Kingston has just announced the world’s first 128-Gigabyte USB Flash drive. It is a member of the new DataTraveler 200 family, which also includes 32GB and 64GB models. The large capacity along with password protection gives users the flexibility to carry critical data with them at all times in a very small form factor, the company says. The Kingston DataTraveler 200 features a capless design to protect the USB connector when not in use and is enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost™. It is available in 32-, 64- and 128GB capacities. The 128GB drive is build-to-order only. Customers who wish to purchase it can place an order through normal channels (e.g., e-tailers or resellers). The DataTraveler 200 pen drives are backed by a five-year warranty and 24/7 tech support. The 32GB version retails for $120, the 64GB variant costs $213, while the made-to-order 128GB DataTraveler will set you back $546. These are MSRPs and are valid in the U.S.A. only.

Expoimaging has announced the expansion of the Honl Photo Speed System line of professional products. The expanded line, which includes new colour correction filters, colour effects filters, and a Honl Photo products carrying bag, provides photographers with enhanced options for creating studio-quality lighting effects in the field. The Honl Photo Color Correction Filter Kit is designed to match the colour temperature of the light emitted by flash units with a range of lights, including tungsten, fluorescent or cool daylight lighting. The kit retails for $29.95, and contains two of each of the following filters: 1/2CTB, full CTO, 1/2CTO, 1/4CTO, and Full+Green. The Honl Photo Color Effects Filter Kit can be used to add artistic and theatrical colour to images, whether lighting a subject or a background. This kit also retails for $29.95, and contains two of each of the following filters: Yellow, Bright Red, Just Blue, Moss Green, and Heavy Frost. Finally, the Honl Photo Speed System Bag is made to carry the entire line of Honl Photo flash tools and again, retails for $29.95.

Kopin Corporation today announced that it had achieved a full-colour VGA display in a 0.27” diagonal size, which is by far the smallest VGA colour-filter LCD in the world. This is hailed by the company as “an important achievement in our previously announced goal to create a 2048 x 2048-resolution display in a size smaller than a typical postage stamp”. These tiny displays are likely to play a major role in future interchangeable-lens system cameras with high-resolution electronic viewfinders.

Swarovski Optik has announced the innovative and compact UCA universal camera adapter, which makes it possible to use Swarovski Optik telescopes for photographic purposes. The UCA can be used with SLRs and compact cameras alike, although some restrictions apply. Namely, only SLRs with a 50mm lens and compacts with a maximum 4x zoom are compatible with this solution. Using the adapter is simple: you only need to set the camera’s position relative to the telescope once - after that, you can take it off the telescope and put it back again without any further adjustments. The price will be around 300 euros and shipments will commence on 1 July.

Website: Swarovski press release (in German)

Fantasea Line has released a range of new BigEye wide angle lenses for underwater photography. According to the manufacturer, the BigEye Lenses are based on the latest patent-pending lens technology, which allows for excellent wide angle images at economical prices, as yet unavailable at the market. The new technology uses air instead of glass as an optical element and enables recovering 100% of the camera lens optical properties underwater. This patented technology was specially designed for underwater photography and therefore the lens should only be used when the system is submerged in water. The BigEye lenses are available now from www.fantasea.com, starting at $164.95.

Kata has relased a new range of protective photo reporter bags, including the PR-420 (pictured), PR-440 and PR-460 models. These models differ in size, but all of them offer customisable internal compartments with modular dividers, while an internal removable insert lets you define the rigidity of the bag, allowing you to either leave in for a more protective bag or to take out to make the bag more compact. The new photo reporter bags are available now from £129.95.

Eye-Fi Inc. today unveiled the Eye-Fi Pro, a new wireless SDHC memory card for digital cameras that allows professionals and photo enthusiasts to automatically upload images straight from their camera to their computer and the Web. The Eye-Fi Pro also allows users to create an ad hoc connection through their computer or other mobile device to wirelessly upload media files while away from a wireless router. Like the Eye-Fi Explore Video, the new Eye-Fi Pro will automatically upload images and videos direct to more than 25 online photo and video sharing sites. It also lets users upload away from home at more than 10,000 Wayport and open hotspots, and will automatically geotag photos with information about where the images were taken. The Eye-Fi Pro is now available at Amazon.com and www.eye.fi for an MSRP of $149.

Fantasea Line has released a new housing specifically designed for the Nikon Coolpix L19 and L20 digital cameras. The FL-19/20 Housing, depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet, is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. Like the simultaneously announced FA-480, the FL-19/20 has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, removable flash diffuser and a 46mm threaded lens port. The FL-19/20 protects the Nikon Coolpix camera from water, sand, dust, and other damaging elements. It can be yours for $279.95.

Fantasea Line has released a new underwater housing specifically designed for the Canon PowerShot A480 digital camera. The FA-480, depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet, is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. It has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, removable flash diffuser and a 46mm threaded lens port. The FA-480 protects the Canon Powershot A480 camera from water, sand, dust, and other damaging elements. It is available now for $279.95.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Canon PowerShot A480

Western Digital has introduced its new 4 terabyte capacity My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage systems, which are designed to seamlessly work with Mac® computers. Compatible with Apple® Time Machine automatic backup feature and formatted for Mac computers, the new 4 TB My Book Studio Edition II external storage system’s dual-drive RAID 0 configuration and high-speed interfaces are said to deliver high performance for creative professionals, workgroups, small offices and anyone looking for fast data transfer. My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage systems are available now at select retailers and WD’s online store (www.shopwd.com). MSRP for My Book Studio Edition II with 4 TB is $649.99 USD.

Fantasea Line has annouced the release of the new Remora Slave Flash, which has been especially designed for compact digital housings, and is depth rated to 55m. The flash features a guide number of 20, and therefore is compatible for both macro and wide angle shots. The power output can be manually adjusted to provide the most accurate amount of light in all conditions and a short recycle time ensures quick responsiveness, even when using the maximum power output, the company says. The Fantasea Remora Flash features 4 different pre-flash settings, to cover the needs of all compact digital cameras in the market, including Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Fuji, Kodak, Panasonic and more. The price is to be confirmed.

Website: Fantasea Remora Flash User Manual

A new range of stylish summer camera and accessory bags is now available from Orkio. Aimed at “photography enthusiasts and those looking for a stylish bag without compromise on protection”, the Orkio branded bags are claimed to be all about fashion and function. The ranges are available from the high street and online in a choice of several colours and patterns starting at £9.99 for compact cameras and £42.99 for DSLRs.

Zacuto have released three new DSLR Gunstock Shooter rigs and a new video, “Introducing DSLR Gorilla Kits”. The Rapid Fire, Quick Draw, and Tactical Shooter are innovative lightweight DSLR Gunstock Shooters which are part of the new line called Gorilla Kits. Designed for photojournalists, event and indie film shooters, the new rigs are lightweight, inexpensive and infinitely adjustable, the company says. The Rapid Fire kit has 2 points of contact by using the gunstock in your shoulder, hand on the camera and eye in the viewfinder, and costs $580. The Quick Draw kit has 2 points of contact by using the handgrip in one hand, your other hand on the camera lens and eye in the viewfinder ($715). The Tactical Shooter rig has 3 points of contact and a list price of $1176.

Today LaCie announced LaCinema Classic Bridge, billed as an economic way to add media player functionality to existing storage devices. Simply connect the Classic Bridge to a desired TV, add a storage device, and play libraries of movies, music, and photos in flawless 1080p HD resolution. You have two options to do this: option one allows you to connect an external USB drive to the front of the device for easy access to their multimedia content. Option lets you simply insert an internal hard disk directly into the device. Users may also choose to implement both options for expanded capacity. LaCinema Classic Bridge is available now and retails for £69 including VAT.

LaCie have announced the latest products to expand their range of Wireless HD media players – LaCinema Black PLAY and LaCinema Black RECORD. Designed with High Definition in mind, LaCinema Black PLAY and RECORD allow users to watch downloaded HD movies and television programmes directly on the television. Promoting a greater use of HDTVs, these new products are capable of decoding 1080p resolution movies, HD JPEG photos and 1080i upscaling of Standard Definition movies. LaCinema Black RECORD features Digital Video Recorder (DVR) technology, which allows users to record, pause, and rewind their favourite TV shows with the support of a connected set-top box or cable converter. The LaCinema Black is available through the LaCie Online Store or LaCie resellers at the suggested retail price starting at $429.99.

Sharp has announced that it has developed a five-primary-colour display that faithfully reproduces the real surface colours that humans are capable of perceiving. According to Sharp, demand for displays that can render colours in a manner faithful to the appearances of naturally occurring surface colours or designed colours is growing stronger in fields such as industrial design, digital archiving, network-based remote medical care, and electronic commerce. This five-primary-colour display comprises “Multi-Primary-Colour Technology” that features special image processing circuitry, in addition to the display panel whose pixel structure is based on five-colour filters that add the colours cyan and yellow to the three colours of red, green, and blue. This combination expands the colour gamut that can be rendered within the colour spectrum that humans can discern with the unaided eye, and enables the display to reproduce more than 99% of real surface colours. Nearly all real surface colours can be rendered faithfully, including colours that have been difficult to render using conventional LCD monitors—the colour of the sea (emerald blue), brass instruments (golden yellow), and roses (crimson red), for example.

The new Lowepro Toploader Pro AW Series of camera bags provides fast access to your DSLR camera. Available in three sizes, 65 AW, 70 AW and 75 AW, and priced at around £70 in the UK, the Lowepro Toploader Pro features a side opening that offers easy-grip access, U-shaped zipper pulls, and Lowepro’s unique 360° All Weather AW Cover. The Toploader Pro Series can be worn in three ways; holster-style over the shoulder, attached to Lowepro’s Street & Field belt system, or with the Topload Chest Harness.

ILFORD has launched a new and improved version of its GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Smooth Gloss inkjet paper. Including a new optically controlled nanoporous layer and redesigned base, GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss media provides a full tonal scale from deep blacks through to crisp whites. ILFORD GALERIE Smooth Gloss and Pearl is available now in sheets from 4 x 6 up to A3+.

HDMI Licensing LLC, the agent responsible for licensing the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification has announced the features that will be incorporated in the upcoming HDMI 1.4 specification. Enhanced functionalities include: a new data channel for Ethernet connectivity, an Audio Return Channel, 3D over HDMI, support for high-definition resolutions four times beyond the resolution of 1080p (including 4096x2160 24Hz), expanded support for colour spaces including AdobeRGB, a Micro HDMI Connector and a new Automotive Connection System for in-vehicle HD content distribution. The HDMI specification 1.4 will be available for download at http://www.hdmi.org no later than June 30, 2009.

Co-operative Xest’s talking photo album allows you to record a ten-second message to accompany each picture. The album accommodates up to twenty-four photos of 4x6” size, and lets you put a name to the people, places and events in each of them - a great tool for jogging your memory and preventing arguments in the family over when and where the shots were taken, the company says. When viewing the photos, all you need to do is press the play button to hear the message for the photo you’re viewing. Powered by two AAA sized battteries, the talking photo album is available online for £39.88.

Website: Talking Photo Album at Co-operative Xest