and make your powers more effective) and a unique take on power-ups with "spell cards." As you bounce around the (… Read more

Hacker claims breach of 79 banks, releases customer data

A hacker claiming to have broken into networks of dozens of banks and stolen customer data, has released as proof a file that contains names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers in plain text, but no credit card numbers.

"I penetrated over 79 large banks, I've been targetting these banks since 3 months," read a tweet from the Twitter account of Reckz0r. "Actually, I didn't hacked VISA & Mastercard, I hacked the banks, #Chase..etc."

A Pastebin post from today has a link to a downloadable file on the AnonFiles.com site that appears … Read more

Global Payments: Consumer data may also have been stolen

Credit card processor Global Payments said today that in the course of investigating the theft of 1.5 million credit card numbers, it has discovered that hackers may also have stolen consumer data from servers.

"Our ongoing investigation recently revealed potential unauthorized access to personal information collected from a subset of merchant applicants," the company said in a statement on its Web site.

"It is unclear whether the intruders looked at or took any personal information from the company's systems; however, the company will notify potentially-affected individuals in the coming days with helpful information and make … Read more

Theft of 44K credit cards is tip of the iceberg, police say

In an international hacking case, a Dutch man appeared in U.S. federal court today and pled not guilty to stealing at least 44,000 credit card numbers, according to the Associated Press.

Apparently, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

David Benjamin Schrooten, aka "Fortezza," is being targeted by federal prosecutors for allegedly hacking into computers and stealing massive amounts of credit card numbers. Once he obtained the numbers, he allegedly sold them in bulk quantities via different Web sites. The 44,000 is reportedly from just one sale.

Police caught onto Schrooten's alleged heist … Read more

Square to sell credit card reader at Walgreens, elsewhere

Business owners looking to turn their mobile devices into credit card machines can now purchase the Square Card Reader at Walgreens, Staples, and FedEx stores across the U.S., according to a Market Wire press release.

The card reader enables anyone with a mobile device, like a smartphone or a tablet, to accept credit card payments.

Square, the company that makes the Square Card Reader, announced today that the technology is now sold in more than 7,000 Walgreens stores, 1,500 Staples stores, and 1,500 FedEx Office stores, making the product available at more than 20,000 retail … Read more

Best Buy offers discount on iTunes gift cards

Those of you shopping for iTunes gift cards can grab them at a healthy discount at Best Buy.

The retail outlet is offering the full range of iTunes gift cards for 15 percent off the usual price. So a $15 card is selling for $12.75, a $25 card for $21.25, a $50 card for $42.50, and a $100 card for $85.

Buyers can opt to purchase online so the code is delivered via e-mail or pick up a card at their local Best Buy store. No returns or refunds are allowed on the iTunes gift cards, but … Read more

SIM card maker: Apple's design won standards effort

An Apple design did indeed prevail in a standardization struggle over a design for next-generation SIM cards, the tiny chips that let mobile phones identify themselves to wireless networks.

Apple had been duking it against Nokia, Research in Motion, and Motorola over the design of a fourth-generation, smaller SIM (subscriber identity module) card. On Friday, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) settled on the design for this fourth form factor (4FF) SIM card, but it didn't say whose design won.

In an interview today, SIM card maker Giesecke & Devrient said Apple's design, unchanged since last year, is … Read more