Sony tempts audiophiles with new super-expensive 'Premium Sound' microSD card

Sony tempts audiophiles with new super-expensive 'Premium Sound' microSD card

Sony announces a new 64GB "Premium Sound" microSD card for audiophiles that costs about $160.

Sony

Audiophiles, you're not totally happy with the the sound quality of your top-of-the-line digital player and not sure what to blame? Turns out, it might just be the SD card you're using. At least Sony thinks so.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the company announced today a new "Premium Sound" memory card, called the SR-64HXA, that will start shipping next month. According to the company, this card is designed to create little to no electric noise when data is being read from it, hence offering clearer sound quality compared with regular cards.

The good news is that this is not another Sony Memory Stick, but a standard Class 10 microSDXC (or microSD card for short) that fits in any device that has a microSD card slot. The bad news is that this new card will cost some ¥18,500 (that's roughly equivalent to about $160 in the US, £100 in the UK and AU$200) for just 64GB of storage space. In comparison, you can get a regular Class 10 64GB SD card for less than $30.

Financially, there's no reason for you to get this new card for your smartphone or tablet. However, if you're going to get the high-end Walkman NW-ZX2 that Sony started shipping earlier this month that costs HK$8,880 ($1,150), spending another $160 for the memory card doesn't sound too over the top.

And that's a big if. Even Sony is not so sure about the demand of the new card, according to its spokesperson, but it believes that some "who are committed to committed to great sound quality would want it."

The SR-64HXA is slated to be available on March 5 in Japan. After that, if the sound quality is still not on par with your expectation, maybe you should have your ears checked.

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How to move Google Authenticator to a new device

How to move Google Authenticator to a new device

Using two-step verification is a smart way to help protect your data on Google. Follow these steps to move the app to your new mobile device.

Nicole Cozma/CNET

Two-step verification can help thwart malicious attacks against your online accounts. Anyone trying to break into your account would need both your password and the mobile device that authentication codes are sent to in order to gain access.

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Google has done a splendid job of providing options for those who are interested in setting up this extra security measure: you can get text alerts, or you can use Google's authenticator app, available for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS.

When using the app as your method of authentication code delivery, you may wonder what happens when you want to retire an old phone for a new one. Or, you may have misplaced your device and want to disable the service as a precautionary measure. Here's how to move the authenticator app to a new device, or disable it completely:

Step 1: First you'll want to install the app on the new device where you want to receive authentication codes.

Google

Step 2: Next, head to Google's two-step verification Web page using a browser on your computer. You may need to log in to your Google account to access the security settings.

Step 3: Click the link that says "Move to a different phone." If you're disabling the feature completely, you can just click "Remove."

Fortunately, moving your authenticator to a new device will not invalidate any of your existing application-specific passwords, and does not require any backup codes to complete the transition.

Step 4: Scan the QR code that appears, or enter it manually by clicking, "Can't scan the bar code?"

Google Authenticator on AndroidNicole Cozma/CNET

Step 5: Finally, enter the authentication code that appears on the screen to verify the device. This is just like the log-in process when using two-step verification.

Before removing the authenticator from your original device, remember to move your other accounts that are using the app. You'll need to visit each site individually and scan the QR code with your new device.

Editors' note, February 19, 2015: This How To post was originally published on June 28, 2013, and has been updated to include new information.

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