Lithium-ion batteries
The future for hybrid and electric vehicles
Bosch pursuing long-term strategy to increase use of electric motors in drivetrains
· In the future, the lithium-ion battery will supply power for efficient automotive hybrid and electrical drives

· With SB LiMotive Co. Ltd., its joint venture to develop and manufacture lithium-ion batteries, Bosch is expanding its portfolio

· Bosch expects hybrid and electric vehicles to have a more than three percent share of the world market by 2015

Stuttgart – With its work to develop and subsequently manufacture automotive lithium-ion batteries, Bosch is rounding off its portfolio of products for hybrid and electrical drives. SB LiMotive Co. Ltd., its joint venture with its Korean partner Samsung SDI has started its operations in this area on September 1, 2008. “Thus, we are the first and only automotive supplier with a joint venture to develop lithium-ion batteries for the complex requirements of the automobile,” says Wolf-Henning Scheider, president of the Gasoline Systems division. In 2011, Bosch and Samsung intend to start production of battery systems.

“Apart from Bosch core competencies in automotive technology and Samsung SDI know-how in lithium-ion technology, the two companies will invest between 300 and 400 million dollars in this area in the next five years,” Scheider adds. Lithium-ion batteries are the key technology for the use of electric motors in vehicles. For more than 30 years now, Bosch has been working on electrical drive technologies for the automobile. This means that the company can draw on comprehensive expertise in battery, electrical drive, and brake management, as well as in engine management and transmission control. In addition, the company has already built up a broad portfolio of components, including powerful electric motors, the necessary power electronics, and DC/DC converters. Bosch’s main focus is the concept of the parallel hybrid, whose modular components can be customized to suit the requirements of individual OEMs and their models. Bosch already has its first orders for both gasoline and diesel hybrids. Besides mild and strong hybrid concepts, Bosch also offers simpler methods for innovative start-stop technologies and the recovery of braking energy via the alternator, as these concepts also allow significant CO2 reductions to be made. Within the Bosch Group, the expertise of roughly 370 associates from a wide range of divisions is pooled in a “Hybrid” project unit, whose purpose is to develop and market hybrid and electrical drives. A further 40 associates are involved in the further development and marketing of lithium-ion batteries.

Complete Article / Source: robert bosch GmbH

From noise-cancellation for frequent travelers to affordability for customers on a budget, Sony today unveiled three new Walkman® players (series S, E and B) that have something to offer nearly every customer segment.

“Whether the fit and finish, the engineering or the integration of unique technologies, each of these new series has different points of appeal,” said Mitch Li, product manager for Walkman players in the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics. “These new Walkman players satisfy the need of consumers who don’t want to sacrifice sound quality for the digital music and MP3 experience.”

S-Series Walkman Players

The top-end, format-friendly Walkman S-series broadens options for enjoying tunes from multiple sources, including many download stores and personal music collections. The supplied Content Transfer software even simplifies “drag and drop” transfer of non-DRM music, videos, podcasts and playlists from online music services to Walkman players. If you’re migrating your personal collection of ripped tracks from another MP3 player, there’s no need to re-rip all your tunes from your CDs.

Support for popular audio and video codecs is enhanced because the S-series Walkman devices play Windows Media Video (WMV) files with DRM, allowing you to enjoy rights-protected movies and video clips from other media collections.

Additionally, the S-series Walkman players are the first MP3 players with Sony’s SensMe™ Channels function, which automatically creates channels that can align with a user’s preferences. Based on Sony’s SensMe Channels function, the S-series players analyze a user’s music collection and suggest channels based on each song’s speed, mood and rhythm. They create a choice of 11 themed channels from upbeat pop to emotional ballads.

In-Flight Noise Cancellation

Whether commuting, flying high or just listening to music at home, the new S-series Walkman players help diminish background noise while improving your overall listening experience. The top-end S-series Walkman players feature integrated active noise cancellation with supplied 13.5mm EX noise canceling headphones and an accessory cable that extends the noise canceling functionality of the device. On airplanes, travellers can – for the first time – connect the S-series player directly to a plane’s audio video system with the included accessory cable and enjoy regular in-flight entertainment with the bonus of high-quality noise cancellation.

Just 7.5mm thin, the super-light S-series is the slimmest Walkman player in any of the new series. It has a bright, high-contrast 2-inch QVGA LCD screen (measured diagonally) that has an ultra-quick response time, with smooth playback at up to 30 frames per second and selectable horizontal/vertical viewing. The interface can be personalized with the user’s choice of 10 pre-installed wallpaper images or their favorite digital photo.

E-Series Walkman Players

The E-series combines high-quality video and audio performance to create the perfect device for enjoying favorite photos and video clips. Like the S-series, all E-series models are format friendly, easily playing back ripped tracks from your personal music collection, music store downloads and rights-managed video clips. Non-DRM files can be transferred by “drag and drop” from online music services to Walkman players.

Support for popular audio and video codecs is enhanced because the E-series Walkman players can also support Windows Media Video (WMV) with DRM, allowing rights-protected movies and video clips from other media collections.

B-Series Walkman Players

The affordable entry-level Walkman B-series player offers the high-quality sound that users have come to expect from Sony. The ultra-portable devices can connect to your PC’s USB port for easy “drag and drop” file transfers. Like all other Walkman models, open support for Windows Media Audio (WMA) and MP3 codecs enables users to buy, copy and manage music to fit their needs.

The stylish design is enhanced by an illuminator that pulses in time with the music when the bass button is pressed. The device has an FM radio for enjoying favorite stations and a voice recorder that’s great for capturing memos, shopping lists or random thoughts while you’re on the move.

Battery Life

The battery life is up to 40 hours of music playback for S-series, up to 45 hours for the E-series and up to 16 hours for the B-series. The battery life is up to 10 hours of video playback for S-series, up to 8 hours for the E-series. The battery life is also up to 30 hours of audio playback for the S-series when the noise-cancellation feature is activated.  Actual battery life may vary upon usage patterns, product settings, battery and environmental conditions.

Sony’s Open Platform Means More Choice

The E- and S-series Walkman players support an open platform, providing more choices for downloading and managing music and video collections online.  The devices can support security-enhanced Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as non-secure AAC, linear PCM and MP3 music formats plus JPEG files for photos, in addition to the WMV with DRM, AVC (H.264/AVC) Baseline Profile and MPEG-4 video codecs.

Pricing and Availability

The S-series of Walkman noise canceling video MP3 players come in two different storage capacities in black:

* The NWZ-S736F has approximately 4GB of internal storage and will cost about $150.
* The NWZ-S738F has approximately 8GB of internal storage and will cost about $180.

The E-series of Walkman video MP3 players will be available in the following configurations:

* The NWZ-E436F comes in black, red, pink, blue, has approximately 4GB of internal storage and costs about $100.
* The NWZ-E438F comes in black, red, pink, has approximately 8GB of internal storage, and costs about $140.

The B-series of Walkman MP3 players come in two different capacities and four colors:

* The NWZ-B133F player has approximately 1GB of internal storage; comes in black, red and blue and will cost about $45.
* The NWZ-B135F player has approximately 2GB of internal storage; comes in black, red and pink and will cost about $60.

Presales have begun for the new Walkman models online at www.sonystyle.com/walkman  and at Sony Style stores. The players will be available in September across the country at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.

Combining a screen that’s roomy enough to avoid eye strain and a weight that’s still reasonable enough to carry to the coffee shop or on the occasional business trip, 13.3 inches may be the most perfect size for a laptop. How much better, then, that Fujitsu has issued the LifeBook T1010, a tablet whose 13.3-inch display rotates and folds down over the keyboard to let you take handwritten notes? Viewed as a laptop, the LifeBook T1010 seems fairly average, with a typical assortment of features and the entry level of Intel’s latest Centrino 2 components. Viewed as a tablet, however, the LifeBook T1010 seems more compelling: it’s priced lower than many 12.1-inch tablets, yet provides a little extra screen real estate. We think it’s a good choice for students and executives who prefer to take handwritten notes in lectures and meetings.

We like the look of the Fujitsu LifeBook T1010, which includes a glossy, silver lid with an abstract, almost bar code-like pattern as well as a matte-silver interior. Its squared-off corners are consistent with Fujitsu’s reputation for slightly boxy laptops, but the 13-inch screen means its overall footprint is compact and appealing. At 5.2 pounds, the Fujitsu is heavier than other 13.3-inch systems, such as the Dell XPS M1330 and the Toshiba Satellite U405D; and it’s more than a half-pound heavier than such 12.1-inch tablets as the Toshiba Portege M700. Nevertheless, the Fujitsu’s weight is reasonable for semi-frequent travel and for regular trips to the coffee shop or library.

Like any other convertible tablet, the Fujitsu LifeBook T1010’s display connects to its base on a single hinge that lets you swing the screen around (in either direction) and fold it over the keyboard to take handwritten notes on-screen. Unlike other convertible tablets, the LifeBook T1010 incorporates a 13.3-inch wide-screen display. The size is not only our preferred compromise between portability and usability, but it also provides a comfortably roomy amount of space for writing notes by hand.

The screen’s 1,280×800 resolution is fairly typical for a display of this size, and its matte finish cuts down on distracting reflections–a huge plus for taking notes in a meeting room or lecture hall. The screen surface provides a pleasing amount of drag when you’re writing with the included stylus, and five buttons in the display bezel–up and down arrows, screen rotation, a Function key, and an Alt key–help you navigate without the keyboard while in tablet mode.

Complete Review / Source: cnet.net

* Matches affordability with quality and reliability
* Backed by specially designed support services
* Fuels commitment to emerging economies

Dell today unveiled two new Vostro laptops and two desktops designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses, governments and educational institutions operating on limited budgets in the world’s emerging economies.

The new Vostro laptops and desktops will be available through authorized channel partners, as well as direct from Dell in more than 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. More information is available at www.Dell.com/newvostropresskit.

“Within the world’s emerging economies millions of new businesses are demanding just the technology they need, at the prices they can afford, from a vendor they can trust. Today we answer that need by introducing new products that join our existing Vostro product line,” said Steve Felice, president, Dell Asia-Pacific/Japan. “Together with our partners, Dell will play an important role in bringing more technology to more people than ever before – whether in business or in the public sector. Vostro is a key building block to unleashing the potential of the Connected Era.”

The new Vostro products include two pre-configured laptops and two desktops. Additional Vostro products designed for emerging economies will be introduced in coming months. The new Vostro products being introduced today provide:

* Everyday Business Mobility  – The Dell Vostro A860 laptop is an affordable 15.6-inch laptop equipped for handling everyday business tasks. This system is ideal for customers interested in transitioning from desktop to mobile computing. It offers an HD widescreen LCD with anti-glare coating, the choice of a variety of Intel®  processors from Celeron®  to CoreTM  2 Duo and the choice of Ubuntu®  Linux®  or Microsoft®  Genuine Windows Vista®  operating systems. The laptop also offers an integrated network, modem and wireless connectivity with optional Bluetooth capabilities.
* Compact Affordability  – The Dell Vostro A840 is a 14.1-inch version of the A860 laptop with an anti-glare WXGA widescreen LCD. It offers the same practical technology for mobile business computing, but for small business customers who value mobility and compact size at an affordable price offering.
* Affordable, Basic Business Computing  – The Dell Vostro A180 is an affordable, practical desktop solution for everyday business computing. The system offers Intel Celeron and Pentium®  dual core processors to optimize office application performance and simple multi-tasking, in addition to the option of Ubuntu®  Linux®  or Microsoft®  Windows Vista® .
* Entry-Level Productivity  – The Dell Vostro A100 is a reliable, entry-level desktop designed for basic business productivity. The system comes standard with an Intel Atom processor and Ubuntu®  Linux®  operating system.

According to IDC, there are more than 72 million small businesses worldwide, with 23.4 million – nearly one-third of the global total – located in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan). Latin America and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) follow with 12.5 million and 11.9 million, respectively1.

Through the thousands of daily conversations Dell and its channel partners have with small businesses in these countries, Dell identified significant challenges related to the purchase, ownership and support of technology. These include:

* The prohibitive cost of technology, especially mobility.
* Product reliability and quality.
* Finding solutions that are easy to set up and maintain.
* Accessible support and services.

The new Vostro products were designed to address these needs as follows:

* Affordable : These systems enable growing businesses to increase productivity through basic business and everyday computing applications.
* Reliability : The new Vostro products reflect Dell’s reputation for high-quality standards and underwent up to 7,000 hours of rigorous reliability testing.
* Easy to maintain : The set configurations are easy to set up and maintain, delivering out-of-the-box productivity. The systems are also pre-configured with core office productivity applications and only the software customers want.
* Worry-free Dell services2 and support : As the technology needs for small and medium size businesses in emerging economies continues to grow, so does their need for services and support. To help these businesses keep their systems running smoothly, Dell offers a range of services and support that includes:
Technical support that begins with telephone diagnosis and consultation, and includes system repair or replacement3 if necessary.
Easy-to-use return for repair process4 at Dell-certified repair facilities.
Next business day onsite support5.
Support consultation and repair parts and labor included as part of the standard one-year limited hardware warranty6.
Accidental damage service and basic installation.

Pricing for the new Vostro products will vary by configuration. For more information on the new Vostro product line and country availability, visit www.Dell.com/newvostropresskit.

From and For Partners

Consistent with Dell’s commitment to deliver affordable and reliable technology to emerging countries through multiple channels, the pre-configured Vostro laptops and desktops will be available primarily through a Dell local solution provider, distributor or retailer. While all products are available through Dell channel partners, this is the first time a Dell product will be available primarily through Dell channel partners in emerging countries.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

As the enterprise market for highly reliable, high-capacity storage continues to grow, WD® (NYSE: WDC) today added 750 GB and 1 TB WD RE3 SATA hard drives to its successful family of WD RE™ hard drives.

Perfect for demanding server and storage application environments, WD’s RE3 750 GB and 1 TB high-capacity enterprise SATA hard drives combine 32 MB cache, enhanced vibration and shock tolerance, and deploy new electronics to increase performance approximately 20 percent and by as much 60 percent in high-vibration environments. WD RE3 enterprise hard drives also include improved reliability features that help protect the drive and the data stored on it, and run cooler and quieter than previous generation enterprise drives.

“WD continues to offer enterprise customers the best combination of features, optimum performance, and superior reliability that they have come to expect from WD,” said Tom McDorman, vice president and general manager of enterprise storage solutions for WD. “With WD’s extensive experience in previous generation enterprise drives, we continue to address opportunities based on our customers positive experiences with WD enterprise hard drives.”

WD RE3 drives feature 1.2 million hours mean time between failures (MTBF), native command queuing (NCQ), time limited error recovery (TLER), and an extensive and enhanced testing process to ensure long-term reliability for demanding enterprise applications.

WD RE3 Features

* StableTrac™ - The motor shaft is secured at both ends to reduce system-induced vibration and stabilize platters for accurate tracking during read and write operations. Visit the Web site at http://www.wdc.com/global/flash/index.asp?family=stabletrac to see StableTrac in action.
* Dual processor - Twice the processing power that results in a 20 percent performance improvement over the previous generation.
* RAFF™ technology - Resulting in up to 60 percent performance improvement over previous generation drives, WD’s fourth-generation RAFF technology includes sophisticated electronics to monitor the drive and correct both linear and rotational vibration simultaneously in real time for maximum performance in high vibration environments.
* IntelliSeek™ technology - Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise, and vibration in active seek modes without degrading performance.
* Multi-axis shock sensor - An additional third sensor has been added to RE3 models to detect automatically the subtlest shock events and to compensate to protect the data.
* RAID-specific, Time-Limited Error Recovery (TLER) - Prevents drive fallout caused by the extended hard drive error-recovery processes common to desktop drives.
* Third-generation dynamic fly height - With this next generation dynamic fly height technology, each read-write head’s fly height is adjusted in real time for optimum reliability.
* Thermal extended burn-in test - Extended burn-in testing with thermal cycling added to ensure only the most robust drives are produced as RAID Edition.
* NoTouch™ ramp load technology - The recording head never touches the disk media ensuring significantly less wear to the recording head and media as well as better drive protection in transit.

Price and Availability
WD RE3 1 TB (model WD1002FBYS) and the 750 GB (model WD7502ABYS) hard drives are available now through select distributors and resellers. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the WD RE3 1 TB is $249 USD and the 750 GB is $199 USD. WD RE3 drives are covered by a five-year limited warranty. More information about WD RE3 enterprise drives may be found on the company’s Web site at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=503.

About WD
WD, one of the storage industry’s pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company produces reliable, high-performance hard drives that keep users’ data accessible and secure from loss. WD applies its storage expertise to consumer products for external, portable and shared storage applications.

WD was founded in 1970. The company’s storage products are marketed to leading systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital® and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company’s Web site (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information.

###
Western Digital, WD and the WD logo are registered trademarks in the U.S. and other countries; WD RE, IntelliSeek, NoTouch, RAFF and StableTrac are trademarks of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks herein are property of their respective owner. As used for storage capacity, one megabyte (MB) = one million bytes, one gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes, and one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment. As used for buffer or cache, one megabyte (MB) = 1,048,576 bytes

· Radio offers reception quality at reference level

· Wide variety of different connections for additional audio sources

· Sound optimization for individualists

The modern car radio is becoming a central, integral operating unit in the automobile to an ever-greater extent. The RCD 510 developed and manufactured for Volkswagen by Bosch subsidiary Blaupunkt offers not only a comprehensive, state-of-the-art range of radio and audio functions. In some vehicle models, it also serves as a display instrument for the reversing camera or the visual parking assistant. At the same time, the display is also able to show such other vehicle functions as the air-conditioning, for example. With its high-resolution, brilliant, 6.5-inch on the diagonal color touch screen, the RCD 510 is very feature-rich, enables easy, intuitive operation and allows for a very tidy-looking instrument cluster.

Top-quality radio reception
With the innovative ADR2 (Advanced Digital Receiver) chip set made by Blaupunkt, the tuner of the RCD 510 raises the bar in terms of input dynamics, sensitivity and large-signal behavior. Among other things, the chip set includes a digital dual receiver as well as trusted DDA technology (Digital Directional Antenna) for the effective suppression of interference caused by multipath reception. In addition, interfaces for such digital radio services as DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), the complete receiver control system, RDS (Radio Data System) electronics and the entire audio signal processing required for high-end products, including the interfaces for different audio sources are integrated in the chip set. And then there’s also the helpful traffic radio memory TIM (Traffic Memo): it automatically stores the most recent traffic announcements so that the driver can have them played back at any time they are needed.

The ADR concept also offers the greatest possible freedom for the design of audio functions in the vehicle. In addition to the many options for individual sound adjustment, the device is also equipped with an intelligent dynamic processor, which allows high output power with very little distortion.

The RCD 510 is also well equipped with different connection options for all types of audio sources. It accepts MP3 and WMA files, has a six-disk CD changer as well as a slot for SD memory cards. External players can also be connected via an interface. Complete control for a Bluetooth cell phone is also integrated, making it possible to access call lists or the cell phone’s phone book.

Intuitive operation thanks to well-arranged display
The RCD 510 user guidance system is intuitive. The device can be operated with just a few keys and the touch screen, which provides for particularly convenient, easy operation. Depending on the context, the screen and the virtual keys displayed there will change. For certain functions, the RCD 510 also offers operating alternatives: to alter the radio station, for example, either the encoder can be used or a simple touch of the finger on the screen at the right place. To enable the user to keep track of the tracks on music media with a lot of memory, the device has screens available that are used in the same way as popular computer programs and all the screens are set up very quickly. The operating menus are available in eight different languages.

The high quality of the RCD 510 is reflected in its looks: the display is surrounded by an elegant, black, high-gloss faceplate, while the keys and encoders sport real chrome. The screen with its glass front underscores the device’s high quality, which also means that the touch screen will remain reliable even after years of use. A brightness sensor provides for additional convenience: when it gets darker in the vehicle, the brilliancy of the monitors is adjusted automatically.

Blaupunkt, a company belonging to the Bosch Group, is an internationally leading manufacturer of driver information systems, car radios, car speakers and vehicle antennas. Blaupunkt has its main headquarters in Hildesheim, Germany, and maintains other production sites in Portugal, Hungary, Tunisia, Malaysia and China. The company posted sales of more than Euro 1.3 billion in fiscal year 2007 and employs approximately 8,500 people worldwide.

Keypad Attaches to SIXAXIS™ and DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controllers for Quick and Simple Text Input on PS3®

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it would release the Wireless Keypad, a new peripheral for SIXAXIS™ and DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controllers for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®), this holiday season throughout the world. It will be introduced in North America in late November. It will be also introduced in Japan, Europe and Asia by the end of this year.

The highly anticipated Wireless Keypad is designed to fit precisely into the unique shape of SIXAXIS and DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controllers, and can be easily attached or removed. By using the product instead of the on-screen keyboard, users will be able to enjoy text chat communication more easily and comfortably in their hands, just as they would use familiar portable communication devices. It supports text chat in PlayStation®Home as well, and enables users to enjoy interactivity playing on-line titles and enjoying entertainment content more smoothly.

Equipped with Bluetooth® functionality, the Wireless Keypad can be paired to PS3 by simply connecting the keypad to the USB cable that comes bundled with the PS3 system. Also, two shortcut buttons, a Communication Button and a Message Box Button, are placed on the lower part of the Wireless Keypad, enabling users to jump to pre-set features on XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) such as “Friends” and “Message Box” during game play, which help PS3 users to smoothly communicate with each other. Additionally, a Touch Pad Button allows PS3 users to use the entire surface of the keypad as a touch pad, allowing them to easily maneuver the pointer while web browsing, simply by sliding their finger on the keypad surface.

More and more exclusive software titles that will support text chat feature are scheduled for release towards the end of the year including LittleBigPlanet™ (SCEI).

SCEI will vigorously promote various measures to introduce new entertainment world that can be further enriched through the network, including PlayStation Home.

Source / Complete Release: PlayStation.com

EX-Z300 and EX-Z250 Features New Imaging Engine for Superb Photography; EX-Z85, a Stylish New 9.1 Megapixel Camera

Casio America, Inc., in conjunction with it’s parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd. today announced the release of three new high-profile additions to its EXILIM family of digital cameras. The 10.1 effective megapixel EXILIM Zoom EX-Z300 and the 9.1 effective megapixel EXILIM Zoom EX-Z250 both deliver beautiful high resolution images and outstanding functionality made possible by a new Casio imaging engine for high speed image processing. The 9.1 effective megapixel EXILIM Zoom EX-Z85 camera features a stylish design and is packed with the kind of innovative features users have come to expect from Casio.

EX-Z300 and EX-Z250 combine high resolution and high speed image processing to produce beautiful photos of people and night scenes
Thanks to Casio’s new EXILIM Engine 3.0*, these two cameras produce beautiful image quality with low noise and moiré. Both are high resolution models, boasting excellent resolving power and offering precise, smooth rendering of images. The image processing speed and power of Casio’s new engine make possible entirely new functions that deliver fantastic photos of people’s faces, night scenes and other subjects that have challenged photographers for years. These cameras automatically detect and correct for difficult situations, such as night scene photography where camera shake could be a problem, or backlit subjects where faces often come out too dark. This all means that users get great, well-balanced photos of family and friends against any background with no more worry than it takes to press the shutter button.

EXILIM Engine 3.0: This is an image processing module that packages a new, dedicated high speed image processing CPU (central processing unit) with the high performance CPU used to date. Digital cameras are constantly developing and evolving new levels of “beautiful imagery” and “convenient shooting functions.” This new module quickly processes complex images, making it possible for customers to shoot and view wonderful photos with simplicity and ease.

These cameras also feature a Makeup function that creates beautiful photographs of people’s faces: high end image processing can smooth skin and soften facial shadows caused by sunlight. The photographer gets to choose to apply such image processing at one of twelve levels, from weak through strong, and can shoot while checking the results of the effects in the LCD monitor. At last, a camera that brings out all the beauty of the human face, creating images worthy of holding onto for a lifetime.

EXILIM Zoom EX-Z85 — 9.1 effective megapixel camera with stylish design
The EX-Z85 comes with a Face Recognition function that can detect the presence of up to 10 people’s faces and then give priority to the faces of pre-registered people for correct focus and exposure, and an Auto Shutter function, which automatically takes a photo the instant camera shake ceases, as well as a Movie button that lets users easily record widescreen movies. The design of the focus frame and the color of the menu screen can be customized in accordance with each user’s wishes.  The EX-Z85 delivers high performance with a compact, stylish look.

“We are proud to welcome three new additions to the EXILIM family of sleek and attractive digital cameras,” said Bill Heuer, Vice President of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “The new EXILIM engine for high speed image processing takes these point-and-shoot digital cameras to a new level of functionality.”

The three new cameras will be available at retail in October in the following colors:  The EX-Z300, MSRP $299.99, will be available in silver, black and pink; the EX-Z250, MSRP $249.99 will be available in silver and black and the EX-Z85, MSRP $179.99, will be available in brown and orange.

More details at News - CASIO

The LG 50PG20 is the company’s least expensive 50-inch plasma, competing against similar entry-level models from Samsung and Panasonic. It doesn’t have the 1080p resolution of higher-priced plasmas, but we didn’t really miss that extra detail. What we did miss with this LG, namely deep black levels and more accurate color, causes us to prefer the panels of those other brands in terms of pure picture quality. The 50PG20 has a lot of picture adjustments and slick styling, however, and all told it still outperforms no-name budget plasmas.

Design
We liked the looks of the LG 50PG20, especially considering its price. The glossy black frame, which is as thin as we’ve seen on any consumer 50-inch plasma, has sleekly rounded corners and the bottom angles back to provide an understated visual accent. The speakers are concealed under the bottom of the cabinet and face straight down. The only interruption of the gloss comes courtesy of an LED power indicator near the silver, rounded power button, and the LG logo.

Including the matching, rounded, nonswiveling stand, LG’s 50PG20 50-inch plasma measures 48.2 inches wide by 33.4 inches tall by 14.3 inches deep and weighs 92 pounds. Without the stand, it shrinks to 48.2 inches wide by 31.1 inches tall by 3.4 inches deep.

LG’s remote control is a bit disappointing. We found the cluster of similar buttons around the cursor control difficult to differentiate without constantly having to look down at them. A little illumination would have gone a long way. Unlike the remote of previous LG TVs, about which we complained, the 50PG20’s remote actually has a dedicated “ratio” key to toggle between aspect ratio settings on the a “Quick Menu.” The remote can command three pieces of equipment other than the television.

The company has completely overhauled its menu system from last year, and the changes are mostly for the better. The stark black-on-light-gray menus are legible and large, and we liked that the input menu, which is arranged horizontally, grouped active inputs near the left where they were easy to select quickly. We would have liked to see text explanations accompany menu items, and navigating the extensive Expert menu can be quite tedious, but overall we liked the simple arrangement. We also appreciated the Quick Menu, which allows control of aspect ratio, picture presets, and other options without having to deal with the full menu system.

Source / Complete Review on CNET.com

Latest Addition to Family of Frames Boasts Quick Touch Border and Decorative Mattes for Added Personalization

Rochester, NY, August 21 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has introduced a market-exclusive touch controlled 5-inch frame to its P-Series Digital Frame portfolio. The sleek and stylish new frame offers Kodak’s intuitive Quick Touch Border, vibrant color, and crisp detail, as well as KODAK EASYSHARE Software, Digital Frames Edition.

* Enjoy your pictures in a new and exciting way. The Quick Touch Border enables fun and interactive picture scrolling without the need for a remote control. Touch-sensitive controls allow for simple operation with a touch or slide of your finger, leaving the screen fingerprint- and smudge-free.
* Brand new KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Display Software helps you view, manage, organize and enjoy your pictures, and enables you to easily exchange your favorite images and slideshows between your computer and your frame.
* Kodak’s Digital Frames are color-tuned to Kodak’s standards and display pictures in brilliant, crisp detail thanks to proprietary KODAK Color Science.
* Two color-coordinated interchangeable mattes, in Cranberry Red and Silver, are included with each frame to match a variety of home décor styles.

“Consumers love Kodak’s Digital Frames because they’re an intuitive and engaging solution for bringing their memories back into their lives, in brilliant quality,” said John Blake, general manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company.

KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Frame Features

* The KODAK EASYSHARE P520 Digital Frame displays crisp, vibrant images on a 5-inch screen, and boasts expandable memory with an extra SD slot; to view a slideshow simply plug in a memory card or USB stick and play! Frame control is easy with the touch sensitive Quick Touch Border, and with Kodak’s unique scrolling feature, you can easily navigate through your images by simply sliding your finger across the frame border. The P520 is the only 5-inch frame on the market with a touch sensitive border.

Pricing and Availability

All KODAK products listed in this release will be available from September at retail and online at Kodak.com.  The KODAK EASYSHARE P520 Digital Frame will retail from $79.95

KODAK EASYSHARE Software Digital Frames Edition, with Digital Display Software, will be available with all EASYSHARE Digital Frames and free to download from kodak.com.

About the KODAK EASYSHARE System

Kodak continues to bring groundbreaking features to its award-winning KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Photography System, enhancing the digital photography experience for consumers worldwide. The EASYSHARE System consists of digital cameras, picture frames, online services, software, inkjet and thermal photo papers, and accessories—making picture taking, sharing and archiving virtually effortless.  The KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Picture Frame announced today includes the latest version of KODAK EASYSHARE Software Digital Frames Edition, with Digital Display Software, featuring an array of enhancements to help consumers find, create and share pictures like never before. Version 7.0 Software now includes direct access to KODAK Gallery, making it simple to find albums stored online. The new KODAK EASYSHARE Software Version 7.0 can be downloaded for free. Further information on all KODAK EASYSHARE Products can be found at www.kodak.com