CEIVA Logic Press Release

Share More Photos With the New CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver(TM) for Broadband and Home Networks

Digital and Camera Phone Photos Can Now Be Accessed Faster and More Frequently With New High Speed Connection

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/—CEIVA Logic Inc., provider of the world’s first and only connected Digital Photo Receiver(TM), today announced the availability of the CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver(TM), its new broadband ready product that allows consumers to automatically share and display an endless slideshow of all their treasured digital photos throughout the day. The CEIVA 3 Digital Photo Receiver can now be connected through a home network or digital phone system with the option of connecting it through a traditional phone line. The new CEIVA 3 automatically delivers 30 new photos every hour with more than 700 new photos every day. This revolutionary new product shows all your personal digital photos and makes it easier to share photos with friends and family anytime, anywhere.

Creative UK Press Release

THE AMAZING ZEN MICROPHOTO: NOW SHIPPING IN THE UK!

Winner of a ‘Best of CES’ award for 2005, Creative’s new MP3 and photo player features advanced colour screen, storage for up to 4,000 songs* and a choice of ten colours.

London, 18th October, 2005; Creative (Nasdaq: CREAF) the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer and the Internet, announces first shipments of the new Zen MicroPhoto. This MP3 player for music and photos, which is optimised for Windows XP and Windows Media Player 10, stores thousands of images or up to 4,000 songs* on its 8GB hard disk, enabling people to enjoy their favourite music or share photos with friends. Winner of ‘Best of CES’ for 2005 in the ‘Audio to Go’ category, it’s a player that’s made to fit in the hand, with a solid construction designed to withstand the rigours of day-to-day life. It’s also exceptionally easy to control, thanks to its Vertical Touch Pad. It features a built-in FM radio for extra entertainment on the move, while the rechargeable and removable battery offers playtimes up to 15 hours.

Sanyo Epson Press Release

Sanyo Epson Develops High-Resolution LCDs Featuring “Photo Fine Chromarich” Boasting Over 100% Coverage of the NTSC Color Gamut

Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices Corporation (“Sanyo Epson”) has announced the development of three new high-resolution LCDs featuring “Photo Fine Chromarich” technology that achieves more than 100% coverage of the NTSC* color gamut. Mass production of the displays will commence in early 2006.

The fusion of telecommunications and broadcasting through digitization and the seamless integration of cable and mobile communication have raised expectations for next-generation mobile devices. Consumers hope such devices will bring more convenience, richer content, and wider service coverage. There is particularly increasing demand for LCDs with higher resolution, a wide color gamut, a wide viewing angle, and quick response, as well as being lightweight, compact, and ultra energy-efficient. The higher popularity and functionality of digital cameras and camera-equipped mobile phones mean that consumer demand for clearer displays are particularly strong in these areas.

Technology website FiringSquad have intriguingly compared the 8 megapixel Canon EOS 20D DSLR and the 8 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 all-in-one compact digicam.

“Today we’re going to review two cameras. Both are 8 megapixels. Both allow you to reach the “super telephoto” range of at least 400mm in 35mm equivalent measurement. Both represent fourth generation products within their company line-up. The catch is that one is a $600 all-in-one point-and-shoot camera and the other is an over $5400 digital SLR and lens/accessory package. It would seem to be an unfair fight, but we’ve all been told that it’s the photographer that’s responsible for good pictures, not the camera. How true is that statement? What does that extra cash buy you? What shots will be missed with the lower-end camera? What shots are missed with the digital SLR? This is an article for anyone interested in digital photography. It doesn’t matter if you think you know the outcome, or even if your budget doesn’t come close to this price range.”

Website: FiringSquad - Canon EOS 20D vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon EOS 20D

Write a Review of the Canon EOS 20D

Check the Latest Prices for the Panasonic DMC-FZ30

Write a Review of the Panasonic DMC-FZ30

Sigma UK Press Release

The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain this year awarded the longest running and most prestigious award, the Progress Medal, to three directors of Foveon Inc. in recognition of their innovation, research and development of the highly regarded X3 direct image sensor.

The medals were awarded to Dr. Carver Mead, Founder of Foveon, Mr. Richard Merrill, Foveon’s Technical Director and Mr. Richard Lyon, Foveon’s Chief Scientist. The Progress Medal is awarded to persons or companies in recognition of research and development which has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or imaging worldwide.

President of the Royal Photographic Society, Roger Reynolds Hon FRPS, said “the decision to award the Progress Medal to Foveon was due to the unique technology used in their sensor design which is considered to be one of the most significant steps forward in digital photography”.

Cardmedia Press Release

DigiMagic DM-180 1.8” Portable Storage Device availability extended to 40 and 60GB

Cardmedia (Europe) Ltd, the official UK distributor for the manufacturer ezPnP, after the popularity of the DigiMagic DM-180 1.8 20GB Storage Device has announced the availability of the DigiMagic DM180 in 40GB and 60GB capacities, to enhance the existing portable Digimagic portable storage range of products.

The EZPnP DigiMagic DM180 is a portable 1.8” HDD based photo backup/storage device. The DM180 is a handheld backup device for digital photos which is capable of storing thousands of high-resolution images on its 20, 40, or 60GB internal hard disk.

It is only palm-sized and fits perfectly into your pocket. In addition to the compact size, it is also light weight, durable, stylish, and has high speed data transfer and mass storage capacity.
The DM180 offers the ultimate solution in convenience, portability, and storage capacity for professional users.

Konica Minolta have also issued an advisory notice about the CCD issue on some of its older models, which seems to have affected most of the major manufacturers.

Konica Minolta USA - Digital Camera Service Advisory

We have recently been made aware that a component in a limited number of products may, in some instances, fail affecting camera performance and /or operability. The symptom may appear as a freezing or distortion of the electronic analog exposure display. The following digital products may be affected; A1, 7i, 7Hi, Xi, Xt, X20, S414 and F300.

While only a limited number of cameras are affected by this advisory, if your camera is experiencing the above problem, Konica Minolta will service it free of charge even if your standard one year limited warranty has expired. If your camera is beyond the standard one year, limited warranty period, you will receive a written estimate for any additional damages or malfunctions not listed in this service advisory.

To obtain complimentary service for cameras affected by this advisory please print the service return form below and follow the instructions on the form. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Website: Konica Minolta USA Service Advisory

Website: Konica Minolta Europe Service Advisory

Following on from Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm last week, Sony have now issued a notice to its customers about a potential problem with the CCD sensor used in many of its products.

Sony UK - Important Notice for Customers

Notice to Owners of Sony Digital Still Camera, Camcorder, PDA CLIÉ and Professional Camcorders & Cameras

October 3, 2005

Thank you for your support and patronage of Sony Digital Still Cameras.

It has recently come to our attention that a limited number of Sony Digital Still Cameras that incorporate an image sensor device, CCD Chip, manufactured from October 2002 through March 2004 may exhibit the following condition:

When the Digital Still Camera is used in camera mode, the LCD panel and/or electronic viewfinder will show either a distorted image or no image.

We have determined that this condition only occurs to a limited number of units.

The Leaf Aptus 75 and Leaf Aptus 65 digital camera backs are announced. The Leaf Aptus 75 offers 6726 x 5040 pixels, whilst the the Leaf Aptus 65 offers 6144 x 4622 pixels. The Leaf Aptus 75 will be avilable in November, and the Leaf Aptus 65 in Q1 2006.

Leaf America Press Release

Leaf America is pleased to announce the next generation of Leaf digital camera backs for professional photographers: Leaf Aptus 75 and Leaf Aptus 65.

These two new models offer superior image quality, flexibility and control. The 6×7cm LCD touch screen provides complete control over the image capture process. From pre-shoot setups to image capture, gray balancing and saving files to managing the data after the shoot, the improved workflow allows photographers to work the way they want, the Leaf Aptus 75 and Leaf Aptus 65 adapt to their needs.

DPNow have just reviewed the Kodak EASYSHARE Picture Viewer.

“When you see a Kodak EasyShare Picture Viewer for the first time, you can’t help but instantly marvels at its size. Covering the area of a credit card and just over a centimetre thick, it houses a 2.5 inch colour LCD screen. To put some scale to it, it’s thinner and shorter than most small mobile phones, if a little wider. You simply insert your SD or MMC card into a slot at the top of the unit, press the power button next to it and within seconds any photos stored on the card can be viewed, as if you were looking at the screen on the back of your camera.”

Website: DPNow - Kodak EASYSHARE Picture Viewer Review

DesignTechnica have taken a look at the new Creative Zen Vision, an MP3 player with a 3.7-inch SharpPix™ high-resolution 640x480 262,144-color screen for photo viewing and digital video playback.

“The bottom line is that the Zen Vision is undoubtedly, a very cool product. It’s small and supports the video formats that count, including DivX and Xvid. Audio quality is definitely not as good as you would expect from Creative Labs.  However, right now there is little that can compete with the Zen Vision in this price range. If you must have a product like this, you should be fairly happy with the Zen Vision in its current state. Otherwise, wait until some software updates and fixes have been released before buying. Creative has a long history of releasing products with problems, and our advice is to wait until everything has been ironed out.”

Website: DesignTechnica - Creative Zen Vision Review

SanDisk Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Sep. 29, 2005 – SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) and Sony Corporation today announced the development of the “Memory Stick Micro” format, an ultra-small IC recording media designed to meet the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones. Licensing for the development of “Memory Stick Micro” compatible hardware will begin October 3, 2005.

“Memory Stick Micro” media is approximately one-quarter the size of “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, yet only about 1.2 mm thick. The media’s edges are slotted lengthwise to allow for more slim-line designed connectors to reduce space in host devices. As dual-voltage media, Memory Stick Micro supports devices operating at 3.3 volts and 1.8 volts.

Memory Stick Micro is designed as an externally removable media with a controlled eject function to prevent users losing the media. Users will be able to insert Memory Stick Micro into an adapter for exchanging data to a Memory Stick PRO compatible product.

I3A Press Release

ISO 15740 Enables Seamless Image Transfer Between Devices

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., September 26, 2005 — The International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), the leading global association for the imaging industry, today announced that the widely supported Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) for Digital Still Photography Devices, originally developed by I3A’s IT10 Standards Committee, has been published as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 15740. I3A serves as secretariat for ISO TC (technical committee) 42, which develops and approves international photography standards, with a focus on advanced digital imaging. I3A also serves as administrator of the USA Technical Advisory Group for the ISO/TC42 committee.

OmniVision Press Release

New OmniPixel2 Architecture Brings Higher Resolutions Into Mainstream Camera Markets

SUNNYVALE, CA - September 28, 2005 - OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), the world’s leading supplier of CMOS image sensors, today unveiled its new OmniPixel2™ architecture. OmniPixel2’s pixel size of just 2.2 x 2.2 microns is less than half the size of the first generation OmniPixel structures, and represents one of the industry’s smallest pixel sizes commercially available. OmniPixel2 also features three major new process and technology developments on both the sensor and system level, enabling better performance per area and a further reduction in overall sensor size.

In a separate announcement today, OmniVision also introduced the OV3630, its first 3 megapixel CameraChip™ designed for mobile applications and based on the new OmniPixel2 architecture.

Sandisk Press Release

SANDISK INTRODUCES TRUSTEDFLASH SECURE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM; TECHNOLOGY WILL POWER SANDISK’S THIRD GENERATION CARDS AIMED AT MULTIMEDIA HANDSETS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Sep. 27, 2005 – Heralding a significant breakthrough in mobile entertainment, SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced TrustedFlash ™, a new technology that will enable consumers to buy premium music, movies and games on flash memory cards for use interchangeably in mobile phones, laptop computers, PDAs and other portable devices. The announcement was made at a press conference at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment Show, where SanDisk is showing products at Booth 944.

Music producers and movie studios will be able to release premium content on TrustedFlash products because it provides the superior security and digital rights management solutions that are required by these providers. Consumers will be able to download premium content from online digital music services through their mobile phone or PC. They’ll also be able to purchase pre-recorded content on SanDisk’s new gr?vi™ cards, the first product to be released with TrustedFlash.

Sandisk Press Release

SANDISK INTRODUCES 4-GIGABYTE EMBEDDED FLASH MEMORY STORAGE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO POWER-HUNGRY MICRO HARD DRIVES IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS

High-Performance, TrustedFlash-Enabled Security, Tiny Size and Industry-Standard Interfaces Offer Fast, Easy Integration

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Sep. 27, 2005 – SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced SanDisk iNAND ™ , a small, easily integrated high-speed NAND flash storage device that is available in capacities and price points that make it an attractive alternative to micro hard drives. Embedded flash memory is a popular storage solution for consumer electronics products such as MP3 players, GPS devices, personal media players and mobile phones. The announcement was made at the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment 2005 trade show in San Francisco, where SanDisk is exhibiting products in booth #944.

Digital Foci Press Release

Picture Porter Digital Photo Album Securely Saves Photos on the Road on 20GB & 40GB Portable Hard Drives without Heavy Laptop

Keep on Snapping Photos - Never Run Out of Memory Card Space Again

Los Angeles, California, September 23, 2005 – Digital Foci, Inc. (www.digitalfoci.com) introduced today Picture Porter portable digital photo album with hard drive and card reader that lets you instantly and securely save and view digital photos and video on a hard drive wherever you go, so you can keep snapping away and not worry about running out of memory card space.

Especially valuable for vacations, trade shows, special events, parties, and for pro photographers who take and show a large number of photos, Picture Porter saves photos on its compact portable hard drive, so you don’t have to bring heavy laptops on the road.  Picture Porter takes the worry out of losing precious photos stored on easily damaged memory cards.  Its built-in memory card slots let you copy and archive photos directly from any digital camera card, without the need of cumbersome cabling. With Picture Porters’ compact 20GB and 40GB hard drive versions, you’ll virtually never run out of memory card space on the road again.

Epson Japan have today announced the Epson P-4000 Photo Viewer, a new 80Gb version of the popular Epson P-2000 portable storage device. As well as the increased storage capacity, Epson P4000 adds a slightly more powerful powerful 2600 mAh battery and support for MPEG 4 files and MP3 / AAC files up to 320 kbps. With the ever increasing megapixel size of digital cameras, the P-4000 is a smart move by Epson. The Epson P-4000 is expected to cost 70,000 Yen when it launches at the start of October in Japan.

Website: Epson Japan - Photo Fine Player [P-4000]

Website: SLRWorld.com

Website: Read my Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer Review

The Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new technology that blocks digital camera and cameraphone pictures by firing a beam of bright light at the lens. Capable of detecting any camera up to 33 feet away, the researchers hope to develop a commercial version. Expect to see one strapped to every A-List celebrity soon…

“The technology is a stab at ameliorating the privacy problems that have arisen with the advent, quick ubiquity and tiny dimensions of digital cameras. Nearly 85 percent of cell phones in Japan come with built-in digital cameras, and the figure for North America and Western Europe is supposed to rise to 80 percent by the end of next year, according to market researcher Gartner.”

Website: CNET News - Crave privacy? New tech knocks out digital cameras

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Press Release

Networked Entertainment Devices Expected to Drive Distribution of Digital Content and Expand Opportunities for CE Vendors, According to New InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Report

(Weymouth, MA) September, 19 2005… The market for multimedia home networks (home networks that contain A/V devices) is still in its infancy. A recent InfoTrends/CAP Ventures study shows that while nearly 20% of U.S. households have a data home network, less than 5% currently have a multimedia network such as one with a television or stereo connected to the network. Nevertheless, several factors are laying the groundwork for sharing digital content in the future, including the growing penetration of devices such as digital cameras, camcorders, PVRs, and MP3 players, as well as lower-cost networking technologies being integrated into these same products.