Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

Fujfilm FinePix HS20 super zoom camera unveiled: photos
Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR pro compact camera outed
Health 2.0: Withings video baby monitor and iPhone blood pressure monitor photos
Best Android apps of the week
New MSI Intel Core Sandy Bridge laptops in photos
Pure Contour: internet connected radio with pop out iPod dock
Black and Decker iShred: shredding goes sexy
Mavia car diagnostic tool: Drive-by Facebook check ins soon to become reality
iHome iW1: first Apple Airplay speaker system to make it to market?
Lenovo LePad and U1 tablet laptop: hands on with an oddity

Fujfilm FinePix HS20 super zoom camera unveiled: photos

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST

The Fujfilm FinePix HS20 has just been announced, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s a follow up to last year’s HS10 bridge camera, with a telescopic 30x optical zoom to make any paparazzo worth his salt envious. Read on to see the photos of it and find out what’s new.

It’s CES this week, and as always, the camera companies are on hand to splurge out a bevy of new pictureboxes. The Fujfilm FinePix HS20 is one of Fujifilm’s most impressive new models, giving you a huge focal length (24-720mm) without the need for the cost and bulk of extra lenses as you’d need with a DSLR.

The Fujfilm FinePix HS20 actually keeps the optical zoom at 30x still (You could argue that if you need any more, what you’re doing might not actually be legal, especial if celebrities are involved), but ups the image resolution from 10 to 16MP so you can have a larger effective digital zoom on stills.

The Fujfilm FinePix HS20 is out in April, priced up at £399. We’ll be on the look out for it here at the show though so stay tuned for an early hands on.

Out April | £399 | Fujifilm

Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR pro compact camera outed

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST

The Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR is the latest shooter to enter the pro compact cam arena, where the Canon PowerShot G12 and Nikon Coolpix P7000 are currently doing battle. We’ve got the photos and the details on it right here, so read on for them.

While a 15x optical zoom and 16 megapixel CMOS sensor aren’t exactly unheard features on a compact camera, the Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR packs them in while still remaining impressively petite at 22.9mm wide.

The Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR also shoots in RAW mode, just like the G12 and P7000, which gives serious photographers lots more editing options when it comes to post-production of your snaps, and squeezes in GPS to boot. Fujfilm’s not made any mention of HD video recording, but we’ve contacted the company for more details.

The Fujfilm FinePix F550 EXR goes on sale in March for £329, but if you want to shave a bit off dosh off the pricetag, you’ll be able to pick up an F500 model at the same time for £279, without the RAW shooting or GPS. Enough talk though: check it out in the gallery right here and stay tuned for more CES 2011 coverage.

Out March | £329 | Fujifilm

Health 2.0: Withings video baby monitor and iPhone blood pressure monitor photos

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 08:55 PM PST

Withings, the maker of those nifty bathroom scales we love so much, has announced two new products at CES this year. One is a baby monitor with a video camera that feeds straight to your smartphone, the other, a blood pressure monitor connected to the iPhone that gives an instant reading.

The video feed from the Withings smart baby monitor is sent straight through to your iPhone, iPad, smartphone, PC or Mac – any existing connected screen works. The camera has a 3MP sensor and an extra wide view lens with night vision, so if baby moves around you won’t have to shift the camera around too much.

It can also detect movement in the room, and folds up into a neat white box for travelling. As well as the video feed, the smart baby monitor also tells you the temperature and humidity of the bedroom, and has a mic and speaker, so you can can try to talk the baby back to sleep before traipsing up the stairs. The smart baby monitor will be available in late March this year.

The blood pressure monitor is an arm wrap that connects to your iPhone, and gives an instant reading, which is then saved online so you’ll have a record of your blood pressure readings, and you’ll also be able to share them with your doctor and relatives.

Out Jan 2011/March 2011 | TBC | Withings

Best Android apps of the week

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 08:46 PM PST

So here we are – the first 2011 run-down of the best Android Apps currently available to mankind. From the last seven days. Hopefully Christmas and New Year weren't too demanding on you, but just in case you did ingest a little too much of the 'falling-over' juice, we've included some great games and time-saving applications to make the road to recovery that little bit easier.

Should your long-suffering brain be a little too pickled after all that merriment, allow us to remind you to download the handy Barcode Scanner before reading the suggestions below. Once you've done this you can simply point your phone's camera at the QR codes and BANG – you are instantly teleported to the appropriate place in the Android Market. Magic, eh?

Dungeon Defenders: First Wave (£1.93)

As one of the first Android titles to use Epic's Unreal graphics engine, it should come as no surprise to learn that Dungeon Defenders looks as captivating as Keira Knightley in an especially revealing swimsuit. It's easily one of the most alluring titles on the platform, with detailed characters, impressive effects and bold, imposing environments.

The gameplay is equally impressive, mixing together tower defence and action RPG elements to produce one of the most engaging mobile releases we've played in quite some time. The only downside is that Dungeon Defenders is tremendously taxing on your phone's processor, and even on a brand-new Nexus S we experienced a fair degree of slowdown. Despite this niggle, this remains one of the best Android apps for showing off to your iOS gaming mates.

Browsix (£1.29)

Admit it – sometimes you're just too damn lazy to connect your phone to your PC to download photos, videos and other media. We don't blame you – the whole irksome process of finding the USB cable, enabling USB mass storage and then laboriously browsing each file using your computer's user interface is hardly what you'd describe as a streamlined process, but it's been a mandatory procedure – until now, that is.

Browsix allows you to peruse every inch of your Android phone's internal storage using your computer's web browser and a Wi-Fi connection. You can set up a specially encrypted link to ensure that no one ends up seeing your embarrassing holiday snaps, and it's even possible to view your videos and listen to your music using the site's special media player.

Zenonia 2: Lost Memories (£3.22)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it – Zenonia was already one of the best Android apps out there. Those wise words can be applied to Gamevil's latest Android release, the port of its well-liked iPhone romp Zenonia 2. It's painfully similar to the original Zenonia – which is also available on Google's platform, we might add – but when the quality of the role-playing on offer is this darn brilliant, you'd have to be a right old sourpuss to actually complain.

Fans of Nintendo's Zelda will feel right at home here, thanks largely to the cute 2D graphics and endearing character designs. The epic quest is also a massive selling-point, offering hours of top-notch RPG action in the palm of your hand.

Emulator ROMs (free)

Retro gamers will already be aware that the Android platform is home to some truly amazing emulators, and thanks to the fact that Google doesn't possess Apple's infuriating 'big brother' stance on such programs, they don't get pulled from the market within seconds of appearing, either.

However, actually getting games to play on these apps is quite tricky. You can either 'rip' the ROM files yourself (which is about as easy as getting blood from a stone if you lack the proper gear and know-how) or you can surf the many shady ROM sites on the net – many of which boast 'questionable' adverts which may cause eyebrows to be raised should someone catch you in the act.

Emulator ROMs is here to save your time and blushes. Presented in the same fashion as the Android Market, it lists ROMs for the SNES, NES, Mega Drive, Game Boy Advance and (more recently) PlayStation. The latter is a godsend, as obtaining PlayStation ROMs is almost as challenging as attempting to cross the Andes on the back of a asthmatic mouse.

Screen shots are also on offer, and it's even possible to pause and resume downloads. Best of all, the app is offered entirely free of charge.

AppsFire (free)

Those of you that have already experienced the brilliant AppAware will be familiar with the general concept behind AppsFire – this is a tool which basically tracks which apps are being downloaded and presents a list of all the hottest programs currently available.

Unlike AppAware, AppsFire is bursting with options and functionality. It recommends apps based on what you've already got installed on your phone, and there's even the opportunity to look at what various industry-types – referred to rather grandly as 'VIPs' – are rocking on their devices at any given time.

However, our most beloved feature is the ability to mark apps as 'favourites' without actually downloading them. This comes in very handy when you spot something you'd like to grab, but don't want to burn through your vital cellular data allowance. Using this aspect of AppsFire, you can return to the app when you get within a Wi-Fi hotspot and download to your heart's content. Bliss.

New MSI Intel Core Sandy Bridge laptops in photos

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 08:39 PM PST

MSI’s CES press conference today was a low key affair: there were no tablets or outlandish Android devices to be see. Instead, we were treated to the PC peddler’s brand new laptops, all packing Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge CPUs.

Up first is MSI’s new gaming laptop line, its G Series models. All these tasty machines come with Sandybridge 32nm CPUs, USB 3.0 slots and Dynaudio speakers. At the top of the line are the MSI GT780 and GT680 17.3-inch monsters, complete with quad core Core i7 CPUs, hard disk and solid state storage and support for up to 16GB of RAM. Below them sit the slightly less outlandish and red 15.6 GR620 and GE620 models: all are out in the first half of the year, with UK prices TBC.

MSI’s slightly less outlandish F series of machines meanwhile still pack Sandy Bridge processors and USB 3.0, but vary in size from 17.6-inches with the FX720 and FR720 models, down to a much more portable 14-inches in the FX420. All are expected out before March this year.

We’ll be hitting MSI’s stand for a closer look at all its new products when the show proper opens on Thursday. In the meantime, get a quick glimpse at the new lappies here in our hands on gallery.

Pure Contour: internet connected radio with pop out iPod dock

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 08:05 PM PST

Pure has whipped out a new internet connected radio with an iPod and iPhone dock at CES this year. It's called Contour, and it's a big black half moon covered in speaker mesh, with a pop-out dock.

This is the seventh internet connected radio in the Pure line up, and it comes loaded with the 7digital powered Flow Songs too, so you can buy tracks direct from the radio. The Pure Contour has also got Clearsound technology, that means you can push the volume without distorting the sound.

The outputs on the Pure Contour, as well as an aux input, headphone jack and USB connector, it's also packing video outputs that will plug in to your TV. You can also stream audio from your computer straight to the radio, and there's a remote control too.

Out end of January 2011 | £199 | Pure

Black and Decker iShred: shredding goes sexy

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 06:33 PM PST

Office aesthetes pay attention! Black and Decker just turned our heads with an office shredder that defies convention: welcome, ladies and gents, to shredding done sexy.

The iShred Vertical Shredder looks like it was bred on the same design farm as Dyson Air Multiplier, and like all great designs it’s more than a pretty face. The vertical orientation of the shredder blades means they’re completely hidden. No chance of workplace accidents here.

The iShred’s base also acts as a funnel, eliminating spilled shreddings when it’s emptied into a bag, and with a 3.5 gallon capacity, it’s actually larger than some of Black and Decker’s more boxy office shredders. Those vertical blades will also chew up six sheets of paper at once, and blitz through credit cards too.

The catch? There isn’t one. The Black and Decker iShred isn’t even that pricey, at $99. All we’re waiting for now is a UK release date, and apparently, it’ll be announced soon.

TBC | £60 | Black and Decker

Mavia car diagnostic tool: Drive-by Facebook check ins soon to become reality

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 06:19 PM PST

Among the gizmos we’ve just got up close with at CES 2011 is this smart car tool letting you peep the vital diagnostics of your car from your iOS or Android to tell you what’s wrong with your automobile well before you know it. You could even use it to check into Facebook with your automobile. Want to know how to do drive by Facebook check-ins? And when you can get it? Details this way.

Previously called the Autobot, Mavia, developed by Mavizon Technologies is a device that connects to your car. Simply mount it under your dashboard and it’ll use its built-in Internet connection to grab the vital statistics of your car and its compatibility with almost any mobile phone. It promises to make driving safer and your car smarter.

Mavia always connected so you’ll know when your car needs an oil change. In fact it’ll always tell you when something is wrong with your car using Mavia’s diagnostic features.

The Mavia car diagnostic device should be arriving in Summer 2011 at around $300, but its makers will be hoping to scotch that down to the $200 mark. A UK price could not be confirmed yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we get it.

Rest assured UK drivers, it is coming. Talks to bring it to these shores are ongoing. As well as Android and iOS devices, development on Mavia for Windows 7 devices has already begun.

Rather excitingly, an ability to check into Facebook just as you would using Foursquare could soon be a reality, we were told. Fun for drivers,not so fun for those bothered by constant Facebook friend updates.

Out Summer 2011 | $200-300 | Mavizon Technologies

iHome iW1: first Apple Airplay speaker system to make it to market?

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 06:14 PM PST

The iHome iW1 is a wireless speaker system that comes with AirPlay, and will be hitting Apple stores in just a couple of months, meaning this could be the first AirPlay enabled device to make it to market.

The iHome iW1 is an AirPlay wireless speaker system that connects to iTunes via Wi-Fi, and means you can control your iTunes remotely. You can lug it around the house too, as it’s got a rechargeable battery. Under the hood, as well as AirPlay, there’s two woofers with two high-efficiency tweeters, and the interface is a capacitive touch panel.

The down side is that it’s not particularly cheap, although it won’t break the bank if you’re itching for some AirPlay enabled speakers. The iW1 with AirPlay will set you back £299. It’s headed to the UK around March or April, and is going to be an exclusive with Apple. Adam Gould, the UK spokesperson for iHome, said that the iW1 would probably not make it to other retailers purely for stock reasons, because Apple would wipe them out.

Out March/April | £299 | Apple

Lenovo LePad and U1 tablet laptop: hands on with an oddity

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 06:13 PM PST

The Lenovo LePad and U1 tablet-that’s-also-a-laptop announced earlier today was on show at the CES Unveiled press event in Las Vegas this evening, so naturally we moseyed on over to take a look. Which OS is better? Is it ever going to come out? All that, plus photos, here in our gallery.

In case you missed the announcement earlier today, the Lenovo LePad is a new tablet that slots into a netback sized base. The tablet itself runs Android 2.2 on a 1.3GHz Snapdragon processor, but when docked, it kicks into Windows 7, on an Inte Core i5 processor. Curious, no?

We saw both aspects of the Lenovo LePad and U1 Jekyll and Hyde machine, and came away with mixed impressions. The Android slate ran smoothly enough, with Angry Birds humming along nicely. Android has been heavily skinned, but the focus is very much on a Chinese audience, so it’s hard to tell how practical it is.

The Windows 7 side of things needs a bit of work though: it flicked into something that wasn’t Android when docked very quickly, but, what that was was a white screen.

The build quality of both sides was top notch though. The Lenovo LePad is incredibly thin and sturdy, while the U1 has a lovely ThinkPad style keyboard with curved chiclet keys, plus a HDMI slot on the side for outpuggint the screen to your TV. It’s also not quite as thick as the press pics make it appear, would you believe.

Unfortunately, a Lenovo rep told us that the Lenovo LePad won’t be seeing light outside of China anytime soon. A tragedy, especially considering this device has been floating around in prototype form for more than a year now, but at least Asus will be serving us something similar with the Eee Pad Transformer. See what we’re missing out on here in our hands on gallery.

Out TBC | £TBC | Lenovo

Made for Life

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Blog Directories