Well, it looks like those intrigued by that Pentax bridge camera that turned up yesterday didn’t have to wait too long to get the full scoop on it, as the camera has now produced yet another leak ahead of the big PMA show, this time with complete specs and a name: the X70. Among the stand-out features here is a 24x optical zoom, along with a more than adequate 12 megapixels, a 2.7-inch LCD, and a number of reasonably high-end features, including “reliable shake-reduction,” 720p video recording, settings from ISO 50 to ISO 6400, and a high-speed shooting mode that’ll let you capture up to 11 images per second. What’s more, while Pentax still isn’t saying anything official about the camera, it has already turned up on B&H’s website with a price of $399.95, though there’s no indication of a release date just yet. Update: Pentax has pushed out the official presser, with an April release date.
Read - PentaxForums.com
Read - B&H Filed under: Digital Cameras
Pentax X70 leaks out in full ahead of PMA originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GE, that iconic brand that has brought so many things to life — from clock radios to locomotives to widespread air and water pollution — is back with a new digital camera lineup to amuse and titillate the easily amused and titillated. The nine new devices (manufactured by General Imaging) feature auto scene detection, pan-capture panorama, optical image stabilization, and all but two boast at least 12 megapixels. These guys hit the UK in April, and all are priced at less than £150 (about $215). Full details after the break. Continue reading GE intros nine new point-and-shoots, no one notices
Filed under: Digital Cameras
GE intros nine new point-and-shoots, no one notices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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 We had a chance to play around with Avaak’s new multi-camera wireless video system, the Vue, and we’ve got to say — it’s kind of neat. The technology — originally funded by DARPA and developed by the company for the military — uses a mesh network (dubbed FrameMesh) to allow up to 50 cameras to communicate with a single base station. The premise is simple, you connect the included base to your router, then switch on as many of the cameras as you like; each one feeds its signal back home, then straight to your account on the company’s servers where you can monitor the videos remotely. Once the video hits the page (the cameras stay off until you’re actually watching something), you can record, or share them via Facebook, Flickr, etc. The cameras themselves are tiny things, and each one perches on a magnetized base where they can be adjusted to almost any position. The basic kit will run you $299, which includes the base station and two cameras, and each additional camera is $99. Not the lowest point of entry, but if you’re into seriously monitoring some things, this is an insanely simple way to do it — and we can’t wait to see what installation artists get up to with these guys. Check out some hands-on pics in the gallery, then enjoy a brief video demo after the break.
Continue reading Vue mesh network video system hands-on
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Vue mesh network video system hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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 While we still prefer the Micro Four Thirds approach (we love lens selection, so sue us), Samsung’s conceptual NX Series is still looking pretty boss for those needing a true (or close to true) point-and-shoot frame. Announced here at PMA, this new “hybrid” camera maintains the slim stature of a standard pocket cam, yet includes an APS-C sized image sensor that is traditionally found on DSLRs. In layman’s terms, that means this camera will boast a larger surface area “to gather light and produce higher-quality images than comparable digital camera systems.” In order to keep things thin, the electronic viewfinder (EVF) replaces the DSLR mirror box, but details beyond that are scant. The good news, however, is that Sammy plans to commercialize the NX line and have ‘em shipping by the second half of this year. Is the P&S-DSLR gap finally being bridged? Guess we’ll find out (not so) soon enough; per usual, the full release is just after the break.
Update: It looks like the NX-series does have interchangeable lenses — a press shot we just received shows what look to be a couple different zooms.
Continue reading Samsung’s hybrid NX Series camera: point-and-shoot with DSLR-like image sensor
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Samsung’s hybrid NX Series camera: point-and-shoot with DSLR-like image sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We already knew that Sony’s GPS-equipped HDR-XR520V camcorder (and the slightly lower-end HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR200V models) would start shipping in March, but you’d be rightly skeptical if you thought that meant it’d be arriving closer to the end of the month than the beginning. Sony looks to be bucking the usual trend, however, as the camcorder is now in stock at Amazon and selling for the not-so-discounted price of $1,499 (SonyStyle itself, meanwhile, lists the camcorder as shipping on March 8th). It seems like quantities may be a tad limited to start with, however, as Amazon lists only four left in stock as of this writing. A handful of sellers also appear to have the HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR200V available, which each pack 120GB of storage as opposed to the 240GB on the HDR-XR-520V.
[Thanks, Dave] Filed under: Digital Cameras, GPS
GPS-equipped Sony HDR-XR520V camcorder now available to order originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Section: Imaging, Digital Cameras
Pentax has just unveiled its newest camera, the X70 Megazoom.  The camera has a 24x optical zoom which makes sense since it is called a “Megazoom.”  The camera looks like a DSLR but is supposed to be an in-between camera—not quite a DSLR and not quite a point and shoot.  It has a SLR shape and shoots pics at 12 megapixels.  The camera also has a 2.7-inch display. 
The X70 has some advanced controls that you may not normally use on a point and shoot like aperture/shutter priority and “high speed continuous shooting at 11 FPS.”  The X70 also can shoot 720P video at 15 frames per second.  That is a strange amount of frames per second for a video, so you won’t be replacing your camcorder with this device. 
What’s this thing cost?  The X70 will cost $399.95 and will ship in April. 
Company page: [Pentax]
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Section: Computers, Software / Applications, Web, Downloads, Web Apps, Web Browsers, Websites
Microsoft is back again with its Ultimate Steal promotion for anyone attending a U.S. educational institution and actively enrolled in at least a half course credit.  You have to be able to provide an .edu email address to complete the purchase as well.
It looks like the price is the same as the promotion they ran in 2007 and 2008.  For $59.95, you get the Ultimate Version of Office 2007, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Groove, Publisher, Access, InfoPath 2007, and Accounting Express 2008.  For price comparison, this is selling for $399.99 on Amazon.
The promo also includes the option of the add on of Visio (diagramming software) for $55, and the Office Language Pack for $9.99.  You could also choose to purchase the Vista Ultimate (RED) upgrade for $65, which is an almost 75% savings of the normal list price.
Now to weigh the pros and cons of the whole offer.  I’d think about this—make sure your student really needs all the stuff in the Ultimate Version before you buy it.  If not, you could probably check around, maybe even at the college bookstore and find Microsoft Office for Home and Students for about half the price of even this “steal.“  Don’t pay what Amazon is gonna charge you for even the Student Version obviously.  Office for Students still has Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and One Note. 
Next up, if you do think you (or your student) could use all the bundled software and this is a great buy for you, decide if getting the Vista upgrade is really worth is.  Besides my love (*ahem*) of all things Vista, next year when they offer the Steal, it will probably come with Windows 7.  If you are going to be getting Vista, make sure if you have an older machine that it can handle it.  It is a true memory hog.  Take what it says it requires to run it, and double it….or you will become best friends with a little blue spinning circle. 
To take advantage of the offer follow the following instructions:
- Click on “Buy Now.“
- Enter your eligible email address from college/university.
- You will receive an email to purchase (if eligible).
- Click on the link in the email you receive to access the store.
- Purchase your license/product key.
- If desired, add back-up media to your purchase.
- Check out and download Microsoft Ultimate 2007.
And there you go!  You’ve stolen from Microsoft.  (Well, sorta).
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FROM APPLETELL - BeatMaster is simple application that aims to enhance your sense of rhythm and timing. Featuring a basic interface and simple tapping method, it does what it says on the tin. MORE »
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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile
 The latest details surrounding the upcoming launch of the Sidekick 2009 are still falling in the rumor category, however they do seem to hold a little bit of truth.  As for the launch, so far we have seen some good stuff coming through, but there still are a few key items missing.  To begin with, the latest rumor is calling for the Sidekick 2009 to launch on April 1, 2009, which would be during CTIA.
As far as the truth to that date, like I mentioned it is just a rumor at this point, however there is a possibility.  We have seen online reports that there are users in the wild that are already testing the device, we have even recently seen that leaked image proving it.  That seems to fit with the time lime for an April 1 release, however, on the flip side, we still have not seen that required FCC listing just yet.  This seems to be a little bit of good and bad for an April 1 release, but as always time will tell.
Anyway, in addition to this release date, there is also a document that is reported to be coming from Telstra claiming that they will be the “first to exclusively reveal the brand new Hiptop device of 2009.“  While this document could easily have been forged, the announcement does fit with how the Sidekick Slide was released.  If you remember back, the Slide also landed with Telstra before T-Mobile, so again, we will file this one as a rumor that has a ring of truth to it.
Bottom line, these leaks and images seem to be increasing in frequency lately, and that often points to an impending release.
Read [hiptop3] [hiptop3]
 
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Section: Audio, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
The Kindle 2 started shipping last week despite a possible problem with the Author’s Guild.  The guild wasn’t very happy when the Kindle 2 was announced with a text-to-speech feature, and wanted it removed.  To some, if not most, of us, the idea that text-to-speech could replace the experience of an audiobook is ridiculous, but not to the Author’s Guild.  Now they won’t have to worry as Amazon has listened.
For those of you who like the generated voice in the Kindle 2, the feature isn’t being entirely removed.  Actually, Amazon is just giving the option to allow text-to-speech to the publishers and authors.  That way, those who want Kindle 2 users to have the feature will be able to activate it, and those who think it’s a copyright issue can choose to block it. 
It’s a bit unfortunate for anybody who was thinking they’d use the text-to-speech feature a lot.  I’m not sure if there are all that many who were, though.  The voice just isn’t all that great.  There’s no inflection, and its possible it would have an issue pronouncing words made up to fit in the world of the book.  It just really can’t compare to audiobooks with its monotone, somewhat grating voice.  Just imagine trying to listen to any significant portion of Neal Stephenson’s newest, “Anathem” with the Kindle 2 as opposed to the Audible four-person dramatic reading.
Read [Reuters]
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