AOC has introduced a new generation of AH-IPS and IPS 3D monitors. Ranging from 21.5″ to 23″ and 27″, there are six models in the line-up, boasting an ultra-slim borderless design, outstanding colour reproduction and wide viewing angles. All of them are Full HD monitors that utilise mercury-free WLED backlights. Depending on the individual model, users can connect multiple signal sources simultaneously via D-Sub,DVI-D, HDCP-compatible HDMI, an integrated DisplayPort or even MHL. The new AOC monitors are available now at RRPs ranging from £ 129 to £ 249.

Billed as the first external flash for mobile devices that is fully synched to smartphones and tablets, iblazr is a tiny device that uses four powerful CREE LED lights to provide much more light than any smartphone’s built-in flash. Additional features include a continuous light mode, adjustable brightness, and a built-in rechargeable battery. This 200mAh battery lasts up to 1,000 flashes or up to 40 minutes in full power constant light mode. iblazr is scheduled to launch in December at at $39 for the black and white models. A premium anodised aluminium iblazr, which is more powerful than the regular model in constant light mode, will be available starting at $59. The commercialisation of the device is funded via a Kickstarter project. Those who pledge $300 or more will receive a personalised aluminium model.

Tiffen has introduced two brand new tripods from the Davis & Sanford brand. “As their names suggest, the Davis & Sanford CrossWise and Traverse are adventure-engineered tripods designed to give DSLR, mirrorless and compact camera shooters the flexibility as well as the freedom to achieve that perfect shot,” states Steve Tiffen, President and CEO, The Tiffen Company. In addition to the new CrossWise and Traverse tripods, Tiffen has released a brand new Davis & Sanford PowerBall product for cameras weighing up to 18 pounds. Prices for the new products are as follows: CrossWise Tripod at $124.99, Traverse Tripod at $109.99, and PowerBall Dual Control ball head at $59.99.

The Canon Legria mini is a new digital creative camcorder with an ultra-wide angle Canon lens, multifunctional vari-angle LCD and built-in stand. Available in black, silver and white, the portable and lightweight form breaks from traditional camcorder design, and thanks to its built-in stand, gives enhanced flexibility in hands-free recording. The vari-angle 2.7” LCD touchscreen can be flipped out to either the rear side or subject side, giving users an array of different shooting options and styles to play with. For example, the screen can be flipped into a front-facing position to enable accurate self-shooting, or kept closed to capture creative low angles. Other highlights include Full HD video recording, 12.8-megapixel stills capture and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Canon mini will be available in the UK and Ireland from mid-September 2013 with an SRP of £269 and €329 respectively. In the USA, the camcorder is called the Vixia mini and sells for $299.99.

VSCO is seeking beta testers for the Android version of its VSCO Cam app. "We are looking for dedicated, passionate people who can test the app, find bugs and provide constructive feedback," the company says. The existing iPhone version has earned critical acclaim for supporting Focus and Exposure Rings plus White Balance Lock for increased creative control. VSCO Cam for Android will initially support the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One smartphones, with support for other Android 4.0+ devices coming "in the near future." You can register to be a beta tester at the website below.

Website: VSCO

Issue 4 of GIMP Magazine, a free publication featuring works created by the worldwide community of GIMP users, is now available to download. This edition includes an interview with professional photographer and digital artist Christopher Mark Perez, Episode Two of The Hunt for Wilber, a portfolio of images by Rolf Steinort, a tutorial on creating a proper vignette using GIMP, and much more. You will be able to download Issue 4 from the website below, starting 4th September.

Website: GIMP Magazine

Kenro has been appointed the UK and Ireland distributor for Braun Photo Technik. Paul Kench, managing director of Kenro, said: "Braun Photo Technik is renowned for their rich history in creating products that meet the needs of their customers so we are delighted to be working with them. With Braun Photo Technik products, retailers will be able to tap into a new range of customers who are looking to purchase products which have multiple uses, and we are looking forward to bringing these products to the UK and Irish public."

Pentax Ricoh UK has announced the pricing of the Pentax Q7 compact system camera. The Pentax Q7 body will be available for £369.99, and the camera will also be sold in two kits. The single-lens kit - consisting of the Q7 body and Pentax-02 Standard Zoom Lens - will cost £399.99, while the double-zoom kit will retail for £539.99.

Wacom has just announced Bamboo Loop, its second app for the Android platform. Bamboo Loop marries creative photo-sharing with messaging, meaning that photographs taken on a smartphone can be illustrated and personalised with drawings, scribbles, cartoons and words and forwarded to a friend, family member or colleague. Available for free download from Google Play, Bamboo Loop also offers a gallery of photo filters and shapes that can be extended by purchasing additional style packs at the price of £ 0.69. Available style packs include seasonal themes (e.g summer), art paper, candy, pattern, fun, and vintage. The app offers support for the Bamboo Stylus, a pen which can write comfortably on tablet displays.

PhotoFast's i-FlashDrive HD, a two-way storage device between iOS and Mac/PC, is now available in the United Kingdom. The drive’s free corresponding application delivers the ability to upload, organise, edit and manage files across multiple devices, including PC, iPad, iPhone and more. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models of the compact and portable i-FlashDrive are offered as a combo kit, which include both the Lightning adapter and 30-pin connector for increased compatibility with Apple mobile devices as well as USB devices. Additionally, i-FlashDrive offers backwards compatibility, working seamlessly when plugged in on the standard USB side with multiple operating systems including iOS 6, Windows XP/7/8, OSX and Linux. PhotoFast's i-FlashDrive HD is available online in 8, 16, 32 or 64 GB capacities, ranging in price from £60 to £210.

Sony and Panasonic have signed an agreement with the objective of jointly developing a next-generation standard for professional-use optical discs. Intended for long-term digital data storage, these archival discs should offer a recording capacity of at least 300GB and be available by the end of 2015. Optical discs have excellent properties to protect them against the environment, such as dust-resistance and water-resistance, and can also withstand changes in temperature and humidity when stored. They also allow inter-generational compatibility between different formats, ensuring that data can continue to be read even as formats evolve.

SmugMug unveiled a completely new version of its service today. What the company envisioned was a site with a fresh, modern look and feel.  A site that offers gorgeous designs, right out of the box, with an easy way for all users to create their own unique style. Every SmugMug site includes responsive design, so it adapts to any viewing screen from smartphones to large monitors. In addition, the all-new site Organizer makes it easy to manage thousands of files by dragging images into galleries, galleries into folders, and folders into folders, up to five levels deep. Membership starts at $5/month, with a a free 14-day trial period available to every new customer.

Canon has released firmware updates for its EOS-1D Mark III, EOS-1D Mark IV (pictured) and EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR cameras. Each of these firmware upgrades incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

1. Resolves the following phenomenon: when the camera is not attached to a lens, power consumption may be higher than usual, causing premature battery drain.
2. Resolves a phenomenon in which an error message may be displayed when the shutter is released without a lens attached.

Website: Canon EOS-1D Mark III Firmware Version 1.3.2
Website: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Firmware Version 1.1.4
Website: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Firmware Version 1.2.3

Entries are now open for Marwell's Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 awards. This year, the competition has four categories and judges will assess entries for photographic excellence, high quality and composition. The categories are Native Wildlife, Cute and Funny, Marwell Wildlife Residents and Marwell Wildlife Endangered. The top prize is a trip to Sweden with professional photographer Nick Garbutt, courtesy of which is worth over £1,395. Other prizes include a special day at the zoo incorporating a Junior Keeper Experience and a half day safari with Nick Garbutt worth £475, Annual Memberships to Marwell Zoo, behind the scenes animal encounters, camera equipment and lots more. Entry to the competition costs £5 for adults and is free for juniors. The deadline for entries is 14 September 2013.

In additiont to the four online seminars announced earlier today, Datacolor has unveiled three more upcomig colour management webinars. The first session, Optimising Images in a Professional Way for Web Purposes, taking place tomorrow from 11am GMT, will demonstrate to participants just how easy it is to manage colour with Spyder4. Oliver Mews, leader of this session, will explain how to improve the appearance and accuracy of the colour for web purposes. In the second webinar, The essentials of print-image matching, scheduled for 7pm on Thursday 1st August, colour consultant Jonathan Briggs takes participants through the skills required to attain  aconsistent workflow all the way from capture to print. Finally, on 13th August, Richard West and Bob Campbell will deliver a lecture entitled Professional Images for Print from Datacolor and onOne software, which focuses on how to get the most professional print look for images from Datacolor’s Spyder4ELITE and onOne Software’s Perfect Effects 4 products.

Panasonic has issued a firmware update for its Lumix LF1 premium compact camera. Version 1.1 improves the connectivity with Macintosh computers. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Panasonic Japan Support

Panasonic has posted a firmware update for the Panasonic Lumix FT5 / TS5 all-weather compact camera. Version 1.3 improves the functionality of the time-lapse feature. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Panasonic Support

Brooklyn Museum is offering the last chance to see the critically acclaimed exhibition. WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath. Featuring approximately 400 objects, including photographic prints, books, magazines, albums, and camera equipment, this exhibition explores the experience of war and brings together both iconic and unknown images taken by members of the military, commercial portraitists, journalists, amateurs, artists, and numerous Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers. WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath will be on view from 8 November 2013 through 2 February 2014.

Datacolor has announced its summer 2013 line-up of free colour management webinars. The first one-hour session. Safari Photography – Gear and Workflow will be held today from 2pm EDT. Other topics include Advanced Photographic Composition, Postproduction and Selective Colour Editing, with the dates being August 7, August 22 and September 10, respectively. You can register for these webinars at the website below.