Apple Press Release

Most Affordable Mac Ever Starts at Just $499

MACWORLD EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Apple(R) today introduced Mac(R) mini, the most affordable and compact Mac ever. Starting at just $499, Mac mini is the ideal desktop computer for anyone looking to get started with Mac OS(R) X and features iLife(R) ‘05, the latest version of Apple’s innovative suite of software for managing digital photo and music collections, editing movies and creating music. Just two-inches tall and weighing only 2.9 pounds, Mac mini redefines design for the sub-$1,000 desktop.

LightScribe Press Release

Macworld 2005 announcement points to the growing support base for the technology

Macworld San Francisco, Jan. 10, 2005 - LightScribe today announced the immediate release of Mac OS X 10.3 support for its Direct Disc Labelling technology through a software development kit that allows application developers to integrate LightScribe support into their products. Macintosh users, known for their creativity and insistence on simple and elegant technologies, will now be able to complement digital information written to disc with the professional, iridescent Labelling results of LightScribe.

LightScribe and LaCie Press Release

Creative and Easy-to-Use Technology on Display at Macworld 2005

Macworld San Francisco, Jan. 10, 2005 - LightScribe and LaCie announced today at Macworld 2005 that they are partnering to offer the first direct disc labelling drive for Macintosh computers. For the first time, Macintosh customers can burn the data side of a disc, then flip the disc over and burn a precise, iridescent label with their desired text and graphics using the same laser that burns the data. No printer, permanent marker or adhesive labelling is required to develop and burn creative designs onto the CD or DVD.

Lacie Press Release

January 10, 2005

  * Flexible and affordable network storage via Ethernet
  * Direct-attached personal hard drive via Hi-Speed USB 2.0
  * Simple to use: just plug and play
  * Designed for Windows®, Mac

LaCie introduces an affordable network hard drive for use in homes or small offices: LaCie Ethernet Disk mini with up to 500GB shared storage space. Anyone plugged into the dual-purpose Ethernet Disk mini can instantly share files via the Ethernet connection without having to install drivers, or the drive can be attached via USB 2.0 to any individual computer for faster throughput and a private connection.

Lacie Press Release

January 10, 2005

  * Up to 80GB multimedia hard drive for movies, photos or music
  * Plug directly into a TV for instant viewing, no computer needed
  * Store and view up to 14 MPEG-2 or 80 MPEG-4 videos on 80GB drive

Today LaCie premieres the LaCie silverscreen, a portable USB hard drive with the ability to plug directly into multi-standard television sets for instant playback of stored movies, music or photos. LaCie silverscreen is ideal for travelers wanting to enjoy digital entertainment or professionals wanting to show clients corporate videos on larger TV screens without the need for a computer. The ultra slim and quiet drive comes in 40GB or 80GB capacities.

Creative Press Release

Zen Micro Photo - MP3 Player/Photo Viewer Steals the Show to Win Creative’s Third Consecutive ‘Best of CES’ Award

MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Creative (NASDAQ:CREAF) , a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, today announced that its MP3 player/photo viewer—the Zen Micro Photo, won the “Best of CES” 2005 award in the “Audio to Go” category. This is the third consecutive year that Creative has won a “Best of CES” award.

Featuring a stunning, high-intensity 262,144-color 1.5” OLED screen, the Creative Zen Micro Photo can hold up to 7,500 JPEG images or 3,000 songs on a 6GB model. Users can watch slide shows of their favorite digital images while they listen to MP3 or WMA music. The Zen Micro Photo also includes all the features of the award-winning Zen Micro MP3 player.

CNET have chosen what they think will be the next big things for 2005 from the products that were on show at CES last week. Amongst the photography-related products are the Konica Minolta Magicolor 2430DL laser printer, Samsung YH-820 mp3 player/photo album, and the Kodak EasyShare One camera, which seems to be grabbing all the headlines at the moment:

“What’s so exciting about a 4-megapixel camera? The Kodak EasyShare One embodies several trends in digital photography that are about to go mainstream. The optional Wi-Fi lets you upload your photos wirelessly, whether you are still on vacation or just don’t want all the wires on your desk. And its large, bright LCD, in combination with the camera dock, allows for on-the-spot slide shows without the squinting. It may cost a little more, but the EasyShare One is the wave of the digital photo future.”

Website: CNET - Next Big Thing Awards at CES 2005

The website A-Digital-Eye has been pretty quiet for the last couple of months, so it’s great to see them return with a comprehensive report from the CES show that was held last week.

“Attendance at CES also gives one a sort of gauge for the level of confidence and the spirit of the competition that we are likely to see in the upcoming first half of the year. Along those lines we can say that the crowds were bigger than ever (maybe partly due to the absence of Comdex in November), the optimism seemed high, and thus we expect to see some intense competition in digital imaging which should translate into better performing products, easier to use cameras with even better sharing options, lower prices, and a bigger variety of both cameras and accessories.”

Website: A-Digital-Eye - CES 2005 Show Report

BenQ Press Release

Enhancing Enjoyment in a Connected World at CES, Las Vegas
7 January 2005
 
Las Vegas, 6th of January, 2005 – BenQ, a leading manufacturer of digital lifestyle devices, today unveiled a new line-up of products that combine elements of style with technology and leads the charge to “enhancing enjoyment in a connected world.” At the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 6-9, 2005 in Las Vegas, BenQ will highlight the newest products that connect lifestyles, devices and people.

For BenQ, the focal point in 2005 will be to embrace lifestyle devices that enhance enjoyment, but also connect worlds through various product innovations. From smart phones and wireless digital projectors to a new line of LCD televisions and DVD recorders, the latest products from BenQ work seamlessly together. BenQ believes in delivering products that can be shared and integrated into various lifestyle devices to create a single, unified electronic environment. BenQ’s vision is to make the convergence of technology and entertainment a reality. From sharing movies, music or photos on a PC or home audio/video system to using Bluetooth and memory card technology to connect electronic devices, BenQ products have been designed to enhance enjoyment and share information with anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

BenQ Press Release

Enhancing Enjoyment in a Connected World at CES, Las Vegas
7 January 2005
 
Las Vegas, 6th of January, 2005 – BenQ, a leading manufacturer of digital lifestyle devices, today unveiled a new line-up of products that combine elements of style with technology and leads the charge to “enhancing enjoyment in a connected world.” At the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 6-9, 2005 in Las Vegas, BenQ will highlight the newest products that connect lifestyles, devices and people.

For BenQ, the focal point in 2005 will be to embrace lifestyle devices that enhance enjoyment, but also connect worlds through various product innovations. From smart phones and wireless digital projectors to a new line of LCD televisions and DVD recorders, the latest products from BenQ work seamlessly together. BenQ believes in delivering products that can be shared and integrated into various lifestyle devices to create a single, unified electronic environment. BenQ’s vision is to make the convergence of technology and entertainment a reality. From sharing movies, music or photos on a PC or home audio/video system to using Bluetooth and memory card technology to connect electronic devices, BenQ products have been designed to enhance enjoyment and share information with anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

Kingston Press Release

Kingston Adds Two New Secure Digital Cards with Release of 512 MB Hi-Speed Elite Pro and One Gigabyte SD Cards

Novice to Pro Digital Users Can Take Advantage of SD Cards’ Speed, Storage Benefits.

Las Vegas, NV - CES, January 6, 2005 - Kingston® Technology Company, Inc. today announced the further expansion of its Secure Digital (SD) Card product line with the release of a 512-MB Elite Pro Hi-Speed SD Card, the latest generation of high-capacity, small form factor digital storage devices on the market today, and a 1-GB standard SD card.

“Kingston is committed to providing our customers with the latest in high-performance digital media solutions,” said Mike Kuppinger, digital media product manager, Kingston. “Secure Digital’s small form factor, faster transfer speeds, and enhanced security features makes it the ideal compact storage solution for today’s digital devices,” continued Kuppinger.

Kingston Press Release

Kingston Introduces Versatile RS-MMC and miniSD Cards To Support Mobile Phone, Digital Device Markets

Addition of Flexible Digital Media Readies for Future Integration, Rounds Out Product Line-up

Las Vegas, NV - CES January 6, 2005,—Kingston® Technology Company, Inc., the world’s leading independent memory manufacturer, today announced the release of two new digital media product offerings designed to target the expanding mobile phone and mobile digital device markets: Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC) cards and mini Secure Digital (miniSD) cards.

The two cards are slated for use in future mobile phones and digital devices with enhanced functionality. Popular digital devices such as camera phones, PDAs, MP3 players, smartphones, and digital cameras will soon be utilizing RS-MMC and miniSD cards. To maximize flexibility and ease of use for the end user, Kingston’s RS-MMC and miniSD cards ship with adapters that allow each to fit into their respective standard size format.

The CompactFlash Association Press Release

CompactFlash Association Announces Availability of Revision 3.0 of the CF+ & CompactFlash Specification; Revision 3.0 Increases CF Interface Data Transfer Rate to 66MB/sec.

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Jan. 7, 2005 The CompactFlash Association (CFA) announces the approval and availability of the CF+(TM) & CompactFlash(R) Specification Revision 3.0. Revision 3.0 increases the CompactFlash interface data transfer rate from 16MB/sec to 66MB/sec, while maintaining forward and backward compatibility with old and new host systems.

Mr. Shigeto Kanda of Canon and the CFA chairman of the board said: “The development of the CompactFlash 66MB/sec interface means that the CompactFlash interface will not restrict the sustained data transfer rate of CompactFlash cards in the near future. Having the fastest interface data rate of any flash cards is a significant step for CompactFlash. Data write performance of digital SLR cameras as well as other high-performance cameras will not be limited by the flash card interface.”

Toshiba Press Release

TOSHIBA ANNOUNCES 2 AND 4 GIGABYTE COMPACTFLASH CARDS FOR DIGITAL CAMERAS AND OTHER CONSUMER ELECTRONICS DEVICES

2GB Cards Available in Standard and High-speed Models; Highest Density 4GB Card Achieved Using 90 Nanometer Multi-Level Cell NAND Flash Technology

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2004 - Further expanding its portfolio of memory solutions for consumer electronics applications, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced its new highest capacity 4-gigabyte (GB)1 CompactFlash card, and high-speed 2GB CompactFlash card. The new cards, developed by Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba) using 90 nanometer (nm) NAND Flash memory technology, help meet the continually increasing demand for greater capacity and performance in data storage cards for digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3 players and PDAs, as well as some networking and embedded applications.

Hauppauge Press Release

Large Screen Wide-Format 16:9 LCD Display is Perfect for Viewing MPEG-4 and DivX(R) Movies; Also Stores/Plays Digital Pictures, MP3 Music and Much More

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW—Hauppauge Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAUP) , a leading developer and manufacturer of digital video, TV, and data broadcast receiver products for personal computers, today announced its new Portable MediaMVP(R), an all-in-one multimedia storage/playback device, at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Combining small size, a 20 Gigabyte hard disk drive and a wide format 7-inch LCD display with video/audio recording capability, the Portable MediaMVP allows anyone to enjoy videos, movies, music, photos and much more, anywhere and anytime they wish.

Samsung Press Release

SAMSUNG’S New Micro HDD Jukebox & Photo Album Lets You Slip Your Music And Photo Collections In Your Back Pocket

More Than Just an MP3 Player, Credit Card-Sized YH-820 Offers Photo Sharing, Voice Recording and FM Radio Capabilities

Las Vegas, NV - Samsung Electronics America, Inc., an established innovator in the digital audio arena, adds color photo capability to its award-winning portable audio line with the new YH-820 Micro HDD Jukebox & Photo Album. This wafer-thin, go anywhere storage and entertainment device features a 1.6” LCD screen and sets the standard for compatibility and value by working seamlessly with most Digital Download Music services powered by Microsoft’s WMA and Janus Subscription DRM. The YH-820 will be on display along with Samsung’s full portable audio line at the Samsung booth, #11024 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 6th through 9th.

Samsung Press Release

SAMSUNG’S New Portable Audio/Photo File Player Puts The “Multi” In Multimedia And Multi-Format

Super-Slim YH-925 Wows Innovation Awards Panel With Multitude of File Play Back Options

Las Vegas, NV - Global technology innovator Samsung Electronics America, Inc., announces the newest addition to its award-winning digital portable audio family, the YH-925 Audio/Photo File Player. Already a CES 2005 Innovations Award Honoree, the pocket-sized YH-925 is a sleek companion that lets users to listen to and download their favorite digital music as well as photos and album cover art. Experience the YH-925 Audio/Photo File Player at CES 2005 in the Samsung booth, #11024 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 6th - 9th.

HP Press Release

LightScribe Direct Disc Labelling Technology Ready for Market at CES 2005

For the First Time, Customers Can Burn Professional-Looking, Silkscreen-Quality CD/DVD Labels Directly on Discs at Their Own PCs

Las Vegas, Jan. 6, 2005 - HP announced today that LightScribe Direct Disc Labelling technology is available immediately in personal computers and optical media launched by several leading manufacturers at CES 2005.

The first LightScribe-enabled PCs are being offered by HP. As of today, customers can purchase LightScribe-enabled PCs through HP distribution channels worldwide. Aftermarket DVD writers with LightScribe capabilities are slated to be available in Q1, 2005 from BenQ, HP, LaCie and Philips. CD-R discs are provided by HP and Verbatim and are available through retail immediately. Imation, Memorex, Philips and TDK discs are planned to be available in early 2005.

Kodak Press Release

Kodak Unveils First-of-its-Kind Wireless Digital Photography System at 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show

New KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE Digital Camera, Wi-Fi-Enabled EASYSHARE Printer Dock Plus Expand Boundaries of Picture Sharing

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5—On the eve of the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Eastman Kodak Company introduced a groundbreaking wireless digital photography system, giving people the freedom to share pictures whenever and wherever they wish.

At the heart of the system is the new KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE zoom digital camera, which provides people with extraordinary control over how and when they share pictures. The device is the first of its kind, allowing people to e-mail pictures directly from the camera via Wi-Fi; to view online albums in the KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery (formerly Ofoto) on the camera; to store and organize up to 1,500 favorite pictures for instant display on its high-resolution, 3-inch touch screen LCD; and to take vibrant still pictures and full-motion video. No other digital camera gives people such an extensive ability to take, organize, share and print their pictures.

Sony USA Press Release

SONY’S NEW 4GB MEMORY STICK PRO (HIGH SPEED) MEDIA TAKES DIGITAL STORAGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Higher Capacity Helps Store and Easily Share Digital Photos, Video and More

LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #N109), Jan. 5, 2005 - Sony is doubling the capacity of its flash media product line with the introduction of 4GB Memory Stick PRO™ (High Speed) media. The new 4GB media is expected to become a valuable tool for users who need to store and easily transfer large quantities of digital content, such as high-resolution digital photos and video clips.

The high-capacity media features increased durability with a standard operating temperature range of -13°F to +185°F, swift data transfer speeds and compatibility with a wide selection of currently available Memory Stick PRO devices. The 4GB Memory Stick PRO (High Speed) media will be available in March for about $900.