Sonnet Launches Qio Media Readers with Thunderbolt Option

Sonnet Technologies today announced the launch of its Qio™, Qio CF4, and Qio E3 professional media readers with a Thunderbolt™ interface option. Sonnet's Qio professional media readers are high-speed, cost-effective alternatives to conventional card readers for videographers, studios, and photographers alike. The original Qio is the industry's first device that supports all major HD video memory card formats in one compact high-performance device, reading at high speed from almost any memory card including SxS, P2, CompactFlash®, SDHC™, and SDXC™. The Qio CF4 is a four-slot CompactFlash card reader, and the Qio E3 is a three-slot SxS card reader. All Qio models support concurrent file ingest from all slots to increase efficiency dramatically by reducing ingest times.

The new Thunderbolt interface kit option provides a connection from Qio media readers to any iMac®, Mac® mini, MacBook Air®, and MacBook Pro® computer equipped with a Thunderbolt port. Featuring robust locking mechanisms at both ends, the included PCIe® interface cable connects the Qio reader to the Thunderbolt interface. An included Thunderbolt cable connects the Thunderbolt interface to the computer or to the end of a Thunderbolt device chain.

"Sonnet's Qio, Qio CF4, and Qio E3 have become essential tools for many working professionals using Mac Pro® and older MacBook Pro computers," said Robert Farnsworth, CEO of Sonnet Technologies. "With the addition of the new interface option, even more users can experience the blazing speed of Thunderbolt and Sonnet's professional media readers."

With the introduction of the Thunderbolt interface option for Qio readers, Sonnet has reduced the suggested retail prices by $100 each on existing Qio CF4 and Qio E3 models with either a PCIe card interface option or an ExpressCard interface option. For current Qio, Qio CF4, and Qio E3 owners, Sonnet will also offer for sale the Qio Thunderbolt Interface Kit. 

The Qio with Thunderbolt Interface Kit (part number QIO-TB) has a suggested retail price of $1,099. The Qio CF4 with Thunderbolt Interface Kit (part number QIO-CF4-TB) and Qio E3 with Thunderbolt Interface Kit (part number QIO-E3-TB) each have a suggested retail price of $699. The Qio Thunderbolt Interface Kit (part number QTB-IFK) has a suggested retail price of $399. These products are expected to be available at the end of March. More information on these products is available athttp://www.sonnettech.com/product/mediareaders/index.html. 

More information on Sonnet and its other products is available athttp://www.sonnettech.com.