Epson America is now shipping an expanded offering of Signature Worthy papers to professional photographers and fine artists, including the new Epson Hot Press and Cold Press Papers and Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper. Optimised for use with Epson Stylus Pro Printers and inks, including new Epson UltraChrome HDR ink technology (found in the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900), the new Signature Worthy Hot Press and Cold Press Papers yield richer blacks, smoother tonal transitions and an expanded color gamut to produce the most advanced fine art prints. The Hot Press papers offer a smooth surface and Cold Press papers feature a textured surface. In addition, Hot Press and Cold Press Bright offer a bright white point, while the Hot Press and Cold Press Natural offer a warm white point. Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper and Signature Worthy Hot Press and Cold Press fine art cut sheet papers are now available through authorised Epson Professional Imaging resellers.

Website: Epson Pro Imaging

WD has recently introduced its fastest My Book external hard drive ever—the new My Book 3.0 desktop external drives are among the first devices certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. Offered standalone, or in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card, the 1TB and 2TB My Book 3.0 drives are available now at select retailers and shopwd.com. The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0.  The new My Book 3.0 drive is compliant with the USB-IF SuperSpeed USB 3.0 standard to provide compatibility with other USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 products. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1. MSRP for the My Book 3.0 drive 1TB is $179.99 USD. MSRP for the My Book 3.0 drive in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card is $199.99 USD. The 2TB My Book 3.0 drive retails for $279.99, adapter card included..

Etre, a digital communications agency, has created the Etre Touchy gloves as a stylish, fun and practical way to keep your hands warm while fiddling with your gear outdoors. Originally targeted at users of mobile phones, music players and portable games systems, Etre Touchy gloves have proven particularly popular with photographers, the company says. They give you the warmth and dryness of a normal pair of gloves combined with the electronic device compatibility of fingerless gloves. That’s because they are part normal pair of gloves, part fingerless pair of gloves. That is, they cover your middle, ring and little fingers completely, keeping your hands cosy, clean and damp-free; while exposing only the tips of your thumbs and index fingers, allowing you to.access the controls. The gloves are made from 100% lambs wool and are available in four different sizes – men’s, women’s, youth’s and children’s – and in four different colour combinations. Etre Touchy gloves retail at £19.99 and are available for consumers to purchase at the website below.

Website: Etre Touchy

Lowepro has introduced a new line of GPS cases, and unveiled its latest camera bags. The Lowepro Navi Series of cases and pouches for GPS units provides the protection and accessibility needed for this increasingly ubiquitous device and its many destinations. The Lowepro Pro Runner AW is a six-backpack series that offer an array of carrying solutions from smaller standard photo backpacks to convertible designs that keeps gear accessible whether the bag is configured as a backpack or a rolling case. The built-in All Weather AW Cover and rain flap lids covering all the zippered closures offer added protection from the elements. Designed in the likeness of a bicycle courier bag, the Lowepro Exchange Messenger features a fully customizable interior which can accommodate a standard dSLR kit with an extra lens or flash, added accessories and personal items.  Fashioned from durable contrasting fabrics, the Exchange Messenger provides plenty of protection for photographers seeking a low-key trendy carrying solution.  The soft-sided courier bag also features three spacious interior pockets to secure a phone, wallet or keys, and the main compartment is fastened with a two buckle closure that ensures quick and easy access to photo gear. Finally, the Lowepro Geneva Pouches are billed as the ideal solution for point-and-shoot camera owners.

Website: Lowepro

The Transcend TS-RDP7 is a muti-function card reader and also a USB hub. Inheriting the advantages of Transcend’s current card readers, the RDP7 supports some of today’s most popular memory cards and includes a useful Photo Recovery Tool. Available in black or white, the Transcend TS-RDP7 has three integrated USB ports, so not only does it bridge the gap between your computer and memory cards, but also allows you to add multiple.USB 2.0 peripherals. Note though that the TS-RDP7 does not support Compact Flash and xD-Picture cards.

Website: Transcend UK

Transcend has launched its Ultimate Class 10 SDHC cards. Part of Transcend’s “Ultimate” line of powerful high-speed memory cards, the new Class 10 SDHC cards easily outperform current Class 6 cards, with enhanced transfer speeds of 20MB/s and massive capacity of up to 16GB. Compared to Class 2 cards that only guarantee write speeds of 2MB/s, or Class 6 versions that start at 6MB/s, the new Class 10 SDHC cards boast 16MB/s write and 20MB/s read speeds that help process data quickly and prevent lag when recording 1920x1080 Full HD videos at 60fps. Transcend Ultimate SDHC cards are available in high-capacity sizes ranging from 4GB to 16GB. The 16GB SDHC card can store over 88 hours of standard quality video (MPEG-4 video at 384 Kbps), or 240 minutes of HD video (AVCHD at 9 Mbps).

Hama has released the new Vario Pro flash reflector. The Vario Pro flash reflector only measures 6.5 by 7.5 centimetres when folded and, with a width of just half a centimetre, it is extremely flat. It can be attached to almost all types of flash units by means of hook-and-loop tape and can stay there permanently. When unfolded, it offers a reflecting surface that measures 6.5 by 11.5 centimetres, which can even be angled by 45 or 90 degrees. The RRP is €29.99.

Delkin has announced four new 420X PRO cards capable of transfer speeds up to 63MB/s. The new UDMA enabled flash memory comes with a San Diego based customer service team as well as a lifetime warranty, and is available in capacities of 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Every card is manufactured with high grade NAND flash, advanced controller design, and quality control guidelines based on ISO:9001 standards.  Additionally, built-in Error Correction Code automatically detects and corrects any errors that might occur during data transfer.  Delkin’s 420X CF cards are fully compliant with current CompactFlash specifications with support for UDMA mode 6. These high-speed cards are able to instantaneously store high-resolution images and HD video, the company claims. The 420X PRO cards from Delkin are priced from $129.99 to $399.99 depending on capacity and can be purchased in camera shops and distributors worldwide, as well as the company’s website.

Website: Delkin

Pandigital has introduced the 8” Pandigital Photo Mail LED Digital Photo Frame – a next-generation, wirelessly connected digital photo frame that conveniently accepts photos emailed from family and friends. The Pandigital Photo Mail does not require Wi-Fi to do this, as it will connect through AT&T’s wireless network - just like Isabella Products’ Vizit -, and is expected to be available in the US early this year. The frame itself is affordably priced at $149.99 (SRP), but this price only includes the first 300 photos emailed to it with no service fee to the customer. If you wish to send more photos to the frame - which has its own e-mail address! - you will have to purchase additional photo allotments from Pandigital. Thankfully, the Pandigital Photo Mail LED Digital Photo Frame can also be loaded with photos in more traditional ways – namely via its card reader that can read CF, SD/MMC, xD and MS/MS Pro memory cards.

Ortery Technologies has released Photosimile 5000, a PC-controlled desktop photography studio that integrates a 28 x 28 x 28” light box with a Canon SLR camera and powerful workflow software to simplify and automate business photography. The device features 6500K bulbs, an automated camera positioning system and built-in turntable that holds up to 25lbs. The camera and light box connect to a PC via USB. Photosimile 5000 software controls the studio, camera location, turntable movement, camera settings, picture taking and processing workflows. Simply place an item inside, compose using Preview, Zoom and Crop commands in the software. Click Snap and the picture automatically downloads to the PC screen in seconds, Ortery claims. Additionally, Ortery Real3D, included in Photosimile 5000 for image composition, creates full spherical, hemispherical and cylindrical animations with mouse control, image tagging and deep zoom capabilities to 14X, with the resulting product animations being allegedly comparable to interacting with the physical product. Photosimile 5000 runs on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. The press release makes no mention of the price, but don’t expect the Photosimile 5000 to be cheap.

Concord Keystone has announced the 4U2ReUSE Solar Sling tote bag that can charge digital cameras, media players and other mobile devices on the go, using solar power. In order to accomplish this, the Solar Sling has been equipped with a flexible solar panel and a battery pack with USB connectors. Made from 100% certified recycled PET, the environmentally responsible bag/charger is currently being showcased at CES in Booth 15747.

Isabella Products’ Vizit digital photo frame, which receives images over the AT&T mobile network from anywhere in the world, will now feature LIFE.com photos, the largest collection of professional photography on the web today. This expansive photo collection contains millions of extraordinary images, many of which are now accessible to Vizit users through an RSS feed on the frame owner’s VizitMe.com account. With over 3,000 new photos added to LIFE.com each day, Vizit users can enjoy some of the world’s most incredible images on their own touch-screen digital photo frame, and create a personal collection of them. The Vizit ultra-thin photo frame comes in contemporary finish options, designed to complement your home or office and is wall mountable. Available in charcoal with black or rosewood accents or silver with white or teak accents, it measures 10.9” wide x 7.4” high x .65” deep, and features a 10.6-inch, LED-backlit, 800x600 touch-sensitive screen. The suggested retail price is $279 and requires a monthly or annual photo plan. Vizit will be available in early 2010 at VizitMe.com and other online retailers.

Sony, a company known - among other things - for its proprietary Memory Sticks, has just launched five SD/SDHC and three microSD/SDHC memory cards. The SD/SDHC cards, which include a 2GB SD card and a 4GB, an 8GB, a 16GB and a 32GB SDHC model, are all class-4-speed devices. There is also a 2GB microSD card of unspecified speed, and two microSDHC cards - one 4GB model (pictured) and one with 8GB storage capacity -, both of which are Class 4 speed. The Sony SD/SDHC cards range in pricing from $14.99 to $159.99 depending on capacity, whilst the microSD/SDHC cards fall between $14.99 and $44.99. While Sony stresses that “Memory Stick is the recommended media for Sony products, offering a range of unique benefits”, all of Sony’s new compact cameras - including the exciting Cyber-shot HX5, TX7 and W series models - are compatible with SD/SDHC cards as well.

Eye-Fi has unveiled the 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2 memory card, touted as “the company’s revolutionary step in achieving high-end memory card performance”. Photo enthusiasts will benefit from increased storage capacity, Class 6 performance for faster read/write speeds, faster-than-ever wireless photo and video uploads and increased Wi-Fi range, the company says. The Eye-Fi Pro X2 wirelessly uploads JPEG and RAW images and videos from the camera to computer and one of 25 online photo and video sharing sites, such as Flickr, Picasa or Facebook. The new Endless Memory mode enables the Eye-Fi card to automatically make space available after photos and videos are uploaded. The Eye-Fi Pro X2, which has been honoured this year as a CES Innovations Honoree, is available for pre-order on www.eye.fi and at select online retailers such as Amazon.com for an MSRP of $149.99.

Panasonic has announced its first SDXC cards, which come in capacities of 48GB and 64GB. These are Panasonic’s largest-sized GOLD cards with Class 10 speed specification. SDXC is the next generation SD memory card, a new standard for storing data more than 32GB and up to a theoretical limit of 2 terabytes. The 48GB SDXC Memory Card will have nearly the same capacity as a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc, and can hold 6 hours and 20 minutes of HD video content recorded in HA mode, while the 64GB card can record up to 8 hours and 30 minutes of video in the highest quality. Note that SDXC memory cards can only be used in SDXC host devices. The new 64GB and 48GB SDXC memory cards from Panasonic will be globally introduced in February 2010 with suggested retail prices of $599.95 and $449.95, respectively.

Samsung Electronics America has introduced the Samsung 700Z Digital Photo Frame, its slimmest frame yet for displaying high-quality images. The frame’s foldable “L” stand design and ultra slim active matrix (AM) OLED panel makes the Samsung 700Z a multi-purpose device. The AMOLED self-luminescent screen delivers bright, high contrast images at a 1024x600 resolution both in dark and bright atmospheres. In addition to its high-quality display and decorative frame function, the 9x6.6x4.6 inch Samsung 700Z can also be used as a secondary home or office monitor by simply connecting it to a PC through a USB cable. A recipient of a Consumer Electronics Show 2010 Innovation Award, the Samsung 700Z has a suggested retail price of $300 and will be available in stores March 2010.

Advanced Media (Ritek USA) has added a high speed 600x MLC based CompactFlash Card to their Lightning Series line in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB capacities. Ridata CompactFlash® card 600X is non-volatile memory with error correction embedded. The controller inside supports UDMA Mode up to Mode 6 and the power consumption is 3.3V/5V with automatic power management. The internal testing resulted in a 94MB per second Read and a 92MB per second Write for the 600X 16GB Ridata CompactFlash® card. The Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) is 1 million power hours, endurance levels of 100,000 times, and durability measurements of 10,000 insertion and removal cycles. The Ridata Compact Flash Card family, including 600X MLC, 300X SLC, and 150X SLC with data lock write protection switch, is available through selected retailers, Ridata distributors, and at various online outlets. A complete listing of locations may be found on the Advanced Media Ritek USA website.

Website: Ritek USA

Lexar Media has announced improvements to the Professional line of CompactFlash (CF) and Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards. Lexar has increased the capacity of Professional 300x CF cards to 32GB (see picture above), and Professional 233x CF cards are now available in 16GB and 32GB capacities. In addition, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card has achieved a Class 10 speed rating. This means it now provides a minimum sustained write speed capability of 133x (20MB per second) for shooting higher-resolution images and large-sized, high-definition video files with SDHC-enabled devices. Additionally, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card significantly improves camera performance and image transfer speeds from card to computer. All Professional line cards include a limited lifetime warranty and free downloadable copy of Image Rescue 4, the latest version of Lexar’s award-winning image recovery software.

Kodak today unveiled a new touchscreen-enabled digital photo frame, called Kodak Pulse. The new Kodak Pulse Digital Frame is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and a personal e-mail address so consumers can easily send pictures wirelessly to the frame from a computer, from Facebook and Kodak Gallery sites, or from any device that has email capability. The frame automatically refreshes when consumers, or their family and friends, add new pictures to their Kodak Gallery or Facebook albums. The 7-inch touch-sensitive screen has a resolution of 800x600 pixels and features LED backlighting. The Kodak Pulse digital photo frame will be available for £109.99/$129.99 beginning in April 2010.

OmniVision, a developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, has launched a 14.6-megapixel image sensor capable of delivering high-resolution still photography and full 1080p high-definition video at 60 frames per second (fps). The new OV14810 for digital still/video cameras and OV14825 for mobile applications are among the very first sensors to achieve the highest quality in both video and photography for mainstream consumer electronics, the company claims. The 1/2.33-inch OV14810 has an active array of 4,416 x 3,312 backside illumination pixels operating at 15 fps in full resolution, or delivering full 1080p HD video at 60 fps, using a binning feature to achieve higher sensitivity. In full HD video mode, the sensor also provides additional pixels for electronic image stabilisation (EIS).

Website: OmniVision