Nikon Launches 3 New Digital Cameras

Nikon has added three new digital cameras to its line-up. One - COOLPIX P80 - to the COOLPIX P-Series and two - COOLPIX S52 and S52c - to its Style Series.

The COOLPIX P80, is a high-performance compact camera that integrates a 10.1 megapixel CCD image sensor with Nikon's Expeed digital image processing concept and an 18x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens.The P80's 18x Zoom-NIKKOR lens covers focal lengths from 27-486mm (35mm format equivalent). To ensure steady shots while utilizing the camera's versatile zoom capabilities, the P80 is equipped with Optical Vibration Reduction (VR). In line with other COOLPIX P-Series cameras, the P80 includes intuitive controls via dedicated command and mode dials, providing easy access to shooting controls and exposure mode settings. The P80 offers Programmed Auto [P], Shutter-priority Auto [S], Aperture-priority Auto [A] and Manual [M] modes. The P80 also has the all-new Sport Continuous Mode, allowing users to shoot as many as 30 consecutive pictures at four, six, or a quick 13 frames per second.

With a light sensitivity range up to ISO 6400, users can capture more natural-looking photos with minimal light, or fast moving subjects with unparalleled clarity.The P80 has a large, 2.7-inch LCD monitor with anti-reflection coating, wide viewing angle and 230,000 dots of high resolution. An eye level electronic viewfinder is available for quick easy viewing in challenging lighting conditions.The P80 also offers quick access to a selection of 15 different scene-optimized and movie modes including the ability to shoot pictures in both black and white and color simultaneously. The new graphical user interface has an enhanced pop-up design allowing for more precise menu navigation and interaction.Nikon has incorporated its user-friendly Imaging Innovations into the P80, designed to make the photo-taking process easier and more intuitive. These technologies, referred to as "Nikon In-Camera Innovations" include In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, D-Lighting, and Face-Priority AF. In-Camera Red-Eye Fix automatically detects and corrects red eye, a common condition that occurs in flash photography. In playback mode, D-Lighting compensates for excessive back-light or insufficient flash in images. Nikon's enhanced Face-Priority AF automatically finds and focuses on one person's face or up to 12 people's faces within one frame. Face-Priority AF provides faster and sharper focus to produce clear, crisp portraits wherever the subjects are positioned in the frame.The COOLPIX P80 comes packaged with Nikon's COOLPIX Software Suite for organizing, editing and sharing photos. It also has PictBridge support and is compatible with SD/SDHC cards. The COOLPIX P80 will be available beginning April 2008 and has an MSRP of $399.95.Source

BenQ Releases MP771 Short Range Projector

BenQ seems to have a pulse for the space constraints of big cities like Mumbai, thus they have come up with a new digital projector model – the BenQ MP771. The new projector provides an ideal projection system for places where the physical layout forces the projector to be placed close to the screen. BenQ MP771 projector's short-throw ratio lens projects a picture of size 74" from a distance of 3.3 feet (while standard throw projectors can project only approx 30") Thus, the MP771 can be used in small meeting rooms and halls, in museums, departmental stores, showcase displays, banks, hospitals and small business houses etc.

BenQ MP771 projects at native XGA (1024 X 768) resolution and features a brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens with a contrast ratio of 2000:1. Since the projector is equipped with short-throw ratio lens, the quality of projection does not get affected with change in the type of hall/room or the distance between the projector and the screen. Further, the auto wall color technology enables the projector to display similar quality image irrespective of the wall/screen color.

In addition, BenQ MP771 features the Brilliantcolor technology that enables 50% brightness increase in mid-tone hues; the 3D color management technology that allows users to fine-tune the six colors independently for hue, saturation to suit the requirements of specific applications, the off & go function and a detachable keypad.

Ish Bawa, Marcom Head, BenQ India, said, "Traditionally, it was thought that a big space is required for a projector to produce large sized image and a white screen for superior image quality. The BenQ MP771 combines the ease of using the projector in a small room with better-quality image without a perfect white screen. The new projector is particularly beneficial for those business houses, which have small and not-so perfect meeting rooms."

The BenQ MP771 has been priced at Rs 85,990.Source

Samsung Launches Another Dual SIM Mobile

It would seem like Samsung is aiming at making their Duos, their dual SIM card handsets, a specialty. There have been so many launched recently it’s getting hard to keep track. Their latest offering is the tri-band Samsung D780 Duos which is not a slider I might add. In fact it has a rather stylish candy bar design.

It’s also quite loaded with goodies to tickle most mobile phone users of today. To start off with, the D780 uses a 2.1 inch, 256k color, QVGA display as a viewfinder for its 2 megapixel camera. It supports USB 2.0 data transfer, Bluetooth with an A2DP profile, microSD cad support for external memory, a media player for music and video and an FM radio. Of course the most important feature is its dual SIM capabilities and the D780 allows both SIMs to be active at the same time which is quite convenient for those who would require a Dual SIM enabled handset.

The D780 will be out in 2 colors - dark silver and mirror silver and should be out in Russia from May and reportedly a little later in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.Source

IOGEAR Launches Portable Media Player

IOGEAR has announced the availability of its ultra-slim Portable Media Player, enabling users to carry multimedia content everywhere they go. But if you’re thinking PMP with a display to watch a video while commuting you’d be dead wrong. This device is designed to be just a portable hard-drive with AV capabilities.

It allows users to conveniently transport digital videos, songs and pictures from a PC or laptop, via USB and watch it on a television or entertainment system, regardless of location. The device improves standard-definition video playback by up scaling to 720p resolution when linked to a high-definition television (HDTV). To view content, individuals simply attach the player to a TV through an RCA or component connection for high quality picture. Its capacity is 120GB."Our Portable Media Player makes it easy for people to transfer, organize and take their entertainment with them while on-the-go, and enhances the viewing experience by up scaling standard content to HDTV resolutions." said Miranda Su, executive vice president of IOGEAR.
IOGEAR's Portable Media Player (GMD2025U120) is available immediately from all major catalogs and online resellers, as well as select retail outlets for about Rs. 13,970 ($349.95 MSRP). This product comes with a limited one-year warranty. It is compatible with computers running Windows 2000, XP and Vista that have a USB port, and works with HDTVs or standard TVs with component or composite RCA connectors and standard audio RCA left / right connectors.Source

Samsung Launches HSUPA Handset in Korea

When it rains Samsung, it pours Samsung. Aside from their latest Dual SIM handset the D780 they’ve also got their first HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) which allows for faster uploading speeds from mobile phones. The SCH-M470 handset also has plenty of other features that include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 2 megapixel camera. Since it's 3G ready it will also support video calling and of course, it also supports push-mail.

Unfortunately it’s being launched only in Korea (as of now at least) and will retail for about Rs. 24,550 (600,000 Won or $615).Source