Kingston has announced the release of the second-generation Kingston SSDNow V+ solid-state drive. The Kingston SSDNow V+ solid-state drive has Windows 7 TRIM support, is available up to 512GB and provides faster performance than the previous generation. The addition of TRIM support helps keep the Kingston SSDNow V+ maintain optimal write speed throughout its lifespan. The Kingston SSDNow V+ is available in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities. As part of Kingston’s goal to provide an easy upgrade path, the drive is also available with a bundle that includes cloning software, 2.5” USB enclosure, 2.5” to 3.5” mounting brackets and SATA data and power cables. The standalone drives are priced from £138.43 to £1018.37 depending on capacity, whereas the bundles retail for £146.39-£1026.32.

Manfrotto Distribution has launched a new range of Kata camcorder bags designed exclusively for HD video users. The new range features four models, the CB-100 (pictured), CB-200, CB-300 and CB-400, to fit the full range of professional-choice HD video cameras. All four CB bags are 100% water resistant, with protective zippers to ensure tools are kept dry when stored throughout shoots in even the most inclement weather. In addition, they are roomy enough for a camera to be stored with mic assembled, keeping set-up time to a minimum. To select the best bag for you, visit the Kata bag chooser at www.kata-bags.com.

Kata has launched its Auxiliary System, a new kit carrying system for photographers who are selective about the precise kit they take on shoots, and want everything close to hand when they need it most. The Auxiliary System is a collection of individually specified pouches that can be used alone or combined using Kata’s Auxiliary Belt and Harness to carry a combination of kit. With Kata’s new system, extending the capacity of a kit bag is as simple as selecting a new pouch and adding it to the existing set-up. Auxiliary System pouches can be configured in any way to suit personal needs, making them fully customisable and helping photographers, whatever their subject, ensure their favourite gear is always right at hand. To select the best set-up for them, photographers can visit the Kata bag chooser at the Kata Bags website.

Website: Kata Bags

Sony has launched an 8GB Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo memory card with TransferJet technology, which allows wireless data transfer from the card to another TransferJet device. Right now, only two compatible products are listed on SonyStyle.com, including the new Sony Cyber-shot HX5 and TX7 camera models. Also introduced is a Sony TransferJet Station and a TransferJet enabled Sony VAIO F series notebook. The new card and transfer station are now available for pre-order priced at $99.99 and $149.99, respectively.

Website: SonyStyle

Via Imaging Resource

The new 76cm x 76cm (30” x 30”) Ezybox Hotshoe softbox is the largest in JP Distribution’s range offering the photographer a greater spread and a softer light when using their off camera flash. It will be available as the softbox only, bundled with the Ezybox Hotshoe plate and as part of a kit including: 76cm Ezybox Hotshoe, Ezybox Hotshoe plate, 4 section stand, tilthead bracket, extending handle and a padded shoulder bag and circular carry case. The softbox only price is £108, the same thing with the Ezybox Hotshoe plate costs £133, whereas the kit retails for £211.

Website: JP Distribution

JP Distribution has announced a new extending handle for the Ezybox Hotshoe.The new handle extends from 73cm to 221cm and weighs only 700g. The Ezybox Hotshoe converts your battery operated flash gun from a harsh directional light into a much softer diffused light. The new handle will be offered in addition to two smaller handles already available from Lastolite. Featuring two sponge grips, the extending handle offers an even greater reach for an extra firm hold for the photographer when positioning their off camera light source. The top of the handle includes a standard spigot connector making it easy to fit the Ezybox hotshoe, the tilthead hotshoe, the tilthead spigot or the TriFlash brackets..The new extending handle is available from JP Distribution for a suggested retail price of £45.

Website: JP Distribution

Silicon Power has announced the world’s first 400X CF card with 128GB of storage capacity. Silicon Power’s 400X 128GB CF card supports PIO Mode-6 and Multi-Word DMA 4 transfer mode in quad-channel configuration. It also comes with Error Correction Code (ECC) functionality for data accuracy and it utilises Wear Levelling technology to prolong the product lifespan. With its massive 128GB of storage, it is the largest capacity CF card to date. Pricing is to be confirmed.

Active Media Products, manufacturer of solid state drives and innovative USB drives, has launched a new line of 600X CF cards for professional photographers. The cards range in capacity from 8GB to 64GB, and are priced from $99.95 to $299.95. ” These 600X Pro Series cards can write up to 90MB per second, so even in raw mode a high-end DSLR will be able to shoot at or near its rated speed for sustained periods”, explained Active Media Products’ VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson. The new Active Media 600X professional Compact Flash cards area available now through Amazon.

PRESSlite will donate 100% of all proceeds to Partners in Health, toward earthquake relief for the people of Haiti, for all purchases of its innovative flash modifier, the VerteX, between now and Valentine’s Day. The VerteX has been conceived and engineered in Silicon Valley, USA, as a solution to a variety of flash-related problems. Inventor Kenneth Law’s patent-pending design combines a wide range of light modification features into one single, easy-to-use lightweight device. With the VerteX, photographers are able to easily control the diffusion of light while on the move, using only one hand, manipulate the flow and quality of light in ways not possible with other existing devices and achieve longer battery life, faster recycle times, higher f-stop and lower ISO options. VerteX retails for $49.94. To qualify for this programme, purchases must be made through a special Amazon Store URL, which you can find in the press release below.

Jobo AG has announced several new multi-card readers/writers. New today are the Jobo Cube CF and Jobo Cube HUB and the 70-in-1 Standard High Speed Jobo USB multi-card reader/writer. Both the Jobo Cube CF and Jobo Cube HUB are available in choice of black or white and feature a unique internal space capable of safely storing several media cards in one convenient location. Each Cube unit is compatible with all major Memory Stick, Secure Digital and Smart Media cards. In addition, the new Jobo Cube CF features compatibility with all major Compact Flash cards and is capable of storing up to six CF cards or 10 SD cards. The new Jobo Cube HUB features 2 USB HUB ports instead of the CF card slot. The Jobo Cube HUB is capable of storing up to eight SD cards.  The Jobo Cube CF and Cube HUB will be available for €19.99. The 70-in-1 Standard High Speed Jobo USB Multi-card reader/writer will be available for €14.99.

Kata has launched the Dream Bag Challenge, a global competition to create the ultimate ‘dream bag’ for one lucky photographer. The competition winner will see their design brought to life by Kata’s team and hand built exclusively for them. Not only that, but their personalised bag will be packed full of around £3,000 worth of photographic kit including a Canon 5D Mark II with two constant f/4 zooms, Gitzo Traveler kit and Litepanels MicroPro. The best design will be selected by Kata’s head of R&D and a selection of professional photographers. The competition is now open and closes on 1 March 2010. Budding designers can find more information on the website below.

Transcend has launched the JetFlash 300, the newest member of its USB flash drive family. Drawing inspiration from black obsidian — a mineral known for its deep luminous black color and intense polished shine, the JetFlash 300 has a smooth gloss-black finish embellished with a colour band indicating its storage capacity. In addition to its stylish contoured design, the JetFlash 300 features up to 18MB/s data transfer rate and true plug-and-play functionality. Offering versatile features at an affordable price, the JetFlash 300 is now available in three capacities: 4GB Green, 8GB Purple and 16GB Lavender.

Clickfree have launched the new C2N backup drive series featuring their BackupLink technology. With these drives, backing up multiple computers across your home or office network is now completely automatic. True to the company’s name, setting up a backup drive is truly click-free. “Our C2N brings a new level of simplicity to network backup for the home or office. To take away any set-up or configuration requirements to perform multiple computer backup on a network is truly a breakthrough,” said Bryan McLeod, CEO Clickfree Automatic Backup. “Imagine your mother, sister or brother now able to set-up a home network backup by simply plugging in our device once into each of the computers. We believe this takes convenience to a whole new level.” Also unveiled was the Transformer Network Edition Adapter with BackupLink technology. Owners of any external USB hard drive coupled with the Transformer NE can have the same backup experience, features and automatic network set-up function that are in the C2N. Come February, the C2N will be available in 250GB (£119.00), 320GB (£139.00), 500GB (£159.00) and 640GB (£179.99) capacities. The Transformer Network Edition will retail for £79.99.

LaCie has unveiled LaCinema Mini HD, an all-in-one Wi-Fi High Definition media centre. Encased in the latest minimalist design from Neil Poulton, LaCinema Mini HD is described by LaCie as a fusion of art, simplicity and technology. “The new LaCinema Mini HD offers a full-featured media centre by combining high storage capacity, compact design, and seamless store-and-play functionality,” commented Salem Tirane, Digital Home Product Manager. “Users will benefit from large HD video format compatibility and the convenience of built-in wireless N streaming.” Transferring content to the LaCinema Mini HD is easy through the bus-powered USB connection for maximum transfer speeds, or by connecting the drive to a home network. Users can conveniently load files wirelessly from their computer or via the Ethernet connection. LaCinema Mini HD is available in 500 GB capacity in Europe and will be available worldwide later this year through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner, starting at the suggested retail price of £259.

Website: LaCie

Prysm has announced the public launch of its Laser Phosphor Display (LPD) technology that promises dramatically reduced power consumption, long-lasting performance and brilliant picture quality. LPD images are created by using a laser engine to excite a phosphor screen while consuming up to 75 percent less power than other display technologies. LPD screens deliver high brightness, high resolution, high contrast and natural colour content with zero motion blur, the company claims.

Website: Prysm

Flaghead Photographic has announced the availability of two new folding brackets from Custom Brackets. The CBFolding-T and CBFolding-S are designed to keep the flash well above the camera and lens, regardless of camera orientation, ensuring that shadows disappear down behind the subject and red-eyes are avoided. The CBFolding-T bracket accommodates tall cameras, or those with add-on vertical grips/battery packs. Boasting an easy-to-use, spring-loaded flash flip and suited for both right- and left-handed photographers, the CBFolding-S is built to accommodate smaller cameras, or those without add-on vertical grips.  The CBFolding-T and CBFolding-S are available from Flaghead for £58 and £54, respectively.

Website: Flaghead

Sakar International has announced a new Kodak-branded microSD memory card reader. Roughly the size of a quarter, the new Kodak R110 card reader for microSD cards has special features to keep the card, USB connection and device itself safe and secure.  It slides open from the middle to expose the card compartment and USB - then slides closed to prevent the card from falling out and the USB from collecting dust and dirt. For loss protection, it comes with a cord that connects to your keychain as well as a built-in non-detachable cover that cannot be misplaced. The MSRP is $14.99.

Addonics Technologies today announced a new CFast Memory Adapter, which is designed as a solution for connecting any CFast media to eSATA or the new eSATA USB hybrid port. CFast is the latest Compact Flash media standard with native SATA interface to achieve much higher data throughput than the current CF standard. The CFast Reader reads and writes to any CFast card through the eSATA port or the new eSATA USB 2.0 Hybrid port. By using the optional Addonics eSATA USB adapter, the CFast media can also be accessed via the ubiquitous USB port found on many systems. List price of the CFast adapter is $39.99. The optional eSATA USB adapter costs an additional $29.95.

Website: Addonics Online Shop

Today LaCie announced the LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey, built with sturdy metal, making the surfaces tough and dependable.  The Gold SIP connectors on these USB keys are both water- and scratch- resistant. But the LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey offer more than a resilient surface and up to 32GB of storage—they integrate an extra 4GB of online storage through Wuala. A company of LaCie, Wuala is an online storage service that allows you to securely store, back up, share, and access files from anywhere. The LaCie CooKey and WhizKey will be available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner, starting at the suggested retail price of $19.99.

Website: LaCie

Kingston has announced the Kingston SSDNow V Series 30GB Boot Drive. The SSDNow V Series is the latest addition to Kingston’s Value family of solid-state drives (SSD). Priced under £90, the Kingston SSDNow V Series 30GB Boot Drive is a fast and cost-effective way to bolster any desktop’s boot, shutdown and application load times. This means users will see an instant speed increase with their software, such as Photoshop, iTunes or Firefox, loading almost 6 times faster than regular desk top hard-disk drive standards, Kingston claims. The Kingston SSDNow V Series 30GB Boot Drive will begin shipping in late February 2010, priced at less than £90 GBP. It is backed by a three-year warranty and 24/7 tech support.

Website: Kingston Europe