New Kodak AutoMagic Self-Burning CD-Rs make it easy even for computer novices to burn sound, images and data onto a CD-R. The unique, built-in software on each Kodak AutoMagic CD copies photos, backs up key documents and creates portable storage for music. “This is great news for all the people who want to store images, music or data on a CD but lack the computer skills,” said Jim Gordon, Sr., Vice President of Marketing for KMP Media. “Now they can avoid the hassle of downloading, installing and learning how to use a more complex software package.” The Kodak AutoMagic CD-R is available now and is expected to retail for about $4.99 for a 2-pack.

The new SanDisk 12GB microSDHC card is the world’s largest capacity memory card for mobile phones. The 12GB microSDHC card can store a combination of 1,500 songs, 3,600 photos and 24.5 hours of video. “Mobile phones have become a key part of consumers’ lifestyles around the globe,” said Jeff Kost, senior vice president and general manager of the Mobile Consumer Solutions division at SanDisk. “What many people tend to overlook is the important role that removable storage cards play in enabling the key features of these fully featured mobile phones. In fact, many people are not even aware that their phone has a card slot which is why SanDisk recently launched its Wake Up Your Phone(TM) campaign.”

The Hoodman flip-up hood for the Canon EOS 40D DSLR (code: H-40D) is on its way to the UK. The suggested retail price is the same as all other ‘Hoodman’ flip-ups, £27.99 including VAT. Also, a book called called ‘Digital Photography Made Easy - from Camera to Computer’ (pictured) is available soon for £16.95, published by Hove Foto Books. Both products can be ordered online from NewPro - http://www.newprouk.co.uk/ .

The DataTraveler HyperX and DataTraveler 110 are new USB flash drives from Kingston Technology. The DT HyperX offers fast data transfer rates of 30MB/sec. read and 20MB/sec. write. The DT110 is aimed at the more budget-conscious user. Both drives are backed by a five-year warranty and free 24/7 technical support. “Taking its cue from our HyperX line of industry-setting high-speed memory modules for gamers, enthusiasts and overclockers, the DataTraveler HyperX offers exceptionally fast read and write speeds,” said Joe Teng, Flash memory product manager, Kingston. “Whereas the DT110 provides an economic way to transfer and transport data whenever and wherever you travel.” The Kingston DataTraveler HyperX costs $74 for 2GB, $13 for 4GB and $288 for 8GB.

The new Kingston DataTraveler 400 USB Flash Drive allows users to work among multiple PCs by directly synchronizing files, email and Internet browser settings onto the drive. “The DT400 is the perfect solution to keep documents and settings completely up-to-date and in sync,” said Mark Akoubian, Flash memory product manager, Kingston. “Accessing email and keeping sections of the drive secure through password protection make the DT400 a powerful device for anyone to stay safely connected with work or home while on the go.” The Kingston DataTraveler 400 is supported by a five-year warranty and free 24/7 technical support. The 2 GB version costs $31, 4GB $56 and 8GB $137.

Memorex SimpleSave DVDs is the first optical disc to provide an all-in-one back-up solution for photos and music. SimpleSave: Photo finds and saves digital images on your PC, and SimpleSave: Music does the same for audio files. Each disc has 4.5GB of capacity, enough to back up approximately 2,200 photos or 1,000 songs. “With SimpleSave DVDs, Memorex offers consumers an easy to use, all-in-one solution for automatically backing up your PC. Now there’s no excuse for not backing up your special photos or valuable music collection!” said Carla Pihowich, Memorex Brand Manager, Imation Corp. Memorex SimpleSave: Photo back-up solution DVDs will be available in packs of five discs for $12.99 per pack. Memorex SimpleSave: Music back-up solution DVDs will be available in packs of three discs for $9.99 per pack. Memorex SimpleSave back-up solution DVDs will be available in April.

Panasonic have announced the development of the world’s fastest 32GB SDHC memory card. The 32GB SDHC card has a Class 6 speed specification for maximum data transfer speeds up to 20MB/s, perfect for recording High Definition video. The Panasonic 32GB SDHC memory card will be available from March 2008, price to be announced.

Sony has announced a 16GB Memory Stick PRO Duo card which can store more than 4000 JPEG images at 10 megapixel resolution. In Europe, for the initial launch promotion, it will be bundled with a handy USB adaptor. The Sony 16GB Memory Stick PRO Duo media will be available in March 2008.

Corsair is expanding its Flash Voyager and Flash Survivor USB drives with new 32GB capacity offerings. The all-rubber Flash Voyager or the aluminum-encased water-proof Flash Survivor can both be used as portable back-up devices for critical or sensitive information. “Our newest USB additions will allow a whole new set of users – multimedia, technical and data conscious – to take advantage of rugged, high-performance solid-state storage,” said Jack Peterson, VP of Marketing at Corsair. The CorsairFlash Voyager 32GB costs $229.99, and the Corsair Flash Survivor 32GB $249.99.

Lexar is set to expand its lineup of Kodak-branded flash memory products, including new Kodak USB Flash drives and higher-capacity SD cards. In addition new mobile microSD and microSDHC memory cards will be introduced. All Kodak-branded Lexar products are designed to provide customers with the best of both worlds—Kodak’s renowned brand quality teamed with advanced, innovative Lexar technology. “Now, with a closer alliance between our two companies, we’re in a better position than ever to combine Kodak’s brand strength and product breadth with Lexar’s technology and manufacturing expertise to create a new class of affordable, high-quality Kodak memory products that address today’s growing technology markets.” commented Mark Adams, Vice President of Lexar Media.

The new RIDATA Smart Compact Flash Card features Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology so users can easily monitor the card’s status. “We are pleased to introduce the RIDATA SMART CompactFlash Card, which is the first of its kind in the industry,” stated Harvey Liu, Advanced Media president. “The flash memory market is growing quickly due to the number of new applications that use flash media for storage. As capacity continues to increase, RIDATA saw the need for an internal data monitoring system to ensure the safety of your data.”  The RIDATA Smart Compact Flash Cards are available in either “Supreme 150X (up to 8GB capacity-SLC format)” and “Lightning (up to 16GB MLC format)”.

Henrik Paul has published an in-depth review of the LensPen, a carbon-based optical lens cleaning technology.

“Even though the main point of this article wasn’t to make this a competition, mainly because I only had one rival contender, my final verdict stays with LensPen. The ease of use is just not comparable to that of the hassle associated with Eclipse. I wouldn’t even imagine trying to do all that in the field. I would, however, have no trouble imagining myself in the middle of the woods taking a LensPen for a rub should the front lens get dirty.”

Website: Henrik Paul - LensPen Review

The ATP GPS Photo Finder is a a portable device that geotags photos taken by any digital camera. It’s universally compatible with any digital camera using jpeg image files. Put a memory card into the Photo Finder’s built-in card reader or USB port and it automatically finds and tags your images without any additional software or hardware required. The ATP GPS Photo Finder is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2008, price to be announced.

The RIDATA Yego Drive is now available in 8GB capacity. This hub drive allows users to securely store data and add on more USB powered devices. Harvey Liu, Advanced Media president explains “It allows easy connection of additional USB devices. Users now have access to a virtually endless stream of data, photos, or music without running out of USB ports or continually changing devices. Additionally, units may be linked together for even greater USB connectivity and storage capacity.” The RIDATA USB Yego Drives are now available in 1GB to 4GB capacities and “are competitively street priced”.

The Kingston Media Reader is an external, hi-speed reader that supports 19 popular types of Flash memory cards. “The new media reader handles so many different card types that it’s ideal for the consumer or business professional who uses multiple card formats to transfer data, music, photos, videos and other files between mobile phones, cameras, PCs and other devices,” said Jean Wong, Flash memory product manager, Kingston. The Kingston Media Reader has a unique retractable chassis that keeps inserted cards safe. It also houses a short, compact USB cable for use on the go with a notebook. The Kingston Media Reader has a two-year warranty and costs $17.00.

The Transcend 16GB SDHC memory card offers enormous capacity at an attractive price. Fully Class 6 compliant, the card features fast data transfer speeds (guaranteed minimum write speed of 6MB/s). The 16GB memory capacity is enough to store over 8,000 high-resolution 7-megapixel JPG photos. For peace of mind, all SDHC cards are comprehensively tested for compatibility and reliability, and carry Transcend’s renowned Lifetime Warranty. The Transcend 16GB SDHC card costs 139 Euros.

The Delkin Devices 16GB UDMA CompactFlash Pro memory card offers fast read/write speeds-up to 305x (45MB/sec sustained transfer speed capability). Photographers using UDMA-enabled cameras such as the Canon 1Ds Mark III, Nikon D300 and Nikon D3X can maximize the full benefits of their camera investment. “Delkin’s complete UDMA solution for professional photographers is unmatched by any other manufacturer. Besides our CompactFlash PRO cards, we offer UDMA enabled ExpressCard and CardBus adapters, and a FireWire reader for the fastest download speeds to the computer” said Eric Richter, Delkin’s Marketing Manager. The price of the Delkin Devices 16GB UDMA CompactFlash Pro card is $399.99.

The new Fantasea Line FL-14 underwater housing for the Nikon Coolpix L14 camera is depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet. The FL-14 features a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, and removable flash diffuser. In the event of accidental water leakage, the camera is insured for the first year. The suggested retail price of the FL-14 is US $245.

PCMag have reviewed the Eye-Fi Card, the world’s first wireless SD memory card for digital cameras.

“When I first told people about the Eye-Fi Card ($99 list), I was greeted with little enthusiasm. “So what,” they said, “it’s not that hard to transfer photos from your camera to your PC.” But then, when I actually showed these naysayers how the Eye-Fi Card works, their interest was measurably piqued. You go out and take pictures. You return home, turn on your camera and, within 20 to 30 seconds, your images (JPEGs only) begin uploading wirelessly—in full resolution—to your hard drive and your favorite photo-sharing sites. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection, a camera that accepts SD cards, and a PC or Mac. It’s really that simple.”

Website: PCMag - Eye-Fi Card Review

The new Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter features Kodak Picture Upload Technology, allowing you to save, print, and share high-quality photos from your camera phone. You can easily share pictures on your favorite sites such as Kodak Gallery, MySpace.com, and Facebook. “With our new Bluetooth USB Adapter with KODAK Picture Upload Technology, you can now wirelessly transfer full-resolution photos from your camera phone directly to your PC whenever you walk nearby.” commented Chris McGugan, Vice President of Product Management, Belkin. The Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter features Kodak Picture Upload costs $49.99 and is currently available in the US, with launches in Canada and Europe to follow at a later time.