WD today launched its My Passport Slim line of portable hard drives, the first thin drives to offer up to 2 TB capacity, a metal enclosure, and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. Available in 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, the My Passport Slim measures 4.33"x3.14"x0.48" and incorporate USB 3.0 connectivity for quick transfer of high resolution digital files. The WD My Passport Slim 1 TB has an MSRP of $99.99 USD, and the My Passport Slim 2 TB2 is available for $149.99.

CyberLink today unveiled the latest version of its video creation software, PowerDirector 12, New features include a motion blur effect, a new theme designer and multicam designer, and TrueVelocity 4 editing engine. Available now, the PowerDirector 12 Ultimate Suite retails for ₤199.99, PowerDirector 12 Ultimate sells for ₤99.99, PowerDirector 12 Ultra costs ₤79.99, while PowerDirector 12 Deluxe can be yours for ₤59.99.

CyberLink today launched PhotoDirector 5, the newest version of its photography application designed to provide all the features photographers need to manage large batches of photos, adjust images, and showcase work in their own style, in a single package. Key highlights in Version 5 include 64-bit support, HDR exposure blending, auto lens correction, 4K Ultra HD output option for shlideshows and a new companion app for Windows 8 tablets. PhotoDirector 5 Ultra is available for ₤79.99, PhotoDirector 5 Suite sells for ₤114.99.

Cokin has unified all its existing creative products (A Series, P Series, Z-Pro Series and X-Pro Series square filters) under the new range name "Creative Filter System." Additionally, the company has devised new size markings borrowed from the clothing industry, new pictograms, packaging and colour coding for the products. Their new SlidePack is billed as "a revolutionary and environment-friendly" packaging solution that is approximately 55% smaller and 60% lighter than the previous one. Moreover, the design of SlidePack prevents the filter from dropping out unexpectedly. The first product line-up to adopt the new packaging is the P Series (now called the M size range).

PNY has revealed its new StorEDGE flash memory expansion module designed exclusively for use in MacBook computers to quickly and easily increase available storage capacity while keeping you mobile. Engineered as a semi-permanent storage solution, StorEDGE plugs directly into your MacBook to radically upgrade your flash storage without compromising your notebook’s sleek design. Available in 64GB (£89) and 128GB (£169) capacities, StorEDGE allows users to store even more images and videos without compromising system speed or performance. without compromising system speed or performance. The PNY StorEDGE is compatible with the 13-inch MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Retina display, and comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

The Lexar JumpDrive V20 is a storage solution designed for users who need to know at a glance what's on each drive. Available in packs of two, three, or four, each drive comes with write-on labels, and features a protective, clear cover so users can slide in and swap out labels as needed in order to keep stored files organised. Each drive also sports an LED activity light that blinks during data transfer. The JumpDrive V20 USB multipacks are available now with MSRPs of £15.99 (two-pack), £23.99 (three-pack), and £31.99 (four-pack), and include a two-year limited warranty.

Lexar has announced a new 64GB microSDXC UHS-I memory card with read transfer speeds up to 600x (90MB per second). This Class 10 microSDXC UHS-I card allows users to capture, store, play back, and transfer up to eight hours of 1080p full-HD video (recorded at 24fps, 5Mbps) and thousands of photos. Priced at £84.99/$99.99, the Lexar High-Performance microSDXC UHS-I card comes with a USB 3.0 reader to enable high-speed file transfer rates from card to a computer. The reader is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports and comes with a one-year limited warranty.

The new Lexar JumpDrive M10 secure USB 3.0 flash drive offers EncryptStick Lite software, 256-bit AES encryption, automatic data encryption and a File Shredder feature that permanently deletes files from the device so they cannot be restored. Offering read speeds up to 100MB/s on all capacities, the JumpDrive M10 Secure is available now with MSRPs of £27.99 (16GB), £45.99 (32GB), £77.99 (64GB), and £149.99 (128GB), and includes a three-year limited warranty.

NEC has unveiled a new 30-inch colour-accurate display called the MultiSync PA302W. Built using a GB-R LED backlight, the PA302W provides a wider colour gamut and more colour control than a conventional white LED backlight. It also features a 10-bit active-matrix AH-IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and a 99.3% coverage of Adobe RGB,  an internal 14-bit programmable 3D look-up table, an ergonomic stand, a built-in USB hub, various connectivity options, and the ability to load ICC profiles to emulate custom colour spaces and match prints. The MultiSync PA302W ships with a 4-year limited parts and labour warranty, and will be available in white and black at an estimated street price of $2,399. An SV kit with bundled SpectraViewII calibration software and sensor is also available for $2,649.

Akvis has released version 15 of Akvis Sketch, a program that turns digital photos into pencil sketches and watercolour, charcoal, and pastel drawings. This update offers new options to set colours for the pencil strokes and background, new presets in both Classic and Artistic styles, new Share feature, compatibility with Photoshop CC, and a range of other improvements. Akvis Sketch runs on Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win 8 and on Mac OS X 10.4-10.8, both 32 bit and 64 bit, and sells for $72/€55.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear is a smart watch that allows you to capture 1.9-megapixel stills and 720p videos. Boasting its own 1.63" Super AMOLED screen, the Samsung Galaxy Gear can communicate with a couple of Samsung smart devices (to wit, the Galaxy 10.1 2014 Edition and the Galaxy Note 3) over Bluetooth. The Samsung Galaxy Gear will be available for $299 from late September / early October.

Ricoh has launched the Ricoh Theta, a new product billed as the world’s first mass-produced imaging device that encapsulates fully spherical scenes with one shot. The hand-held Ricoh Theta features a proprietary ultra-small twin-lens folded optical system that captures the scene around, above and below the device in one shot for fully spherical images. Fitting easily in a pocket or the palm of a hand, the slim, lightweight Ricoh Theta  is synchronised with smartphones (currently only a couple of iPhone models, with Android support "expected before the end of the year"), where images can be immediately transmitted via Wi-Fi and viewed with a dedicated free app. Images uploaded to theta360.com can be shared on social networks. The suggested retail price is £329/$399.

Phase One has announced the immediate availability of a new Schneider Kreuznach 2x teleconverter. Compatible exclusively with the Schneider Kreuznach 240mm leaf shutter and 150mm leaf shutter lenses as well as the Mamiya/Phase One 150mm AF lens, this 2x teleconverter effectively doubles the focal length of these lenses to 480mm and 300 mm, respectively. The 2x teleconverter is available for €1490 / $1990 from authorised Phase One and Mamiya Leaf partners.

onOne Software has announced Perfect Photo Suite 8, a full-featured, standalone photo editor that integrates seamlessly with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, and Apple Aperture. Key new features include the Perfect Enhance module for essential photo adjustments, the Perfect Eraser with content-aware fill technology, the Perfect Batch processing utility for applying workflows to multiple images at once, and a re-engineered Perfect Effects module with twice as many filters, customisable presets, and integrated FocalPoint technology. The new Perfect Photo Suite 8 will be available 26th November in three editions: Premium, Standard, and an edition for Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture. Owners of previous versions of Perfect Photo Suite Premium Edition can upgrade for $99.95. New users may pre-order the Premium Edition for $179.95.

Toshiba UK today announced the new Full HD Camileo X-Sports action cam with an ultra-wide angle lens and integrated 2" LCD monitor. The Camileo X-Sports is available with a waterproof casing that’s effective up to 60 metres, so whether the user is biking, swimming, skiing or snowboarding, they can operate the camera without worrying about water damage. Without the waterproof casing, the Camileo X-Sports is shockproof from a drop of up to 1.5 metres. Additionally, with a remote control designed to be worn on the wrist, users can control the action without being hindered by the need to hold the camera or take their eyes off the piste, wave or cliff face. The Camileo X-Sports action camcorder will be available in Europe during Q4 2013, with pricing to be confirmed.

Toshiba Europe has added a new 2TB USB 3.0 hard drive to its STOR.E Plus external HDD range. The 5400rpm Toshiba 2TB STOR.E Plus HDD is equipped with a special internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology to protect against accidental drops and keep your digital files safe. With plug and play technology and a transfer rate of up to 5GB/s, the STOR.E Plus 2TB hard drive will be available for purchase from 26th September, at a price of 129€.

At the IFA trade show, Lexar has introduced the Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 four-bay USB 3.0 reader hub (£64.99) and three new USB 3.0 card readers. Sold separately, these products collectively form the so-called Lexar Professional Workflow Reader Solution, which is billed as the only solution that transfers video and images from up to four memory cards at once using just one USB port. New card readers compatible with the Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 four-bay hub include the Lexar Professional Workflow SR1 (£24.99) SD, the Workflow CFR1 (£24.99) CompactFlash and the Workflow XR1 (£35.99) XQD card readers.

Fujifilm has posted 16 high-resolution sample photos taken with the new Fujinon XF23mm f/1.4 R lens. Shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujifilm X-M1 compact system cameras, these images were captured at various aperture settings ranging from f/1.4 (i.e. wide open) to f/8. You can view the official Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R samples at the website below.

Website: Official Fuji XF23mm f/1.4 R Sample Photos

Want to see exactly what the new Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R lens, a brand new fast, moderate wide-angle lens for Fujifilm X-series compact system cameras.

Nikon has released half a dozen high-resolution sample images and a sample movie captured with the Nikon Coolpix P7800 professional compact camera. The Nikon P7800 is a new model that retains the headline specifications of its predecessor the P7700 and adds an eye-level electronic viewfinder. The six official Coolpix P7800 samples were all captured at  low sensitivity settings (ISO 80/20° and ISO 250/25°), using the lens at the 28mm, 58mm and 200mm equivalent settings. Whereas the sample photos are presented at the original resolution of 4000x3000 pixels, the sample movie has been downsized for the Web.

Website: Official Nikon P7800 Sample Images