Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Eye-Fi, the makers of the world’s first wireless memory card, today announced a service called Direct Mode. This capability mashes the ease and fun brought by camera and the connectivity of smartphone or tablet. It connects a camera to a mobile device so the moment an image is captured, it automatically uploads to the mobile device of your choice which you can browse, edit, save and share using a wide array of applications available on your device.

“For anyone who has ever had to choose between taking great images with their digital camera and the instant gratification of sharing
with a smartphone, Direct Mode is the answer,” said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. “New technology in the card combined with a free Eye-Fi app on a mobile device means consumers no longer have to compromise between rich, lifelike memories and saving or sharing those memories from anywhere.”

In addition, a back up of the photos taken is automatically uploaded to the user’s private Eye-Fi View account. This can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from an internet-connected device. Moreover, the browsing and sharing experience is further expanded as Eye-Fi also connects the imaging experience with reputed digital camera makers such as Canon, Nikon and Sony, as well as online photo-sharing places such as Facebook, Flickr and Picasa, which means millions of photos flooding the internet every month. Eye-fi was founded in 2005, and its product and services centers on consumers’ management and sharing of visual memories.

“We have a diversity of devices we use for different purposes,” continued Holove. “Digital cameras are just plain better at taking photos and videos, especially when lighting, action, or zoom distance affect the shot. But, there’s no doubt that the apps, touch interface and always-connected nature of mobile devices are compelling. With this new technology, we are bridging the gap between the camera and mobile, bringing the best of all the devices that we own to the capture and sharing of memories.”

Direct Mode is expected be available for free upgrade to Eye-Fi X2 cards later 2011. This is the latest in a string of innovative features Eye-Fi has introduced at CES shows in the past few years, adding a bit of practicality to the advancements technology has brought to our lives.