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Panasonic DMC-FX150: 14.7 megapixels and 28mm wide-angle lens

Panasonic today announced its newest addition to its FX-Series of LUMIX digital cameras with the unveiling of the stylish and feature-rich DMC-FX150. Equipped with 14.7 megapixels, the FX150 also boasts a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens with F2.8 brightness and 3.6x optical zoom Read more

Parrot DS1120 Bluetooth Speakers

These are the Parrot DS1120 Bluetooth Speakers that will give you wireless music in every room, if you want sound and style in areas that are limited on space then the DS1120 speakers are a good choice.

You can stream music from cell phones, digital music players and other Bluetooth compatible devices. If you do not have a Bluetooth device to stream music to the DS1120, then you can use the line-in jack.

These Parrot speakers feature a 30-watt Class D digital amplifier for a richness of sound with music reproduced down to 100Hz, a 4- inch poly-cone speaker that extends high frequencies to 18kHz.

You store your music on computer, cell phone and digital music device – pretty much everywhere. The Parrot DS1120 Bluetooth active speaker system fits, looks and sounds terrific – everywhere. Send it your playlist wirelessly from any Bluetooth A2DP-enabled source and enjoy your favorite music or audio wherever and whenever you want

If it’s a phone you want to use these speakers with, then you should know that almost every Bluetooth stereo (A2DP) mobile phone would work with the Parrot DS1120 speakers.

View the product page or other Parrot products.

Digital Signature’s New Site: Mint Digital Music Stations

Digital Signature™, rapidly gaining a reputation for advanced, affordable digital audio solutions, today announced the launch of a new website highlighting its multimedia speaker systems.

The website is designed to provide audiophile comparisons and specifications, to gather feedback from customers, and will also feature a secure e-commerce capability for online purchases and customer service. The new site can be found at mintds.com.

Mint™ Digital Music Stations, in development for several years while the company found solutions to the manufacturing and technical challenges of producing a line of high value digital entertainment players, now offer the freedom of wireless connectivity for all your digital music, video, gaming and Mac or PC needs, at category-busting prices.

According to Digital Signature VP of Product Marketing, Joyce Ahn, “We’re very excited by the new site, and the opportunity to tell the story of how we developed this unique approach to creating top-end sound, that is easy to use, and easily affordable.”

Digital Signature has accomplished these goals by creating advanced digital acoustic designs built using top grade components sourced all over the world.

Powered by digital amplification control and wireless transmission techniques created by Digital Signature, the Mint Digital Music Stations offer audiophile sound at an unheard of price. Digital Signature has branded this new approach to audio quality, Di-Fi™.

Digital Signature’s newest system, The Mint 300 Digital Music Station delivers top performance – with >100 dB signal/noise ratio and <0.1% total harmonic distortion – in a package that includes speakers, amplifier with an iPod dock/charger, USB 2.4 GHz transmitter and remote for less than $350 MSRP.

At this price the Mint 300 is the only system that not only promises audiophile performance with iPod docking and charging, but also lossless, plug and play wireless streaming connectivity to Mac or PC for all of your digital sound.

A remote control offers the final component of wireless freedom, making the Mint 300 as easy to use as it is to set up.

New products, including all-in-one bookshelf systems with lossless, wireless streaming – the killer app for laptop users looking for high-quality sound with wireless convenience – will be announced soon.

More information about Digital Signature can also be found www.mintds.com.

Hands-on with Navigon 2100 max GPS

This is the Navigon 2100 max GPS system that should not be confused with the entry-level version that has been selling at really cheap prices; this new version is a little more impressive.

Geek has given the Navigon 2100 max a hands-on review and road test; they found that Navigon made some noticeable improvements with the new version.

These included the screen increasing to a 4.3″ widescreen instead of the 3.5″ on the original and the 2100 max is also very thin.

DirectHelp is another new feature on the MAX version, this could save someone’s life literally by showing you the exact position you are at on the map and also immediately telling you the route to the nearest hospital, pharmacy, police station and more.

Other improvements found on the 2100 max was an upgrade to software, POI improvements and a new feature called Lane Assistant.

If we want to get picky, then they should of included Bluetooth connectivity so you could make calls hands-free and even add better functions to the DirectHelp feature.

Read the hands-on review and see more photos on Geek.

SteelSeries 5H v2 vs. Razer Piranha gaming headset

When a new set of headphones come onto the market, people like to know how they perform before they buy, what better way to do this than with a comparison with another set of head phones. The guys over at Tweaktown have decided to pit the SteelSeries 5H v2 against the Razer Piranha gaming headset, but what pair will come out on top.

Here is what they thought of both sets of headphones, “It really is a tough choice between these two units here, because each has features that I would like to see in the other one.

If SteelSeries put in some more responsive driver units to deal with the volume issues, then they would be my firm recommendation.

The Razer Piranha on the other hand overcome the volume issue by going with a different style of ear pad sitting directly on the ear itself. However, it is unfortunate that this can lead to the dreaded head pinch and ear burn with extended use. Furthermore, the microphone placement is an issue; it would be nicer to have a bit more flex and stay with it to ensure you can get it near the mouth.

Now, here is what it can mean for you. If you are a hardcore gamer who spends lots of time with the cans on your head, I would have to say go with the SteelSeries. The sheer practicality of these units means that you can wear them comfortably for hours on end, and they give a great range of delivery so you won’t miss a cuss.

If you are more of a casual gamer or you just like the shiny blue things (I fall into this category), then the Razer is more for you. Don’t get me wrong, the Piranha is still an excellent gaming headset, but it suffers from two major stopping points that can mean the difference between a few hours on COD4 and an all night marathon. The head pinch factor can leave you a bit sore after a few hours and the units’ inability to pack down into a smaller size can lead to breakage when packed in with the rest of your gear.

The conclusion is that both units will give you superb auditory performance and both are solid brand names that are reliably pumping out one solid product after another. The choice really comes down to your preference and style.”

New Sony PS3 Videos: Playstation 3 Home and Life

This is all about the Playstation 3 Home and Life and below we have two videos for you to watch, the first video is about the “New Playstation Home Trailer” which shows new footage of what you can do within the game.

The Playstation 3 Home and Life video shows you spaces, few sports like bowling, golf and pool oh and some clothes, at the end of the video it says “Hope to see you here”. Now all the talk about “Home” is the delays this delays that and we say quit the moaning because look at it this way, if they keep on delaying it that means Sony are having problems and we do not want to be in the “Home” to have nothing but problems, to us delays after delays is a good thing because Sony want perfection, so all in all worth the wait. This is going to be great for meeting people, relaxing in a relaxed world.

Now moving onto the second video, Playstation Live is a brand new service where you see the earth like you have never seen before for news and how the weather is; it will be released at the end of the year. Many gamers are saying that it is a Google Earth rip-off which is pretty funny really considering it looks nothing like it, some are saying it is another feature of the Wii that they copied, not sure I understand what they are on about but hey I am only publishing what people are saying.

Please watch the videos below then come back and give us your personal views please.

No more headaches: Experimental Hand-held Magnetic Device Eases Migraines

Like myself I suffer from migraines and if you suffer the same you know that the pain is excruciating, leaving with you to put up with throbbing headaches, sickness and endless amounts of medication taking, the most practical thing to do nine times out of ten is to find a dark quite room and just wait it out till the pain goes. Migraine sufferers would love a drug-free solution to stop or ease the pain.

Well a new study claims that there may be at last a solution to the problem which may help some migraines, this solution is a brand new experimental hand-held transcranial magnetic stimulation device, apparently all you need to do is hold the device at the bottom of your head and it will ease symptoms, some volunteers have tested this device. The experimental treatment tool is found to alleviate symptoms of headache with aura, let me explain what a migraine is, migraines are basically cause by some abnormal brain activity which can be brought on by a number of things such as bad dieting, stress, these migraines are very painful indeed which leads to nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms.

The whole idea behind this brand new device is where patients will use it when they encounter the migraine’s aura phase, which is a visual disturbance that can occur before the headache begins. What is an Aura? Well in easy terms Auras include zigzag lines, flashing lights, experiencing temporary blind spots, visual hallucinations, blurred vision, and sensitivity to bright light or eye pain.

A little about the device itself: The new device is about the size of an average hairdryer and when put at the back of the head when you have migraine symptoms, the migraine sufferer will then push a button to administer the magnetic pulse, tests were carried out on volunteers and the study showed that the device eliminated the headache within two hours for 39 percent of volunteers, 22 percent in the placebo group said that they had no pain two hours later. The device was used by the participants twice per migraine episode within an hour of experiencing an aura.

Are you a migraine sufferer? If so please do tell us of your experiences.

Please read the full article here.

BRAVIA Internet LCD TVs get Hancock movie exclusively before DVD

When we go looking for a nice new television we buy for many different reasons and every brand has its advantages. Now if you bought a nice BRAVIA Internet connected LCD TV you may have bought it for the brand, features Internet abilities but whatever reason you will still get the chance to watch the Hancock movie exclusively before DVD.

This will be “exclusively to all internet connected BRAVIA LCD TVs in the U.S” and is just part of a much bigger plan by Sony to increase sales of their products. Remembering back ten years ago, when I bought my first home audio system it was Sony branded and the reason I did that was because everyone new Sony meant quality.

Today things are very different in the electronics business, you have many other brands that can equal the quality of Sony products and sometimes beat them. Sony now aim to take some of the market share back from brands like Samsung by using it’s muscle from other businesses it owns.

That’s why they also spoke about a video download service for the Sony PS3 today, (see this post). In Sony’s own words “increase network and wireless connectivity across its family of devices and build a service platform to provide a seamless user experience across our key hardware devices and content”. They will get all their products working together, and aim for the consumer to want as many Sony products as possible.

Do you own an Internet connected BRAVIA LCD TV and if so, would you like to download Hancock before its on DVD?

DAB to push out FM broadcasts by 2020: too expensive for both

If you thought that you were under enough stress over analogue TV being phased out over digital broadcasts, it seems as if we might have to go through yet another transition. This time it will be with our radios, in an interim report by The Digital Radio Working Group, DAB radio is the format choice and that means that FM broadcasts should be phased out by 2020. The report states that DAB should become the primary way of how we listen to our radios in the UK.

DAB is a service that is freely received, however you will have to purchase the more expensive DAB radio to receive the broadcasts. In the Digital Radio Working Group report is states that, it is too expensive for broadcasters to transmit their programmes in both FM analogue and Digital formats. The report goes on to say that a move to digital is a more viable option, as analogue radio “risks becoming increasingly irrelevant, particularly to young listeners, as consumers’ expectations for interactivity, quality and choice grow.”

According to Tech Digest, there is still a long way to go before the UK is ready for the change over. Currently only 90 percent of the UK can receive DAB and just one in five people actually listen to the DAB radio, one of these reasons is because there is a low take-up of people using them in their cars. If they could get more people to take up to using DAB radios in cars, then this would be part of the battle won. One of the ways where this could be done is for more new cars to come with DAB radios.

I have to say that I have tried a DAB radio and this business that it will not lose reception like FM does is rubbish. Whenever people walk near my DAB radio, the thing loses reception, now tell me how is that progress?

Hands-on with Ricoh GX200: imaging aspect a disappointment

This is the Ricoh GX200 and it’s the brands follow up to 2007’s GX100, this camera shows us Ricoh’s commitment to producing quality compact digital cameras that are great for portability and have manual control. You will not see many people carry a DSLR everywhere and that’s where the Ricoh GX200 comes in, it’s the ideal alternative for your pocket.

New features to the Ricoh GX200 model include a 1/1.7inch 12MP CCD sensor and the lens has been redesigned so that it matches the resolution of the sensor, although it does still feature the useful 24-72mm zoom range.

The Ricoh GX200 has been given a hands-on review by Trusted Reviews and they found that the imaging aspect is a disappointment; the features are similar to its predecessor with purist sensibility, a 3x zoom lens and Raw shooting. In their verdict they had this to say “Ricoh has tried to make a camera for the enthusiast photographer, a camera that the pro or enthusiast could slip into his pocket for a day and make sure he can still get a great shot. Design wise, the company has pulled it off.

The tough little camera is a beauty to hold and a joy to use, and I couldn’t wait to see the pictures. It’s the imaging aspect that’s a disappointment though, and really lets the camera and Ricoh’s ambitions down. The 12MP sensor and processing combination is frankly poor. In fact I question the wisdom of such densely populated sensors on compact cameras. The small pixels are bound to produce more noise and processing will only get you so far.

Ultimately, the camera works well at lower ISOs and does have some fantastic features, such as the best EVF and monitor yet in a compact, the b/w conversion and square format are fun and the accessories available add up to a nice little system. It’s just not as good as it should be”.

Read the 9-page review.

Samsung SP-A800B projector with 10,000:1 contrast ratio hits the US

If you are in the market for a high-end projector which offers you a contrast ratio of 10,000:1, then you should consider the Samsung SP-A800B. This projector which is now available in the US offers superb image quality thanks to 1080p HD resolution; this is a result of advanced optics as well as Texas Instruments 1080p DLP chip. There are a few great modes to increase viewing enjoyment, one of which is film mode which gives you 24 frames per second image quality; these are the same which are used in commercial theatres.

As you would expect the technology used in HD projectors is moving along at a fast rate, not only is the performance capabilities improved but also the styling as well. The design of the Samsung SP-A800B is unique, and the functionality of this HD projector puts it classes above the rest.

So what does this HD projector have to offer in the way of features? Well it has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080, although the NHK’s Super Hi-Vision projectors are still in another class. The Samsung SP-A800B HD projector also has a 95% aperture ratio as well as a fast 16 microsecond (0.016 millisecond) response time. Keeping things cool is a low-noise cooling system of just 25db; this means that your movie will not be spoilt by the humming noise of your cooling fan.

Although this all sounds impressive, what we do not know is how much the thing will cost yet, do not understand why Samsung did not give us pricing details.

Source

Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center: Product Information & Tech Support

Samsung are all about keeping their consumers happy, which is why they have announced the launch of the Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center. This new service allows consumers to have easy access to all the latest product information, as well as online tech support and firmware upgrades. The support centre will be hosted on the Samsung website: www.samsung.com/bluraysupport.

The site is very easy to navigate and has an excellent FAQ section, perfect if you have a problem and have not been able to get the answer from another source. Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center, also offers you the opportunity to chat live with a Samsung Blu-ray support specialist. Samsung are offering a weekly topic section where Samsung will offer their perspective on any current Blu-ray issue that has come to light, this is also a great way to give consumer’s more information.

Reid Sullivan, Vice President of Audio/Video & Digital Imaging at Samsung Electronics America, has said “Now that Blu-ray is the future of HD, Samsung recognized the need to develop a single online location where current Blu-ray owners and those seeking out more information, can go to address their Blu-ray needs.” She also added “With answers to nearly every Blu-ray question and access to trained Samsung tech support, we believe the Blu-ray Resource Center will help consumers maximize the performance and potential of their Samsung Blu-ray player pre or post sale.”

If you are the owner of a Samsung Blu-ray player, then you are able to register your product online, this allows you to receive firmware update notifications via email.

Source – Press Release

Panasonic HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100, full-HD camcorders with 3MOS

Panasonic has now increased their High Definition range of products, there are now two new full-HD camcorders, both of which features a 3MOS system this gives you superb video image quality. The two-models are the HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100; these are thought to be the first camcorders to use AVCHD and 3MOS.

The HDC-SD100 records movies onto an SD Memory Card; the standard cad is an 8GB. However; it is the HDC-HS100 which is the better of the two, this can record on both an SD Memory Card as well as its 60 GB hard drive, making this a hybrid camcorder. Both models have manual functions, this allows the user to feel more in control when filming, so you can control your focus, iris, shutter speed, white balance and zoom. Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) mode which has been used on a number of their digital camera, has now found its way on to these camcorder. This new technology automatically activates, so it makes the whole shooting a movie process a lot easier.

Zoe Susice, Group Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, she has said “The camcorder market is moving swiftly to High Definition and superior image quality is now a must-have feature. Moreover, many consumers are also demanding higher-level features, and the ability to be more creative.” She also added “For these users, we introduce two new full-HD 3MOS models – the HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100 – with manual functions that give users the power to create dramatic, artistic images. At the same time, we also have our Intelligent Auto mode, which activates several technologies automatically, so the user doesn’t need to make any adjustments, and shooting video is an easy and enjoyable experience.”

Source – Press Release

Rumour: Microsoft to pay Capcom for exclusive rights to Resident Evil 5

As with all rumours, some are just mere speculation and others turn out to be concrete information. The latest news regarding the hugely anticipated Resident Evil 5, is that Microsoft has reportedly offered a sum of money to Capcom for exclusive rights to the game.

It is unclear just what exclusively they intend to secure but this latest news is sure to ignite all the Resident Evil fans out there who are waiting on updates for this game. This could turn out to be of particular importance especially with E3 coming up and with Capcom sure to announce details of one of their best selling franchises. If the rumours appear to be true, then it seems as if Microsoft is following the same pattern they followed when they gained exclusive material for GTA IV in the form of episodes.

I can predict Capcom to make some interesting announcements following this latest rumour, so stay tuned to here more news, if these news do appear to be true, it will be interesting to find out how Sony respond to these rumours as they surely wouldn’t want to concede another defeat to Microsoft. What are your views on this matter?

Source: Read

Three gameplay footage videos for Resistance 2 on PlayStation 3

Many Sony PlayStation 3 owners will be getting exited, as we are now entering the build-up for the release of Resistance 2. When games like this come about we all want to be kept informed of what is happening with the development of the game. The guys over at PS3 Daily will be keeping you informed of the games developments as they happen.

They have already started to look at Resistance 2, and they have already commented on how slick the game looks as having a smooth frame rate. There are now three videos of gameplay footage, which PS3 Daily looked closely at and they have given us their take on them.

The multiplayer video gives us a great glimpse of some of the action which looks very frantic; this is the kind of thing that will be key to the success of Resistance 2. Looking closely at the new game you have a number of objectives to complete, this task does not look that easy as the maps look huge, and do not forget there are a huge number of players running around as well.

In all three of these gameplay footage videos you will know that the main difference with the game is, the amount of people who can enter a game, this is going to be total carnage. The first Resistance game had a number of critics, but that is the norm with all games, but Resistance 2 looks to correct a number of problems that the first game had.

Check out the videos over at PS3 Daily

Sony S4000 series flagship TV: will it beat of LG

Sony has announced the launch of a new line of TV’s, the S4000 series will become their flagship model with four sizes in the range. The model sizes are 26-, 32-, 37- and 40-inch screens, the 40 inch model is a 1080p Full HD TV and comes with the Read more

108-Inch Sharp Aquos LB-1085 LCD HDTV: The Biggest

This is the 108-Inch Sharp Aquos LB-1085 LCD HDTV and its been claimed to be the worlds largest LCD TV, and as its one hundred and eight inches, I am sure they are right. The Aquos LB-1085 has some nice features including a good response time of 6ms, which is good for a television of this size.

This is what the blog on nexus404 had to say about the LB-1085, “Offering full HD definition (1920 x 1080 resolution) imagery with a palette of 7.6 million colors, Sharp’s Aquos LB-1085 widescreen LCD, which measures in at 2572 x 202 x 1550mm and weighs in at around a staggering 195kg, comes with integrated stereo sound rated at 15W per channel (apparently no sub-woofer, which is a curious omission), 400cd/m2 screen brightness, 1,200:1 contrast ratio and a viewing angle of 176º with connectivity being taken care of by standard audio and video and no less than three HDMI ports. Interestingly the Aquos LB-1085 also boasts a response time of a mere 6ms which, considering the size of this beast, is especially impressive”.

Japan will be getting the 108-inch LCD TV next week for 11,000,000 Yen and that’s around $97,475. Do you think this size television is a bit excessive or would you love to own one?

GPS Options: Magellan 3250, Garmin nuvi 350 and TomTom One XL S

When it comes to finding the perfect GPS device for you, today you have more options than ever before but what device should you buy? Lets take a look at three great sat-navs, each good for different reasons. In the photo above you can see the Magellan Maestro 3250, this device is great for people who want good points of interest options.

The Magellan 3250 features a massive 6 million points of interest; it accepts voice commands and provides voice directions. For real-time traffic information the device has a traffic receiver built in, you’re also able to access AAA TourBook information. The 3250 will cost you around $400.

If text-to-speech is your thing, then you will want a unit that that announces both distance and street names, the Garmin nuvi 350 does this and a lot more. This device also has a receiver for traffic information and can display two and three-dimensional maps. Expect to pay around $350 for the nuvi 350.

One of the biggest brands in the GPS world is TomTom and they are known for balance of simplicity and features. The TomTom One XL S gives you great screen clarity thanks to its large 4.3-inch touch screen, it also features a real-time traffic service and for those that love to share, you can share your maps with other people. The XL S will cost around $350.

It does not matter if you’re on a budget or have plenty of money to spend, always shop around to get the best deal.

Hands-on: Roku Netflix Player for Movies on Demand: It may be an Apple TV Rival

Could this Roku’s Netflix Player be an Apple TV rival? We will have to wait and see. The Roku Netflix Player has just had a hands on review by Engadget and they have said some interesting things like the question above for example plus the fact do we need another set top box in our homes?

They say that the Roku’s Netflix Player seems understated like it coming in a plain purple box it shipped in right down to the fact of the nondescript black plastic case and even the stripped-bare user interface. Engadget have said that it is quite easy to fall in love with the Roku Netflix Player which costs $100. Netflix subscribers will get very cheap and easy avenue for additional content to their TV and could be a streaming video box nice enough to rival the Apple TV. The Roku’s Netflix Player is very light and with support for 802.11b/g with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 seems pretty good so far.

It includes composite, component, S-Video, HDMI, and TOSLINK, even activating the box is as simple as hitting netflix.com/activate and entering a short code, they say the remote looks cheap but does feel good, the interface is at its best and looks simple and does not have a lot of options which makes it straight-forward. Please visit the source link below for the full hands on review and see what you think, be sure to come back and comment as much as you like.

Answer this question “Could the Roku Netflix Player rival Apple TV?

Read the full hands on review and image gallery via Engadget

A close look at the Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote

How many times have you picked your remote up to find that you have the wrong one in your hand, well the answer is an All-In-One Remote but boy some of them look ugly and do not offer the full controls needed for your many devices. Well that is until now as Logitech has the cool and slick looking Harmony One Universal Remote which can control many devices from DVD’s, TV’s, Blu-Ray Players as well as PC’s and games consoles, such as an Xbox 360 and a Sony PS3.

Tweaktown decide to test the Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote just to put the device through its paces, just to see how well it performs, here is their final thought on the product “We tested the defaulted macro settings next, and we found that they worked extremely well. They did exactly as expected; turning on the TV, changing channels, selecting different AV modes and working the Xbox 360. We even found we were able to control the Air Conditioning unit as well, so that if you wanted a single button to press in the morning to turn the TV on to CNN and the Air Conditioner to cool the room, you could (if we had some remote control blinds I’m sure it would have done them too).

After playing around with all the defaults and making sure the remote worked as it should with each piece of equipment, we started to mess around and create our own macros and start to use Windows MCE and the Xbox 360 interface.

Custom macros were no problem at all; it was fairly easy to set up the macros to do almost anything we could think of. The only problem we encountered was with our Air Conditioner unit which we are sure was due to the fact that the remote attempts to send all the signals, one after the other, and the air-con unit did not seem to recognise when it was receiving its command stringed with a bunch of others. You can offset this by adding delay to the commands to allow for a pause of up to a few seconds before the remote sends the command to the device. This still seemed not to work however, and we could not tell if it was our doing or a fault of the software in the remote control.

Working through Windows MCE on the other hand was an easy task as a lot of the hard buttons on the remote are setup for navigation, making it a complete doddle. Similarly for the Xbox 360 navigation; easy as pie! (Though I cannot see anyone playing any games with it any time soon.)

My last serious gripe about the remote is that there is a slight delay between pressing a button and the command registering on the piece of home theater equipment. Case in point: the volume control. Sometimes I wondered for a second if I had pressed the button, but then if I pressed it again the volume shot up louder than I was expecting. I’m not sure why it takes so long for a command to be sent/recognized, but it would be nice if Logitech could find a way to speed this up in their software (hint hint).”

Source