Check out the Polaroid Media Back Up Photo Edition which is product of collaboration between Storage Appliance Corporation and Polaroid and is ideal or storing your images. The 40GB Hard Drive uses Storage Appliance’s ‘ClickFree’ technology which makes the job easy for even the most technically challenged! One just needs to hook up the device to the PC via the provided USB Cable and will automatically backup any and all image files on your computer. The Polaroid Media Back Up Photo Edition retails for $129.

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This is one too funny and I can totally relate to it since my mum hates everything digital!

Via

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If your driving skills sucks like mine, then do check out the PLK driving recorder 'RoadBox'. As you may have guessed it can automatically sense accidents and is capable of recording real-time screen of 14 seconds before and 6 seconds after the crash. The Roadbox consists of a VGA quality camera which can be mounted near the rear view mirror and one can document speed and acceleration data.

Via

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Here is an exclusive image of the Spike Camcorder a part of the RED line up from Oakley founder Jim Jannard. This one is a camcorder in case your wondering and looks straight out of a Military Station! However the picture is of a prototype so the original will in most likelihood be different. The RED would be capable of recording footage at 60fps and has a resolution of 11.1 megapixels!

According to a post by Jim Jannard on DVInfo, "We expect to have a working "Spike" prototype in days (not weeks)". While they hope to be shipping by NAB (mid-April), Jannard says the goal is to ship the first production units in "early 2007".

Via

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Canon for once is in the news for all the wrong reasons. The company has admitted that certain lots of PowerShot A530 / PowerShot A540 Digital Camera are faulty. According to Canon "the area around the battery cover on the bottom of the camera may become hot. We would like to convey the details of this phenomenon and our service policy."

Here is an excerpt from the Canon Press Release:

Phenomenon
We have discovered that in cameras where the opening/closing spring on the inside of the battery cover (see images below) sticks out beyond its regular position, if a battery is put into these cameras and the battery cover is closed, it causes a short-circuit and the following phenomena occur:

1) The bottom of the camera becomes extremely hot near the battery cover.

2) Batteries that are loaded are depleted quickly.

3) The number of shots that can be taken becomes extremely small.

Affected Cameras
PowerShot A530, PowerShot A540 Digital Cameras

Please check the first two numbers from the left in the serial number listed on the bottom of the camera.

The serial number: Cameras with “21”, “22”, “23”, “24”, as the first two numbers from the left.

For cameras with the serial numbers listed above, please open the battery cover and check the hinge part.

Cameras in which the opening/closing spring sticks out like in the ones shown in the images below are affected by this malfunction.

Warning: The opening/closing spring and the metal parts on the inside of the battery cover become extremely hot. So to avoid burns, please DO

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Another photography website to review the Nikon D40 recently was Megapixel.Net and lets see what they thought about the D40. The website liked the DSLR for its image quality, its lack of noise, its bright viewfinder, its fast interface and its ergonomics. What they didn't dig was the lack of DOF, the lack of LCD panel for settings, lack of auto-focus with AF-D and G lenses and lack of composition grid in the viewfinder.

With the Nikon D40, Nikon did not succumb to the Pixels race and have stuck to a 6MP Resolution and this one pretty great for an amateur photographer. It includes features like; ISO 3200 Setting, tcustomizable Auto ISO, a viewfinder , shorter, a bright and large LCD monitor, SDHC support, in-camera retouching etc. The D40 lacks an internal focus drive motor meaning it can be Auto Focused with only AF-S and AF-I lenses (those with built-in focus motors).

In the end the reviewer writes "The ergonomic design of the D40 is excellent. In hand, the camera is a bit of a surprise because of its small size and feather weight (with the kit lens). The layout of controls is intuitive and very quickly comfortable to use. Moreover, the Shooting Information Display can be customized if desired, useful since it is the only means of verifying settings on the D40, and the monitor is bright and very legible. However, two small regrets can be expressed: there is no viewfinder composition grid, and there is no Depth of Field Preview."

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Samsung Electronics have released yet another thin camera phone! The Samsung Ultra Edition SGH-Z720 is the thinnest HSDPA slide-up mobile handset and measures only 13mm thick and weighs only 80 grams! Thanks to its High-Speed Downlink Packet Access capabilities, users can transmit data at speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps.

Measuring 104.5x51.3mm, the handset has 3 megapixel camera with auto focus and a second VGA camera for video telephony and chat. One also comes across a 2.1” QVGA display and also WAP 2.0 and HTML browsing capabilities.

The on board uGo automatically responds to the users environment and displays a landmark or sets the time etc accordingly. Where as the uTrack interface sends an SMS message to the user if someone changes the Sim card on the mobile and the location in case of theft. It will be available worldwide soon.

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Another camera from the trusty stables of Pentax for our Korean readers! The new Pentax Optio T20 is a seven megapixel digicam. Apart from the usual feature set, this one also includes a 3.0-inch touch display. A touch display helps the user to enlarge or check out certain sections of the images.

One can also unleash their creative side via the Drawing Mode where with the help of the included stylus you can doodle your heart's content! The digicam is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and captures movies at 30fps 640x480 resolution. It also has a measly 12MB memory and SD memory card slot.

Shooting modes on the Pentax Optio T20 include Portrait, Landscape, Flower and Night Scene. Featuring an smc Pentax lens, the special lens coating avoids ghosting and other unwanted elements in your photographs.

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This one ain't for the faint-hearted! Just check out what the guys over at Gizmodo dug out from the Ebay archives! Called the Gun Camera (how imaginative), the camera is a part camera auction taking place on January 28th through Tamarkin Photographica and eBay Live Auction. No word on features (as if you would really care) but it does give Shooting An Image, a a whole new meaning!

Via

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Exemode has released a budget friendly camcorder, however for now its goodness will be experienced by only our Japanese friends! The Exemode DV572 SD is a 5 megapixel camera camcorder and includes features like SD-based recording and capture images at 640 x 480 MPEG4 at 30fps. Nothing earth-shattering here but considering the price (125$) who are we to complain! Other features also include; record audio in WAV,4x digital zoom, capturing still images in JPEG and USB 2.0 / AV connectivity.

Via

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The first commercial of Nokia N95 is out. The handset has a whopping 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus! The handset has some awesome multimedia features like; GPS, Wi-Fi, ATI 3D Chip, 150 MB internal memory, 2.6 inch QVGA display.

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Here are the Top 10 Cameras Of 2006 according to PC World:

1) HP Photosmart R727
2) Canon Powershot A450
3) Casio Exillim EX-Z600
4) Fujifilm Finepix F30
5) Canon Powershot SD630
6) Fujifilm Finepix E900
7) HP Photosmart R927
8) Nikon Coolpix S6
9) Kodak EasyShare C743
10) HP Photosmart R967

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Check out the uber cool SCIRC t1 Webcam by DigitalXtractions which is the first webcam to work without a PC and can be hooked up with any mobile handset which has internet support! The webcam has a solar panel which is available in different sizes. The webcam is available now for $450 and you need to shell out $60 for an annual subscription which includes web hosting for the pictures.

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The Laser Star Projector is an ideal way to bring in the New Year! This one promises a psychedelic experience and projects “Thousands of Stars with or without Cloud Formations.” According to the guys who made these the projector “will fill any room from the tiniest bedroom to the largest warehouse with a crystal clear animated star display.” It uses green laser and holographic technology and requires no set up! The Laser STar Projector retails for $200.

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Another great accessory to take along your Canon Digital SLRs. Check out the new DX-400D underwater housing by Sea & Sea and can be used with Canon 350 and 400D. Made of durable aluminum alloy and lightweight polycarbonate, the casing makes sure you can access all your camera controls without any fumbling! The DX-400D black underwater housing measures 350×135×180mm, weighs 2,700g and also is equipped with powered leak sensor signals which alert you of a leakage. Sea&Sea’s DX-400D underwater housing is available in Japan for 231,000 Yen ($1,952).

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CC has approved some new cameras! Come again? FCC? Yes even I am wondering what they were doing with cameras, but hey stranger things have happened right? The cameras in question are the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S650 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S700.

Unfortunately for now we have don't have any information and according to engadget the cameras will include features like; a 7 megapixel resolution, 2.4-inch 480 x 240 resolution display on the S700 and 2.0-inch display on the S650. No word on pricing or availability!

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Another new day, another new camera phone! This time the latest camera phone comes from the folks at Toshiba. The new Toshiba 803T not only comes in the color of the year "White" but also includes some decent features like; 2.2-inch TFT-LCD display, 2.26-megapixel camera, miniSD card slot, USB connectivity, QR-code capabilities etc. The handset has a dedicated music interface and the touch buttons surely give it an ultra cool look!

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SanDisk recently announced the Ultra II SD Plus USB memory cards which can be directly connected to an USB Port without any accessories. The SD Card changes to an USB adapter on flipping the hinged joint cover. The USB acrd would be available in capacities like 512MB/1GB/2GB.

Advanced Features:

* Minimum of 10MB/second** sequential read speed for ultra-fast image viewing and data transfer
* Minimum 9MB/second** sequential write speed lets you capture large image files faster
* Backed by a lifetime limited warranty***
* Low power consumption for longer battery life

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Lindy (who?) recently launched a new USB MiniCam Pro webcam featuring built-in infra-red and LEDs to shine some light on the subject in dark conditions. Its quite innovative if you think about it and the webcan also includes a flexible neck design and can be paired with an optional desk stand.

The USB MiniCam includes a 350k pixel CMOS sensor and an adjustable glass lens which can focus on items as close as 3cm. One can also capture still images and videos at 30fps. Its compatible with almost all instant messengers like MSN, Skype etc. The LINDY USB MiniCam Pro and USB MiniCam Pro with Desk Stand are available now for £21.99 each.

Lindy

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Another website to review the Canon PowerShot G7 recently was Steves Digicam and the camera got brownie points for manual and custom controls, its ergonomics, its organized menu system and its overall performance. What the didn't dig was the zoom-coupled optical viewfinder which distorts the images at time and the camera also produced a lot of image noise.

The G7 offers an impressive 10 megapixel resolution which shall appeal to a wider demographic. The digicam is also equipped with a DIGIC III chip which ensures superior camera performance by increasing the levels of start up, auto-focus and shutter response times and also maximizes processing speed. It is equipped with a f/2.8-4.8 6X optical zoom lens with lens-shift image stabilization system and the onboard 1.4x/2.3x digital tele-converter works just like an actual tele-converter lens. Other features include; 31 minutes of video recordings with a 1024 x 768 XGA resolution, SDHC Memory Card/SD Memory Card/MultiMedia Card support, “My Colors” and “My Category” features and Face Detection AF/AE.

In the end the review writes "Bottom line - I was very pleased with this latest addition to Canon's legendary "G" series line. While we miss the Vari-Angle LCD, the new 6x IS lens is a definite plus. The only negative issues we found were the problem with the optical viewfinder and the higher image noise at ISO 800 and 1600. That said, the G7 is a good choice for the beginner, novice, or enthusiast that wants a less bulky alternative to carrying around a dSLR and a bag of lenses. With an MSRP of around US$599 the G7 offers an outstanding value that will be hard to beat this holiday season."

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Digital Foci, Inc. has started shipping their new "Image Moments" digital photo album frame (Model IMT-081) which display images from digital camera memory cards on its 8-inch high-resolution digital LCD screen. The new version now features a unique interchangeable frame design and easel leg for alternating between landscape and portrait positioning.

One can directly display images from digital camera memory cards without a computer or subscription. Image Moments reads from virtually all cards, including CompactFlash I/II, MD, MMC, SD Card, Memory Stick, MS PRO, xD-Picture Card, miniSD, and MS Duo. Adapters are required for the xD-Picture Card, miniSD, and MS Duo formats.

Image Moments is available immediately for $229 SRP at Digital Foci's online store at
http://www.digitalfoci.com/image_moments.html

Image Moments New Features:

* New! Unique interchangeable frame design
* New! Easel leg to position in both landscape or portrait orientations
* New! Brackets for easy wall-mounting
* New! File management features: copy, delete, rename files and create new folders
* New! Automatic on/off timer
* New! Output to external speakers for enhanced sound quality
* New! Lockable cover for built-in memory card slots
* New! Security cable lock slot for tethering down the frame to prevent theft

Image Moments Other Features:

* 8" high-resolution digital LCD screen for digital photo display
* Automatic photo slideshow with music
* Reads directly from memory cards
* Supports memory cards: CF I/II, MD, MMC, SD Card, Memory Stick, MS PRO
(plus mini-SD, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture Card with adapter)
* Full-featured remote-control for file navigation and display settings
* JPEG image support
* MP3 music support
* MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 video support

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The Nikon 70-300mm AF-S VR Zoom Lens has been reviewed by the website Ken Rockwell and the reviewer is very impressed by the lens. The lens is liked for its zoom ring , evenly-spaced focal lengths, its overall performance and the fact that it works great with film cameras too. What he didn't like was the fact that the zoom shifts a little on focusing and the zoom ring felt "plasticky".

Nikon Imaging launched the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor Lens for Nikon DX Format Digital and 35mm Film SLR Cameras (remember those?). This 4.3x Zoom lens features the critically acclaimed Enhanced Nikon VR (VRII) Vibration Reduction System and is perfect for telephoto shots like sports, action, wildlife, and travel and portrait photography.The new Nikon 70-300mm lens has also the latest technologies and features which are associated with Nikon lenses. This includes; Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass, Silent Wave Motor technology (SWM) and Enhanced Vibration Reduction (VR II).

In the end the website writes "This becomes the best telephoto lens in the $550 range for digital Nikons. I don't think it's worth $550.For film I'd prefer the $900 80-200mm f/2.8.For digital I prefer the 18-200mm VR for its greater flexibility. "

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Samsung UK has launched a new digicam just in time for Christmas. The new Samsung Digimax D103 packs a 10 megapixel resolution and is capable of an impressive a 30x total zoom (3x optical, 10x digital). The point and shoot promises "high-quality, detailed photos for printing up to poster size."

The Digimax D103 sports a large 2.5" LCD with enhanced color production for image reviewing and framing. The digicam has an ISO range from 80 to 1000 making it usable in almost all kinds of photographic conditions. One also comes across Special Effect Modes like Colour Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame and Composite Shot which can be access directly via the onboard “E” button.

The Samsung Digimax D103Digimax D103 offers high-compression, high-quality video format and can record up to 3 – 4 times longer than traditional camera formats. Videos are recorded in VGA (640 x 480) at 30fps and the on board Macro mode automatically adjusts the shooting distance and focus from between 4cmto infinity. The camera is PictBridge compatible and includes family-friendly mode dials like; Night, Portrait and Children modes. For more info visit : PRODUCT PAGE

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Delkin Devices, Inc today announced the SensorScope System which claims to be the "safest and most effective system for cleaning your dSLR image sensor". This is possible since the SensorScope uses magnification and focused and the high intensity light enables camera owners to inspect their camera's sensor to see if it needs cleaning. Why risk damaging your camera -don't clean your sensor if it doesn't need it!

"SensorScope enables you to check your sensor to see if it needs cleaning-there's nothing safer than not cleaning your sensor. The SensorScope looks like a camera lens; however, it allows you to look back into your camera to inspect your sensor. The SensorScope is easily portable and provides a 5x magnification lens and 4 ultra bright LED lights, which are focused to completely illuminate the field of inspection. Although specifically designed for Canon and Nikon dSLRs, the SensorScope may be used on any manufacturer's dSLR."

Delkin Devices begins shipping the SensorScope System and DigitalDuster kit in early January. More information is available on Delkin's Web site: http://www.delkin.com. Three models are available:

DigitalDuster Refill Kit: $49.99 MSRP

• 15 SensorWands

• 1 SensorSolution

• 1 cleaning guide

DigitalDuster Kit: $89.99 MSRP

• 1 SensorVac

• 12 SensorWands

• 1 SensorSolution

• 1 cleaning guide

• 1 DigitalDuster carrying case

SensorScope System: $189.99 MSRP

• 1 SensorScope

• 1 SensorVac

• 12 SensorWands

• 1 SensorSolution

• 1 cleaning guide

• 1 SensorScope carrying case

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Another 4GB USB Drive doing the rounds is the Lexar JumpDrive 4GB Model which is now retailing for 199$ and includes lifetime warranty. The drive comes bundled with a polishing cloth for those who are anal about cleanliness and also comes with a number of applications like Ceedo (U3-like app platform), on-the-fly AES encryption and file shredder. You can also laser engrave text on the drive .

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