‘Yuu Waa’ today announced a free trial for anyone who owns a USB flash drive. A new solution for securely storing, backing up and sharing all types of multimedia data from one single interface, YuuWaa combines a USB flash drive with software and secure online services. The new free trial offer will allow anyone with a USB memory stick to ‘YuuWaa-nise’ their flash drive via a download link and gain 2GB of online storage, really simply data sharing with friends and family and back up services for a trial period of 30 days. Once the trial is over users can upgrade to ‘YuuWaa Go’ or ‘YuuWaa Plus’. The former provides users with a combined total of 24GB storage for £19.99, while the latter offers 54GB of storage for £29.99.

Website: YuuWaa

At the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, Easy Energy and Fame LLC will formally launch the new YoGen hand-held charger, which allows you to charge a camera/cellphone/PDA battery through repeated pulls on an attached ripcord. The creators of YoGen claim that YoGen features an unmatched capacity to recharge any small-to-mid-sized personal electronics device by offering the industry’s leading ratio of energy output to input. YoGen’s internal alternator generates power in sufficient levels to charge everything from cell phones, iPods, PDAs and MP3 players to Gameboys, GPS units, cameras and other devices. The alternator interfaces with an energy-efficient electronic stabiliser and transmission to transfer linear kinetic energy through a patch cord from the compact, ergonomically-designed unit to the electronic device. YoGen is presently available for online purchase via the YoGen website, and scheduled for global distribution though retail and electronic stores in the second quarter of 2010. The price is $39.99.

Website: YoGen

Leica have started shipping the Leica S2, their all-new, larger-than-full-frame digital SLR camera. The first camera goes to Jim Rakete, a prominent photographer from Berlin, Germany. Rakete’s first contact with the S2 this year was such an intense experience that he spontaneously made the decision to buy into the S-system, the company says. “The S2 is a camera that embodies the best characteristics of good tools - it never tries to tell me what to do,” Rakete explains, adding, “It fits my hands like a glove, and doesn’t make any superfluous suggestions when I’m shooting. For me, it’s an absolute superlative in digital quality - for the first time in ages you can really feel the depth of focus in your shots.”

Website: Leica Dealer Locator

Photodex has just released a new version of its slide show software for photographers, ProShow Producer. Version 4.1 offers integrated uploading to Facebook, Vimeo and Twitter, and also features an all-new Slide Style Manager and dozens of new, user-requested features. Users with Facebook and Vimeo accounts can now directly upload their slide shows from ProShow Gold or Producer 4.1 to their profile. Slide shows are sent in video format in either normal quality or high definition. Once a new slide show has been uploaded, it can be automatically announced on Twitter using ProShow 4.1’s new Twitter feature. ProShow automatically creates a new tweet announcing a show upload and provides a link for followers to view it. The newly designed Slide Style Manager allows users to quickly sort, filter and manage styles in their personal libraries.  A full list of new features can be seen on the Photodex website.

Website: Photodex

Leica have issued a major, function-enhancing firmware update for the Leica D-LUX 4 digital compact camera. Version 2.10 adds a square aspect ratio shooting option, white balance bracketing, blown highlights warning in Playback mode, and a new scene mode for scenes with a high dynamic range. AWB accuracy, AF speed, MF ASSIST / AF area selection and red-eye removal have been improved. The exposure compensation and the auto bracket compensation can now be set up to ±3EV, and the position of the optional shooting grid overlay can now be set byt he photographer. A number of other, smaller modifications have also been implemented with this firmware update. The update, along with the installation instructions and an explanation of the new functions, can be downloaded fromt the website below.

Website: Leica D-LUX 4 Firmware 2.10

Rocky Nook have just announced a new title, Mastering the Nikon D5000 by Darrell Young. Darrell’s approach in teaching the reader to master this camera avoids the purely instructional technique, favouring a more friendly and advisory tone, the publisher says. He blends his decades of Nikon camera experience with an intuitive understanding of the readers’ most likely questions regarding specific camera functions and features. Rather than just list all options for the myriad of camera settings and adjustments, he explains the background behind each setting and shares his personal recommendations. Mastering the Nikon D5000 is available now, priced at $34.95.

Website: Mastering the Nikon D5000
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Nikon D5000

Ilford have announced the launch of the Galerie Smooth Limited Edition Pack, which includes six types of Ilford inkjet media (10 sheets of each). This limited-time offer allows anyone to try each of the Smooth products without having to invest in the regular packs. The products included are Smooth Lustre Duo, Smooth Gloss and Pearl, Smooth Fine Art, Smooth Heavyweight Matt and Gold Fibre Silk all in A4 sizes. The Ilford Galerie Smooth Limited Edition Pack is available at £39.99. For a list of stockists, call 01782 753304 or visit the website below.

Website: Ilford Galerie Smooth Limited Edition Pack

The Falkland Islands Tourist Board invites visitors to the Falklands to send in their best snaps to a new online photography competition - Falklands Exposed. The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the UK, located in the South Atlantic Ocean. The Falklands Exposed contest is open to anyone with a keen eye and traveller’s spirit, with three entry groups; amateur, youth and professional. Photographers can submit images across six categories including the aptly named ‘Face from the Place’ where judges are looking for an outstanding shot of an islander and the ‘Wildlife’ category where entrants to the competition can showcase their shots of penguins and other island wildlife. With a rich heritage, interesting events and rugged terrain perfect for outdoor activities, there is plenty to photograph all year round, says the tourist board. For more information on the contest, head to the website below.

Website: Falklands Exposed

Nevercenter has officially released CameraBag Desktop for Windows, a photo editing program featuring a range of vintage photography filters. CameraBag started out a year ago as an iPhone app, followed by a desktop version for the Mac earlier this year. CameraBag Desktop offers a new approach to photo editing, which is allegedly not found in any other Windows photo software. “We think Windows users, like Mac and iPhone users, will really respond to CameraBag’s streamlined approach,” said Thomas Plewe, Nevercenter President. “Most of our users already have a complex editor such as Photoshop, but they gravitate to CameraBag for its quick, professional results. CameraBag does all the hard work while still giving users artistic control.”

Website: CameraBag Desktop for Windows and Mac

A new digital photography eBook, HDSLR: The Billion Things You Need To Know To Make Your Camera Shoot Movies, has been released by GM Books. “HDSLR” is author Peter iNova’s coined term for interchangeable lens DSLR cameras that can capture HD movies. Author iNova’s decades of experience with still photography, high definition video and 35mm motion picture cinematography plus more than a year with “HDSLR” cameras have been distilled into this highly interactive eBook, the publisher says. Topics cover history, technology, the five essentials, the five repair options, sequence planning as you shoot, editing after you shoot, vital camera accessories, a huge chapter on techniques, special effects and problem solving, plus a run-down comparing all current HDSLR models. The eBook comes as a printable PDF on a DVD for Windows and Mac, complete with Actions for Photoshop Extended. The DVD costs $34.95.

Website: GM Books

The Red Bull Illume Image Quest, billed as the world’s biggest photography contest for action and adventure sports, is open for entries. The Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010 calls upon all action photographers to submit a maximum of five images to one or more of the 10 categories listed on the contest website. Submissions are accepted through 31 January 2010.

Website: Red Bull Illume

DxO Labs have published RAW-based image quality data for a range of new Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony digital cameras on dxomark.com. The newly added models include a couple of advanced compacts, such as the Canon Powershot S90 and G11, as well as a number of DSLR cameras (Canon EOS 7D, Sony A500 and A550, Pentax K7, Nikon D300s and D3000). “dxomark.com results indicated that the best Advanced Compacts demonstrate remarkable image quality performance, especially considering their very compact form factor:  overall, the difference between the top models from the Advanced Compact category and the entry-level DSLRs is only about 1 to 2 stops,” DxO Labs said in a statement.

Website: DxO Mark

ABC Imaging, a Washington DC-based printing and document management firm has announced the addition of a consumer photo services division. “The new MyPhotoPlus.com online photo service is an exciting addition to ABC Imaging,” said James Dempsey, division manager at ABC Imaging. “We have put a lot of research into photo gift services over the past two years and launched what we think is the best photo book engine on the web in terms of functionality and usability to provide our customers hundreds of sizes and styles to scrappers to the professional, creating photo books and unique photo gifts on their own”

Website: MyPhotoPlus

Corel have announced that Corel Digital Studio 2010 is available at Best Buy for $59.99 – a savings of 40% off the regular suggested retail price – until December 19, 2009. Corel Digital Studio 2010 makes it fast and fun to enjoy and share your favorite photos and videos. ” Whether making quick fixes to Thanksgiving family photos, creating a photo book of baby’s first holiday, or making a slide show or HD home video for loved ones, Corel Digital Studio offers fun and easy ways to create memorable and meaningful keepsakes,” the company says. Corel has also launched a new contest in time for the holidays. Users who download a free 30-day trial of Corel Digital Studio 2010 from www.cnet.com, www.download.com or www.corel.com/cdstrial will be entered to win a $5000 shopping spree at Best Buy. For full contest details, please visit the website below.

Website: Contest Details

Erin Fong, an industrial design student at California College of the Arts has devised a completely new type of DSLR camera. The Nova DSLR breaks with the conventional SLR form factor that is rooted in film camera design, and takes a new approach to camera ergonomics. “The Nova DSLR Camera takes different forms with the mobility of the camera arms, giving comfort to left-handed and right-handed users. In addition, the buttons are located at the fingertips allowing users to simultaneously take pictures and easily locate the features they need,” Fong explains. As you might have guessed already, the Nova DSLR is a concept only, but it surely is a novel one that deserves attention in our view.

Website: Erin Fong’s Nova DSLR Camera

Lifephoto.com, an online digital photo gift store and photo sharing site, has announced that its photo sharing book previewer can now be posted and shared on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. The Previewer is Lifephoto’s sharing tool that displays a user’s photo book in a “turning-page format” during the book-building process. The user can e-mail the Previewer to another person who can then also view the book. Now Lifephoto has added additional sharing options by adapting the Previewer for use on social media. Friends can view the complete photo book in the afore-mention “turning page” format and add their comments on the post.

Website: Lifephoto

Harman Technology has announced the winning entries to its Harman Photo Crystaljet RC Student Competition. Open to photography students across the UK, the competition asked entrants to deliver their creation – from two key themes, ‘Interaction’ or ‘Today’ – with submissions made on the new Harman Crystaljet RC inkjet paper. The overall winner is Jonathan Lewis from Southport College for his entry, ‘Donalda in bath’ (see above). All of the winning entries will be exhibited on the Harman photo stand at Focus on Imaging 2010 and can be found on the Harman website.

Website: Harman Photo Crystaljet RC Student Competition

PhotoBin has announced David Lenhert of Escondido, California, as the winner of its 2009 Summer Photo Contest. As the first-place winner, Lenhert received $250, with the second and third-place winners receiving $100 and $50, respectively. To see all photo contest winners, visit the website below.

Website: PhotoBin 2009 Photo Contest Winners

Photoinduced.com has launched “Let’s Do Lunch”, a photo contest that asks you to take pictures of your midday meal and help feed the hungry. Participants are invited to log on to letdolunchcontest.com and submit their photos for any of four categories: Friends and Family- meals on a more personal level; Down to Business - lunch with a purpose; Street - delicacies only available on the boulevard; and Solo - meals on your own. The contest is now accepting paid online submissions from photographers. A grand prize winner and winners in each of the four categories will be selected by a panel of photography and food professionals. One Grand Prize winner and first place winners in each of the categories will receive a selection of prizes from HP, ThinkTank Photo, Adobe, NAPP, Nikon, Blurb.com. and more. Additionally, there will be a special Student Prize and a Peoples Choice winner.

Website: Let’s Do Lunch