Showing posts with label unveils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unveils. Show all posts

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Lenovo unveils ThinkPad S531 Ultrabook

Lenovo ThinkPad S531Related storiesLenovo website divulges ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch with Windows 8Lenovo announces Windows 8 touch-optimized ThinkPad X1 CarbonLenovo launching the Thinkpad X1 Carbon - the thinnest Ultrabook yet

Lenovo is targeting its latest Windows 8 Ultrabook at small businesses in a fresh attempt to inject some consumer-grade style into a 'bring your own device' (BYOD) workhorse.

The ThinkPad S531, which succeeds the ThinkPad S431, features a 15.6-inch screen attached to the body using a single unified hinge, allowing it to lie flat at 180 degrees. The display lacks touch sensitivity, however, meaning users will have to make do interacting with the OS using the five-button glass click pad.

Inside, the S531 sports Intel's 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge processor. Despite missing out on the latest Haswell CPU, Lenovo claims the processor offers a 15% boost over previous offerings. It supports up to 10GB of memory and 500GB of storage space.

The company is touting the S531 as something of a road warrior, claiming up to nine hours' use from a standard four cell 62.8Wh battery.

Connectivity wise, the Ultrabook houses USB 3.0 ports for speedy file transfers. Users can also hook up a ThinkPad OneLink Dock, which provides dedicated video, more USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and audio, all while charging the device. Additionally, an optional finger print reader can be installed for extra security.

Spill resistant

The S531 features a six-row backlit keyboard with Windows 8-specific shortcut keys. It's also spill resistant, putting an end to the days when a toppled coffee would result in mass panic. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about the sticky keys.

The S531 is available now for £575 excluding VAT from Lenovo's partners and its website.

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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Lenovo unveils ThinkPad S531 Ultrabook

Lenovo ThinkPad S531Related storiesLenovo pitches new ThinkPad at small businessesLenovo website divulges ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch with Windows 8Lenovo announces Windows 8 touch-optimized ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Lenovo is targeting its latest Windows 8 Ultrabook at small businesses in a fresh attempt to inject some consumer-grade style into a 'bring your own device' (BYOD) workhorse.

The ThinkPad S531, which succeeds the ThinkPad S431, features a 15.6-inch screen attached to the body using a single unified hinge, allowing it to lie flat at 180 degrees. The display lacks touch sensitivity, however, meaning users will have to make do interacting with the OS using the five-button glass click pad.

Inside, the S531 sports Intel's 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge processor. Despite missing out on the latest Haswell CPU, Lenovo claims the processor offers a 15% boost over previous offerings. It supports up to 10GB of memory and 500GB of storage space.

The company is touting the S531 as something of a road warrior, claiming up to nine hours' use from a standard four cell 62.8Wh battery.

Connectivity wise, the Ultrabook houses USB 3.0 ports for speedy file transfers. Users can also hook up a ThinkPad OneLink Dock, which provides dedicated video, more USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and audio, all while charging the device. Additionally, an optional finger print reader can be installed for extra security.

Spill resistant

The S531 features a six-row backlit keyboard with Windows 8-specific shortcut keys. It's also spill resistant, putting an end to the days when a toppled coffee would result in mass panic. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about the sticky keys.

The S531 is available now for £575 excluding VAT from Lenovo's partners and its website.

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Get the week's hottest news stories, our most popular reviews, and fantastic competitions straight to your inbox with our free weekly newsletter.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

AMD unveils G-Series X, hints at future ARM-based chips for embedded market

amd, g-series, embedded, arm-based, g-series

AMD announced its G-series embedded APUs this morning comprising three quad core parts and a couple of dual cores, four of them integrating Radeon HD 8000 grahics and an I/O module on a single piece of silicon. With power envelopes in the 9-25W range, the new chips are targeted at industrial control and automation, digital signage, gaming systems (they use the same Jaguar cores that power Sony’s PS4), SMB storage, IP-TV, set-top boxes and more.

While the chips themselves are noteworthy as AMD places an increased emphasis in the embedded market, Engadget points out another interesting tidbit that was left unmentioned in the press release. Namely, the inclusion of a small ‘X’ at the bottom right corner of the G-series logo, which the site has since been able to verify it stands for the x86 architecture as the company hints at future ARM-based variants that could be marked with an ‘A’.

AMD first announced plans for a highly-integrated, 64-bit ARM multicore System-on-a-Chip (SoC) for dense, energy-efficient servers back in October 2012 -- aiming for a 2014 release.

While in this case no specific ARM products have been announced, Arun Iyengar, AMD’s general manager for the embedded solutions group did confirm that “ultimately” they’ll have ARM in the product portfolio. This is the first time an ARM-Radeon combo has been suggested as a main application processor, which could mean the company is considering expanding its use of the architecture for low-power applications.

Wether they’ll eventually turn to ARM to finally break into the tablet segment remains to be seen. For now the company plans to attack this market with the 28nm “Temash” APU, which is set to replace the Hondo-based Z-Series offering double the graphics performance later this year.


View the original article here

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Ricoh unveils $800 GR compact with 16-megapixel APS-C sensor, continuous autofocus

PENTAX RICOH IMAGING Defines the Advanced Compact Segment with the Introduction of the RICOH GR Camera

Following on the Award Winning GR Digital Series the New RICOH GR Camera Features an APS-C-Sized Sensor and Compact 8.6 Ounce Body at Just $799.95.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) April 17, 2013

PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION today announced the RICOH GR, an ideal blend of image quality, camera size and price; setting a new benchmark for the advanced compact camera category. The new RICOH GR camera features an APS-C-sized CMOS image sensor delivering shallow depth of field, exceptional low-light performance and a wide dynamic range for remarkable images across a wide variety of shooting styles.

Remaining true to the heritage of the multi- award-winning RICOH GR Digital series the new Ricoh GR camera combines compact size with outstanding performance. Featuring a 16 megapixel, APS-C-sized CMOS sensor, no low-pass filter and a completely redesigned optical path the GR is built for superb image performance. The newly developed and optimized18.3mm (28mm in 35mm format) F2.8 lens compactly provides high-resolution, wide-angle images with stunning edge-to-edge sharpness all while minimizing chromatic aberration and distortion. The camera's category-leading, nine-blade aperture diaphragm produces a rounded bokeh effect across a wide range of apertures.

Advanced capabilities of the sensor and lens are supported by a newly developed GR ENGINE V imaging processor which optimizes high-sensitivity shooting to ISO 25600 minimizing noise, producing accurate, color-rich images. Finally, a newly designed lens driving mechanism and optimized AF algorithm combined with faster data readout speeds from the image sensor provide a high-speed auto focus system that can focus on a subject in a mere two-tenths (0.2) of a second. A super quick start-up time of approximately one second ensures photographers are guaranteed a speedy capture ready camera in even the most fleeting scenarios; making the RICOH GR the ideal companion camera at a fraction of the size of a DSLR.

"The introduction of the RICOH GR marks a new standard of confidence in the compact camera segment," said Jim Malcolm, Executive Vice President, PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICA. "The RICOH GR camera's unparalleled set of robust features and hardware completely redefines what can be expected from a compact camera."

In keeping with its advanced functionality the GR also offers a range of helpful features common to DSLRs like in-body RAW-data development and a dedicated depth of field preview button to aid in accurate image framing and quick inspection of focus prior to capturing an image. Additionally, the GR boasts full 1080p HD video recording capabilities replete with continual AF during video capture creating sharply-focused, high-quality video output.

Instantaneous photo and video sharing is now a breeze with the GR's optimized Eye-Fi SD card compatibility. Built-in menus allow the user to easily enable automatic transmission of images and video to a smartphone for rapid sharing. Users can even select favorite images and resize them before transmission.

For consumers seeking additional creative expression, RICOH offers an optional wide-angle conversion lens extending coverage to 21mm. The new GR is also compatible with the full range of accessories already offered for the preceding GR Digital line of cameras including viewfinders, flashes, lens hoods and adapters and more.

Pricing and Availability

The new GR advanced digital compact camera provides incredible value with a category-low cost of $799.95 and will be available at retail outlets nationwide and online in May 2013.

Additional information on the GR including product specifications is available here:http://www.pentaximaging.com/news and product images are available here:http://www.pentaximaging.com/press/pressfiles.html.


Source

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Logitech unveils Harmony Ultimate and Smart Control universal remote sets for home entertainment heroes

Logitech unveils Harmony Ultimate and Smart Control universal remote sets for home entertainment heroes


Got no touchscreen on your living room remote? That's a shame, because Logitech and others have been flogging such universal controllers since way back when. After a long new product hiatus, the late 2012 release of the Harmony Touch remote hasn't stopped Logitech from mulling a sale of the brand, but it's not done with it just yet. Coming soon are two fresh bundles bearing the Harmony name: the Ultimate and Smart Control. At the heart of both is the Smart Hub, a palm-sized box somewhat similar to the Harmony Link. It receives commands from remotes via RF, or from smartphone apps via WiFi, and in turn, broadcasts its own orders to your A/V setup using IR and Bluetooth. It's especially useful for those wanting to hide their kit away in cabinets, as it translates inputs into IR signals that'll bounce around those secluded spaces. Optional extender nodes will also pipe IR into other nearby recesses.


To do that though, the Hub needs instructions, which is where remotes and apps come in. The new Ultimate remote (aka the Touch Plus) is last year's Touch remote with a few refinements, including the addition of a trigger-like nub on the underside to improve grip. It uses IR, Bluetooth or RF (to the Hub) to control up to 15 devices, and is programmed using Logitech's software for PCs that pulls settings from a database of 225,000 home entertainment products. The Ultimate's 2.4-inch touchscreen serves as a number pad, a favorite channel list for easy hopping, and is the home of one-touch "activities," which are basically macros for issuing multiple commands. Set up an activity for "Play Xbox," for example, and in one touch it'll turn on your console, switch your TV to the correct source, select the right channel on your amp, and so on. It'll even tell Philips' connected Hue lightbulbs to set a mood. Jump on past the break for more.

Logitech unveils Harmony Ultimate and Smart Control universal remote sets for home entertainment heroes


Free smartphone apps for iOS and Android (dedicated tablets apps are coming soon) essentially replicate the functions of the Ultimate remote, but use WiFi to speak to the hub. In certain countries with compatible metadata, like France and Germany, they also integrate programming guide information. If you opt for the Smart Control package, the apps will be the only way to access advanced features. Bundled with the Hub is a much simpler remote capable of controlling 8 devices; physical number buttons are back in, but the touchscreen's out. It's really supposed to be a back-up device -- your smartphone is the primary remote, but if you're running out of battery or need to take a call, the basic remote will act as a slightly dumber stand-in. The Ultimate package is due to hit shelves in Europe and the US in late April / early May for $349.99 / £229, with the Smart Control package following later in May for $129.99 / £109. You'll also be able to pick up a Smart Hub on its own sometime in summer for $99.99 / £79. This option is intended for those who already have the previous generation Touch remote, but theoretically, you could bust out of Logitech's box and be the rogue that controls living room setups with nothing but portable devices.Harmony Ultimate / Smart Remote hands-on picsSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")


Harmony Ultimate / Smart Remote press shots


Logitech Reimagines Home Control with Two New Advanced Harmony Universal Remotes


Logitech Harmony Hub Adds Closed-Cabinet, Game Console and Lighting Control to Your Universal Remote and Smartphone


NEWARK, Calif. - April 16, 2013 - Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced the expansion of its award-winning universal remote control lineup with the Logitech Harmony® Ultimate and the Logitech Harmony® Smart Control. Both products feature Logitech's Harmony Hub and Harmony Smartphone App to enable closed-cabinet control and one-touch entertainment access to game consoles from your universal remote or smartphone. The Harmony Hub takes personalizing your activities a step farther into home control with the ability to program your Philips Hue lights to the desired brightness and color with a tap of the Logitech Harmony Ultimate.


"We've elevated the universal remote to the next level, taking a personalized approach to home entertainment," said Joerg Tewes vice president of Logitech's digital home business group at Logitech. "Furthermore, our Harmony product line is no longer just about entertainment access – we've designed the Logitech Harmony Ultimate so you can also control your home's lighting. Now you can tune the TV, start a movie and adjust your lights to set the mood, with the touch of your finger."


The Logitech Harmony Ultimate and Logitech Harmony Smart Control are compatible with more than 225,000 home-entertainment devices and more than 5,000 brands. Both include the Harmony Hub, which uses Bluetooth® wireless technology to power on game consoles such as the Sony PS3®, Nintendo Wii® and Wii U. The Harmony Hub also, controls infrared devices inside closed entertainment cabinets and without the need to point at them. Each also comes with the Harmony Smartphone App, which anyone in the house can download to turn his or her smartphone into a personal universal remote.


Able to control up to 15 devices, the Logitech Harmony Ultimate is a fully featured remote with a 2.4-inch color touch-screen that enables no-look control over television programs, movies and music by using simple swipes and taps. It also introduces the ability to program Philips Hue lighting systems with entertainment activities allowing you to adjust the room's lighting as easily as changing the volume of your television. Other exclusive features include vibration feedback so you know it received your touch-screen commands, tilt sensors and buttons programmable for both short and long presses, doubling the available functions.


The Logitech Harmony Smart Control and Harmony Smartphone App turn your iOS or Android phone into a universal remote, giving you personalized control of up to eight devices from anywhere in the house using the smartphone you already own. Plus, it includes a simple remote control for when your smartphone isn't handy.


Pricing and Availability


These new products join the Logitech Harmony Touch to complete the Logitech Harmony remote lineup. The Logitech Harmony Ultimate is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in April 2013, for a suggested retail price of $349.99. The Logitech Harmony Smart Control is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in May 2013, for a suggested retail price of $129.99. The Logitech Harmony Smartphone App will be available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, please visit www.logitech.com or our blog.


Source

Dell unveils business- and school-friendly 13.3-inch Latitude 3330 notebook

New Dell Latitude Laptop Delivers Superb Security, Manageability and Productivity for Schools

Dell Latitude 3330 laptop ideal for schools by offering a full computing experience, thin, lightweight, durable design, and long battery life at an attractive price for challenged budgets.

Dell Mobile Computing Cart provides a mobile hub for sharing, charging and secure storage of laptops and tablets to easily perform IT updates.


ROUND ROCK, Texas, April 16, 2013 - Dell today launched the Latitude 3330, designed to help schools and educators teach tomorrow's leaders while providing excellent value school districts. The new laptop offers the robust computing features required to maximize learning productivity, compatibility with Dell's existing solutions and services for education and support for personalized learning opportunities in the classroom.

A snap to deploy, the Latitude 3330 easily integrates into a school's existing IT infrastructure, speeding up time to classroom and saving time and money. It's sleek, lightweight, and sturdy design stands up to the demands of even the youngest of students, fits easily on classroom desks and in backpacks and moves easily from classroom to classroom or home and back. The new laptop offers no compromise performance with full laptop productivity and all day battery life with a 6-cell battery.

Affordability, productivity and interactive learning
Dell developed the Latitude 3330 to increase student access to technology and work in as many IT environments as possible. The new laptop fully supports Microsoft Windows 8, Windows 7, and Linux Ubuntu, giving students the ability to produce, consume and share information, as well as leverage common learning applications and software to personalize their learning experience during the school day and at home.

Built on the trusted reputation of Dell's Latitude line, the new laptop has a 13.3-inch anti-glare screen that minimizes the scrolling required of smaller screens, an HD 720 webcam, and WiDi support for virtual classroom collaboration. The Latitude 3330 is available with a broad choice of storage technology ranging from proven standard hard drives to high-performance SSD for maximum durability and quick system response time. Equipped with VGA, HDMI, USB3.0 and optional USB docking, the new laptop can connect easily to the majority of desk environments and room infrastructures for smooth presentation, teaching and maximized learning time.

The newest Dell Mobile Computing Cart solution, also announced today, is available in managed and unmanaged options and enables secure storage, charging and transport for easy mobility. It is designed to accommodate a variety of form factors and screen sizes, including Dell tablets, Ultrabooks, laptops and up to 30 Latitude 3330s. The managed cart option allows for remote management and IT updates, ideal for managing a fleet of systems between multiple campus locations.

Superb security and manageability
Dell offers tailored solutions options for cost effective security, management, and end-user productivity. Dell Data Protection | Encryption, available on the Latitude 3330 in the coming months, enables secure employee or student collaboration with a single, easy to-manage solution for data encryption across devices, removable media and in public cloud storage . With DDP|E, a school district's data encryption needs can be remotely managed using a single console and compliance is simplified with a one-touch present policy, ideal for safeguarding confidential student and employee data.

Additionally, the Latitude 3330 comes with a complete set of automation tools to help IT administrators tackle the time consuming tasks of deployment, monitoring and updating systems with superior efficiency. Dell's deep integration with industry-leading consoles, such as Dell KACE and Microsoft System, enables better deployment, quicker configuration and easier management of updates.

Availability and Pricing
The Latitude 3330 is available in late April 2013 and starts at $419. The Dell Mobile Computing cart is also available in late April and starts at $1899.99 for the unmanaged configuration and $2799.99 for the managed configuration.

Quotes
"The Latitude 3330 delivers exceptional value and extends Dell Latitude's superior manageability, security and reliability to a thin, light laptop with agile performance, mobility and a full, robust computing experience that is ideal for schools and small businesses," said Kirk Schell, vice president, personal computer product group, Dell. "Dell's heritage is built on empowering our customers with user-focused devices, unbeatable back-end expertise and cost-effective, tailored solutions that empower end-users and IT administrators alike."


Source

Monday, April 8, 2013

Red unveils the Motion mount for Epic and Scarlet cameras to eliminate CMOS rolling shutter

Red unveils the Motion Mount for global shutter capability on Epic, Scarlet


Red has just announced the Red Motion lens mounting system for Epic and Scarlet motion camera systems that'll eliminate one of their chief snags: the dreaded CMOS rolling shutter. Though details are scant, it seems it'll do that in a similar manner to the Tessive system (see More Coverage), where a second liquid crystal shutter is placed in front of the main sensor and timed to engage only when the camera's CMOS is fully "open." That'll help eliminate artifacts like skew / judder in pans, repeating motion artifacts (think distorted propellers) and flicker from lights or displays, among others. The mount also brings an 8x electronic ND filter adjustable to 1/100th of an f-stop, partially negating the need for a matte-box in bright lighting situations. The Red Motion's drawback is that it'll cost you a stop of speed even when the ND is off, meaning you may have to change to a classic mount in low-light situations. Red's showing it now at its NAB booth-cum-factory and it'll ship out this fall in PL-mount form (with a Canon mount arriving later) for $4,500. Check the source for more discussion.


Source: Red


More Coverage: Tessive

Friday, March 22, 2013

Corsair unveils $130 Vengeance K70 gaming keyboard with backlit keys

Corsair Announces Vengeance K70 Fully Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Key-by-Key Backlighting

– Corsair Vengeance K70 Fully Mechanical Gaming Keyboard to Debut at PAX East on March 22 –

FREMONT, California - March 21, 2013 - Corsair®, a worldwide designer of high-performance PC gaming peripherals, today announced the Vengeance K70 fully mechanical gaming keyboard.

The new Vengeance K70 gaming keyboard is built on a rugged, brushed, aluminum chassis and features highly responsive Cherry MX Red mechanical switches under every key. The high performance switches combined with the keyboard's 100% anti-ghosted matrix, 20-key rollover and 1000Hz reporting rate provide fast, accurate input for gaming.

The Vengeance K70 gaming keyboards are available in two color schemes: silver aluminum with blue backlighting, and anodized black with deep red backlighting. Overall backlighting can be adjusted to four levels of intensity and each key is individually backlit, enabling the lighting for each key to be independently enabled or disabled. The key-by-key lighting customization allows users to highlight just the keys they need to emphasize and then save the setting directly to the K70's onboard memory. In addition, the Vengeance K70 comes with alternate colored, contoured keycaps for the WASD and 1-6 keycaps to allow additional customization.

"When we launched the Vengeance K60, customers loved the look and quality, but some wanted a backlit version," said Ruben Mookerjee, VP and General Manager of the Peripherals Business Unit at Corsair. "In typical Corsair fashion, we over-delivered and created Vengeance K70 with key-by-key backlighting, mechanical switches on every key, and two color schemes."

The Vengeance K70 also features dedicated multimedia controls to allow users to play, stop, pause, skip tracks and adjust volume. An extra USB connector is provided for attaching to USB devices such as a Vengeance gaming mouse or headset. A removeable soft-touch wrist rest provides comfort for long gaming or typing sessions.

See Vengeance K70 at PAX East from March 22-24

The Vengeance K70 keyboard will make its public debut at Corsair's booth at PAX East in Boston from March 22-24. Corsair is located in booth 1062.

Pricing and Availability

The Corsair Vengeance K70 will be available in April at suggested price of $129.99.

For more information on the Corsair Vengeance K70 gaming keyboard, please visit: http://www.corsair.com/k70


Source

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Pinterest unveils web analytics, offers insight into visitor pinning behavior

Pinterest unveils web analytics tool, offers insight into pinning behavior


If you've wanted to know just which adorable puppy picture on your website got the most pins on Pinterest, you're in luck. The internet pinboard folks just unveiled a new web analytics tool for businesses and site owners that'll track which content receives the most attention in terms of clicks, pins and repins, and how recently those items were selected. Verify your website with Pinterest, and you'll be able to check out your visitors' pinning behavior starting today. Hmm, maybe now we'll get to see which one of our editors is the most popular.


Via: LA Times


Source: Pinterest blog

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

LG unveils world's smallest wireless charger, preps it for global availability

LG unveils world's smallest wireless charger, preps it for global availability


LG may have an obsession with hulking smartphones, but it's taken a different tact with its latest wireless charger, which is being hailed as the world's smallest. Christened the WCP-300, the pad juices up Qi-compatible devices such as the Nexus 4 (if you're not in the mood for a sliced sphere, of course) and the outfit's Optimus G Pro, Vu II and LTE II. South Korea will see the hardware arrive this week with a 65,000 won (roughly $60) price tag, but the charger is slated to roll out across the globe gradually, and the US is somewhere on its itinerary.


Source: LG Newsroom (translated)

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Library of Congress unveils plan to preserve early US sound recordings

Library of Congress unveils plan to preserve early US sound recordings


Historic audio recordings aren't exactly easy to access and play back since they're often in obscure or aging formats and sit within giant repositories and private collections, but the Library of Congress is gearing up to help change that for researchers and the average joe. The outfit's freshly announced National Recording Preservation Plan is headlined by a recommendation to create a publicly accessible national directory of sound recordings that'll act as an "authoritative discography" with details regarding their production and where copies are housed. You'll still have to take a trip to a library to hear the recordings for the time being, but the Library of Congress is hoping to hammer out licensing agreements that would allow for online streaming. Developing new preservation standards and creating university-based degree programs for audio archiving are also among the 32 short- and long-term recommendations spelled out by the document. Click the second source link to peruse the paper yourself.


[Image credit: Ray Tsang, Flickr]


Via: Huffington Post


Source: Library of Congress, Council on Library and Information Resources

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Olympus unveils Stylus XZ-10 with f/1.8-2.7 zoom, smartphone sharing app

Announcing the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10 compact digital camera, equipped with the new PHOTO STORY function for new photographic possibilities

Olympus Imaging (Haruo Ogawa, president) is proud to announce the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10, on sale from Late February, 2013. This model packs a high speed, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL 5x optical zoom lens, and versatile functions such as the new PHOTO STORY for expanding photographic expression, all in a lightweight and compact camera body.

Main Features

With the 26mm - 130mm (35mm film camera equivalent) f/1.8 - 2.7, high speed 5x optical, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL lens, and the inclusion of iHS Technology, high-quality images with beautifully defocused backgrounds and shots under dim light are possible.

The OLYMPUS STYLUS X series is a lineup of compact digital cameras that offer superb image quality and expressive power, and is the first compact digital camera equipped with a lens bearing the ZUIKO name. The ZUIKO lens was first included on the Semi Olympus I; the first-ever Olympus camera in 1936. The ZUIKO has been used for the past 77 years, continuing its tradition as a high-performance lens. In January 2011, the OLYMPUS XZ-1 was announced as the first model in the X series, and in September 2012, the STYLUS XZ-2 was announced as the X series flagship model. Both models are equipped with a high speed f/1.8-2.5 lens which is bright from wide-angle to telephoto, achieving acclaim as capturing high-quality images that rival SLR cameras.

The STYLUS XZ-10 brings the superb image quality of the X series to a high-end compact that can be enjoyed on a daily basis due to its advanced portability, functionality, and performance. A refined, solid design is used for the slim camera body with the pursuit of a compact, and lightweight form. The control ring and Touch AF Shutter made popular on the XZ-2 are still available on the XZ-10, providing spectacular performance and the ability to capture every photo opportunity. For those who want to capture everyday scenes as special memories, rich in personality, PHOTO STORY has been added to Art Filters. This function captures multiple viewpoints in a single image and puts them together for an artistic creation. With the OI.Share smartphone application, users can quickly and easily share images and post them to social networking services. Keeping up with the times, Olympus has crammed new ways to enjoy photos into a small package.
Main Functions - Details

1-1. 26mm-130mm Focal Length (conversion) f/1.8-2.5 iZUIKO Zoom Lens
The lens on the STYLUS XZ-10 is a 5x optical zoom that covers a focal range from 26-130mm (35mm film camera equivalent). The XZ-10 boasts an f/1.8-2.7, high speed lens, with the brightest aperture value in its class at f/2.7 on the telephoto end over 100mm, making beautifully defocused images and high-quality images under dim light condition possible at telephoto settings. This bright lens is also perfect for capturing moving subjects. This lens is a combination of Olympus's superb lens technology, and the spare-no-expense design process by including DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) and EDA (Extra-low Dispersion Aspherical) lenses in the lens group, for the high depictive quality equal to that of Olympus interchangeable SLR ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. Additionally, to thoroughly eliminate ghosting and lens flares, reflectivity was kept to half of the previous value at a wavelength of 450 to 650 nm, thanks to the lens surface treated with the Olympus-original ZERO (ZUIKO Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating. These measures ensure highly clear depictive performance with a sense of transparency, even in backlit or other unfavorable conditions.

1-2. iHS Technology
iHS stands for "intelligence", "high-speed", and "high-sensitivity". With a 1/2.3 type, 12.0 megapixel,*2 high-speed, high-sensitivity, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and the TruePic image processing engine designed for the OLYMPUS PEN, users will always be able to capture the subject they want, beautifully, and without missing a shot. In addition, the XZ-10 also inherits Fast AF from the OLYMPUS PEN.

2. Compact, Lightweight Body and Slim, Solid Design
When compared to the XZ-2, the XZ-10 is slimmer with a 40% smaller volume. With this smaller design, high-quality images can be enjoyed in a camera with high mobility. A built-in lens barrier and fixed grip have been included in answer to many requests, improving portability and operability. With three colors to choose from including black, white, and brown, users can select one that best fits their lifestyle.

3-1. New Function: PHOTO STORY
The new function, PHOTO STORY, is included on the XZ-10 to bring out users' artistic abilities and powers of expression when shooting. By capturing a scene from multiple viewpoints and then combining them into a single image, everyday scenes and memorable scenes can be recorded in various ways. Users simply turn the mode dial to PHOTO STORY, choose a favorite theme (Standard, Speed, Zoom In/Out, Fun Frame), and touch inside the frame to use Touch AF Shutter and easily complete their artistic shots. At the same time, it is easy to create images with style and personality by combining the type, effect, frame aspect ratio, and number of images according to the selected theme. The finished image can be checked in Live View and users can continue shooting various types of images. Because multiple viewpoints are included in a single image, recreating the story of the scene is possible, making it easier to put yourself in that captured scene.
Selectable PHOTO STORY Themes (4 types)
Standard: Simple type with split images
Speed: Slide a finger to shoot continuously (Finger can be slid to split multiple images)
Zoom In/Out: Combines both close-up and pull-back effects
Fun Frame: Film formats or Instant camera formats where the date can be added

3-2. Art Filter
With 11 Art Filters and 5 Art Effects, users can create more stand-out pictures for users to enjoy.

4-1. Touch AF Shutter
The Touch AF Shutter function allows users to instantly select the exact location they want to focus on simply by touching the screen on the rear of the camera. By including the FAST AF system, which is the crystallization of years of Olympus AF technology, and the easy controls of the touch screen, subjects throughout the screen can easily be focused on, whether in the center, background, or edges, allowing users to snap the shutter at just the right moment. Touch screen operations also include Live Guide settings, AF position selection, magnified playback, and browsing of images. With these features, a truly comfortable photo experience is achieved.

4-2. Control Ring
Just as with the XZ-2, a function can be selected for each shooting mode and assigned to the control ring. Because settings such as the aperture value or exposure compensation can be quickly adjusted with a twist of the control ring, users can capture photos exactly the way they want without missing a shot. These features realize an optimum control scheme for artistic expression.

4-3. Fn (Function) Button
The Fn (Function) button has been placed on the back of the camera for assigning frequently used functions. Users can choose multiple functions out of 16 options to assign based on their shooting style or convenience. Users can easily call up or switch between functions assigned to the Fn (Function) button and control ring and change setting values as needed, allowing them to quickly set up their preferred style.

5. Smartphone Application: OI.Share
OI.Share is a free iPhone and Android smartphone application used for easily sharing high-quality images. When used together with a Toshiba-brand FlashAirTM*1 card (equipped with an internal wireless LAN), images can easily be sent using a smartphone. Because communication settings can be made from within a dedicated menu on the camera, by connecting to a smartphone, it is easy to send images without ever using a computer. After importing images, OI.Share can be used to apply Art Filters or link to social networking apps to share photos and communicate through images. A one-time password can also be issued for connecting to multiple smartphones simultaneously to share images with friends and family on the spot.

Effective number of pixels: 12 million*2
Zoom factor: 5x optical zoom, 10x super resolution zoom
Wide: 26mm wide-angle (35mm film camera equivalent)
Image stabilization: DUAL IS
(CMOS shift type & high-sensitivity shooting, Multi-motion Movie IS)
Rear display 3.0 type, 920,000 dots, TFT color LCD
Movie shooting: Full High-definition movies (MOV/H.264)
Other Features

Handheld Night shooting mode with the flash can be used to beautifully capture night scenes and people
Advanced iAUTO function with 29 automatically detectable scenes
Dual IS - Cutting-edge image stabilization technology for reducing subject blur
Multi Motion image stabilization support for movies compensates for slow, strong camera shake that occurs when breathing or walking
High-Speed Movie for slow-motion playback of quickly moving subjects
Electric auto pop-up flash
Intuitive GUI linked with the control ring
Equipped with an ND filter for controlling exposure in 3 steps, for beautifully defocused shots even in bright condition
Super Macro shooting for distances up to a minimum of 1 cm
4 aspect ratios for matching the framing needs of any subject
Supported media: Memory cards, (SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1 compatible), Eye-Fi cards, FlashAirTM


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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

CES 2013: Valve unveils first Steam Box hardware for big-screen gaming

Valve unveils first Steam Box hardware for big-screen gamingAbout the size of a grapefruit, they say

Valve's first foray into the world of hardware has been unveiled as a PC-type box appropriately codenamed Piston.

It's a development stage system, which means we shouldn't expect to see this particular model on shop floors any time soon, but the Piston project is intended to show off Steam game play on large high-definition TVs, making use of the company's "Big Picture" mode.

Built in partnership with Xi3, Piston is described by the company as a "uniquely shaped, grapefruit-size" computer chassis, with the first iteration being showcased at CES 2013. Here it is hastily mocked up next to a grapefruit for scale:

Steam Box Grapefruit[Grapefruit image courtesy of Ollie Crafoord under CC]

"This new development stage product will allow users to take full advantage of their large high-definition TV displays for an amazing computer game experience," said Jason Sullivan, founder, president and CEO of Xi3.

Looking to the future, he added that the two companies have their collective sights firmly set on traditional game consoles:

"This new system could provide access to thousands of gaming titles through an integrated system that exceeds the capabilities of leading game consoles, but can fit in the palm of your hand."

Lofty intentions indeed, although the existence of the Piston project isn't too surprising given that Valve's CEO Gabe Newell confirmed that the company was working on a Steam Box in December last year.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

eFun unveils Nextbook 7GP for $130: 7-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1

E FUN to Introduce Its Newest Series of Nextbook Android Tablets at 2013 CES

First Model of Google Play Series Features Jelly Bean Android 4.1 OS; High Definition Screen; Up to 32GB Memory; and Front and Back Cameras

WEST COVINA, CA – January 2, 2013 – E FUN, a consumer electronics designer and marketer of fun, easy-to-use lifestyle products, has chosen the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show to unveil the first model in its newest line of Nextbook Android Tablets, the Google Play Series. Each model features the Jelly Bean Android 4.1 operating system, full access to Google Play, Dual Core processors and high definition screens. The initial unit, the Nextbook 7GP, has a screen size of 7". The Nextbook Google Play series will be on display at CES in South Hall MP25067, January 8-11.

"With the many advantages of the Jelly Bean Android 4.1 operating system, users will enjoy the simplicity and ease of operating Nextbook Google Play tablets," remarked Jason Liszewski, managing director and VP of sales for E FUN. "We are thrilled to be able to introduce a tablet series that gives consumers the hardware, software and content they desire on the world's most popular mobile platform."

Optimized for Google Play™, the Nextbook Google Play Series gives users numerous benefits including:

Access to more than 600,000 apps and games, millions of songs and books, and thousands of movies in the Google Play Store.
Capability to read, listen and watch content not just on the Nextbook but on any device including a desktop, laptop or mobile phone with Google Play's cloud feature.
Access to preloaded Android apps from Google including Gmail™, Chrome™, Google Talk™, Google+™, Google Maps™, YouTube™ and much more.
5GB of free cloud storage with Google Drive™.

The Nextbook 7GP includes high performance hardware such as a Dual Core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB DDR3 RAM, a high definition (1024 x 600) capacitive multi touch screen, front and back cameras, and an HDMI-out port to send 1080p HD video to an HDTV or computer.

Other common features shared by the Google Play units include: 8GB internal memory; microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 32GB; 2.0 USB slot; G-Sensor; microphone; B/G/N Wi-Fi connection; and a built-in Lithium-Ion battery.

The Nextbook 7GP's Jelly Bean 4.1 operating system is the fastest, smoothest version of Android yet. It features improved performance throughout the system, including faster orientation changes, faster responses when switching between recent apps, and smoother and more consistent rendering across the system through v-sync and triple buffering.

The Nextbook Google Play series tablets are preloaded with a wide selection of applications including the Barnes & Noble NOOK Store, Net Nanny parental controls and CloudLink's "Productivity Toolbox", which includes numerous free applications such as 5GB of free cloud storage, free mobile security, wireless printing, and credit card processing.

E FUN's Nextbook 7GP tablet will be available February 2013 for a retail price of $129.99.

About E FUN
As its name implies, E FUN is a designer and markets fun, lifestyle e-products that are easily accessible. While appreciated by techies, E FUN products are primarily designed for consumers who desire the latest technological products, but are more concerned with what they do, not how they do it. E FUN's ongoing product innovation focuses on making electronics and computing more fun! Initial products offerings from E-Fun include the APEN digital pen and Nextbook Android tablets. E FUN is headquartered in West Covina, California. For additional information regarding E FUN's brands, please visit APEN at www.apenusa.com; and Nextbook at www.nextbookusa.com.


View the original article here

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

LG Unveils a Gigantor 100-Inch Laser Projector: You're Gonna Need Bigger Walls

This story will display in ...Dec 26, 2012 3:00 AM  

LG Unveils a Gigantor 100-Inch Laser Projector: You're Gonna Need Bigger WallsWhile conventional video projectors have remained largely a niche market for dedicated home theater enthusiasts on account of their difficult installation. However, a new breed of "home projector" has developed over the past few years into an increasingly viable alternative to flat panel televisions. And if LG's new 100-inch class LG "HECTO" Laser TV is any indicator, the LED/Plasma debate may be moot.

The 1080p HECTO system uses a specially designed screen and an Ultra Short Throw (UST) projector that sits under it. The obvious advantage is that you can set up the system like a normal flat panel display rather than having to mount the projector on your ceiling or maintain a clear line of sight from the back of the room. The projector needs less than two feet of space from the screen to function and is bright enough to work in normally lit living rooms rather than darkened home theaters.

The projector itself is outfitted with dual 10W speakers, a trio HDMI ports, audio out, and a RS-232 interface. And like the rest of LG's premium device offerings this year, the HECTO will offer Smart TV functionality—including web browsing and VOD—as well as integration with the new Magic Remote and WiDi compatibility. Most impressive pehaps is the HECTO's Methusala of a bulb. It reportedly lasts five time longer than conventional mercury lamps—a stunning 25,000 hours.


View the original article here

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

United Planet unveils new Intrexx 6 module

United Planet has added a new graphic module to its Intrexx 6 intranet and portal software to link data from all systems operating within an organisation.

The Relationship Designer module retrieves data from key business systems, irrespective of their manufacturer, to provide employees with centralised access to mission critical information via the company intranet.

The company said that when a specific piece of information is requested, the module automatically searches the linked systems for thematically connected information and displays it on the intranet in a clearly structured manner.

For example, it can link data fields from Microsoft Dynamics CRM with those in an SAP ERP system, enabling staff members to see which sales employees are responsible for a specific customer and what the customer ordered most recently.

eMail systems can also be linked to provide access to correspondence.

Axel Wessendorf, chief executive officer of United Planet, said: "The problems associated with keeping important information on disparate software systems are familiar to many companies. Information is often only available in small excerpts, and rarely in its entirety which means that employees are provided with an incomplete picture at best.

"Using Relationship Designer, connections that tended to be overlooked in the past are now immediately detectable which is likely to present companies with a variety of new business opportunities, especially in the area of customer relationship management."

United Planet, a developer of enterprise portal software, is also planning to release a social business platform named Intrexx Share soon. It will combine status updates and news from colleagues with the latest alerts from different software packages used by a company.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Google Play unveils 'surprise calendar countdown' promo for the holidays

Google unveils 'surprise calendar countdown' app giveaway promo, ends on the New Year

Ah, the month of December, when thoughts turn to mistletoe, eggnog and excruciatingly painful trips to the mall. However, Android users could find solace in Google's recently launched "surprise calendar countdown" giveaway program that promises a daily store offer until January 1st, 2013. Of course, this sort of promo isn't unusual this time of year -- the Mountain View company offered a ten apps for ten cents sale last year and Apple's done the freebie thing over on the iOS side -- but Google appears to be upping the ante this time with extra deals. For example, if you download the free Hotel Tonight application today, you'll also get a $35 credit to be used toward a hotel stay if you use the "Google35" promo code. Sure, that won't exactly pay for a night on the town, but it might be enough for room service. We're not sure what other offers are in store, so we suggest checking Google Play every day from now until the new year for a bit of holiday cheer.

Filed under: Software, Google

Comments

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google Play

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Acer unveils C7 Chromebook, portable cloud computing for just $199

Acer America's New C7 Chromebook: Secure, Speedy and Simple

SAN JOSE, Calif., (Nov. 12, 2012) – Acer America today debuts its new Acer C7 Chromebook, its next-generation mobile computer that runs Google's Chrome operating system and is priced at a low $199.
The new Acer C7 Chromebook is the ideal additional laptop for families, students and business people that need a fast, easy and secure way to get online to do their computing in the cloud, such as using Gmail, keeping up on social networks, shopping, and paying bills.

"Today's computer users are doing more online heightening the need for enhanced security, quicker online access and an easy-to-use interface," Jim Wong, corporate president, Acer Inc. "The Acer C7 Chromebook provides all this at an affordable price, making it the right choice for families and students on a budget as well as anyone who wants a new or second mobile PC for web-based computing."
"The core of Google's Chromebook vision is creating a better, more simple computing experience and making it available to everyone," said Sundar Pichai, senior vice president, Chrome and Apps, Google. "We're excited about the Acer C7 Chromebook, the newest addition to the Chromebook family. The Acer C7 delivers a hassle-free computing experience with the speed, security and simplicity that users expect of Chromebooks built in."

Speedy, Secure Online Access
Customers can get online quickly with the Acer C7; it boots up in less than 18 seconds and resumes nearly instantly from sleep mode. The overall Chromebook experience is easy-to-use and navigate. Users can access their favorite apps with a single click through the app launcher and find new favorites from the thousands of Chrome apps and games featured in the Chrome Web Store.

Customers will appreciate that the Acer C7 Chromebook has security features built in to defend against malware and viruses. Plus, since the Acer C7 is automatically updated, customers can be assured that they have the latest software version and protection against online threats. It comes with integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi, so customers can quickly connect to hotspots and wireless networks.
Safe Storage, Convenient access to Content

The Acer C7 Chromebook is easy to maintain and share with others around the home, school or work. Users can have separate accounts and simply log in to get things done. Once on the Acer C7, it's easy to share and collaborate on documents and projects and share work and personal calendars. Acer Chromebook customers are offered up to 100GB of free Google Drive storage for the first two years after purchase, so files, documents, photos and more are stored safely in the cloud even if the Acer C7 is lost, damaged or stolen. Customers can also access files offline, or create and edit Google Documents and use Gmail offline as well.

Sleek Design for the Mobile Lifestyle
The Acer C7 is portable and sleek for today's on-the-go mobile lifestyle. It weighs only 3.05 pounds and measures a mere one inch thin, so it can be easily taken anywhere as it fits into a backpack, briefcase or purse. The slim size still houses a full-sized keyboard, so customers can comfortably create and edit documents and spreadsheets. The fully-clickable touchpad allows customers to conveniently get things done.

The Acer C7's integrated HD 1.3MP webcam w/ LED indicator and microphone is great for video conferencing, as well as capturing video and photos for sharing online. Websites, documents, photos and high-definition video look crisp and clear on the C7's 11.6-inch HD Widescreen CineCrystalTM LED-backlit LCD.

Appealing to frequent travelers, the Acer C7 Chromebook also enables users to get online at 30,000 feet with free Gogo in-air internet passes. It comes with 12 free passes (estimated at $150 value) that can be used over two years on domestic U.S. flights.

Acer Chromebook Built for Performance
The premiere offering in the Acer C7 Chromebook line is the Acer C710-2847. Powered by an Intel Celeron 847 processor (2MB L3 cache, 1.10GHz, DDR3 1333 MHz) and 2GB of DDR3 memory, the Acer C7 provides the performance to speed through the web, access files, enjoy video and more. It also has an ample 320GB HDD for storing files.(2)

The Acer C7 connects to popular consumer electronics devices such as camcorders, digital cameras and smart phones via its three USB 2.0 ports. It also has an HDMI port for pushing video and content to external displays and HDTVs. In addition, its card reader supports SD card and MMC, so customers can play their music and video directly from the card, or upload photos, video and music to their favorite sites.
Pricing, Availability and Warranty

The Acer C710-2847 will be available starting tomorrow on the Google Play store, at Best Buy stores and on BestBuy.com for customers in the United States for $199.00.
The new Acer C7 comes with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. All Acer Chromebooks are backed by toll-free service and support.(3)

About Acer
Since its founding in 1976, Acer has broken barriers between people and technology, enabling users to explore, create and grow. Acer ranks No. 2 for notebook PCs globally.(1) The Acer Group employs 8,000 people across the globe, and revenues for 2011 reached US$15.7 billion.
Acer's channel business model is instrumental to the company's success, while its multi-brand approach integrates Acer, Gateway, and Packard Bell brands in worldwide markets. Acer designs environmentally friendly products and, with its vendors, has established a green supply chain.
Acer is proud to be a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement. That includes supporting the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and London 2012 Olympic Games.
More information is at www.acer-group.com.

© 2012 Acer America Corp. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.


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Fender unveils Squier USB Stratocaster that talks to iOS, lends cred to iPad jam sessions (video)

SQUIER® BY FENDER® INTRODUCES STRAT® GUITAR WITH USB AND iOS CONNECTIVITY

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (November 12, 2012) – Squier is proud to introduce an innovative new Strat guitar model that can directly connect with and record to Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or Windows-based computers.

The Squier by Fender Strat Guitar with USB and iOS Connectivity features an onboard mini-USB connector that allows players to interface directly and easily with all these devices, with no additional hardware needed – including GarageBand and other music apps on iOS.

A mini-USB to USB as well as a mini-USB to 30-pin cable is included, and the guitar also features a convenient onboard stereo headphone jack with volume control for use in USB/iOS mode. Further, it's still a fully functional Stratocaster model that can be plugged into any instrument amplifier.

For more information, go to http://www.fender.com/features/usbstrat/.


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Monday, November 5, 2012

AMD unveils Opteron 6300, hopes to put servers in a Piledriver

By Jon Fingas posted Nov 5th 2012 12:01AM AMD Opteron in hand
AMD's advantage these days most often rests in datacenters that thrive on the chip designer's love of many-core processors, so it was almost surprising that the company brought its Piledriver architecture to the mainstream before turning to the server room. It's closing that gap now that the Opteron 6300 is here.

 

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