Pentax today upgraded two of its most mainstream cameras to bring them up to par with the latest, 8-megapixel camera sensors. The Optio E40 brings this resolution to even the most inexperienced photographers and is targeted at the entry level: the proprietary Green Mode takes over all control of image quality for those who simply want to press the shutter. Face detection and an ISO-boosted blur reduction mode also take the guesswork out of producing portrait and nighttime shots for newcomers. This 3X zoom camera also runs on AA batteries to save cost and ships in September for $150.

More experienced photographers with pocket space as a concern will also have the choice of the Optio M40, Pentax says. Although similarly equipped with an 8-megapixel sensor and a 3X optical lens, the slimline metallic chassis is only about 0.7 thick with many of the same features. Green Mode is replaced with a more advanced Auto Picture mode that will adjust the image for the specific Landscape, Night Scene, and Portrait modes as well as normal shooting; it also includes 16 prioritized scene modes such as Natural Skin or Sport that adjust exposure time and white balance. ISO-based blur reduction (up to ISO 3200) and face detection also make their way into the camera, which goes on sale ahead of the E40 in August for $200.

Belkin today introduced the N1 Vision, a wireless router it claims is the first with an interactive display. A large LCD on the front lets the network’s operator keep track of both Internet and local networking info: transfer speeds, a list of active computers, and even a guest access key for the wireless network are visible without having to delve into the browser-based admin utility, the company says. Capable of the draft 2 spec for 802.11n wireless, the router includes a three-antenna MIMO setup for ideal reception up to a theoretical 300Mbps and a uniquely vertical design that takes up minimal space on a desk.

The network device maker also promises easy setup without requiring a specialized CD, and accommodates wired networks through four gigabit Ethernet jacks as well as a separate gigabit port just for the Internet connection. It ships with full support for WPA2 security and VPN tunnels and should be available by late this month for a price of $200 in North America; releases in Asia, Australia, and Europe will follow later.

Samsung this morning upgraded its L-series point-and-shoot cameras with three new models that all add more resolution and better software-based image processing to the equation. The 8.2-megapixel L83T (pictured) adds the company’s self-developed Advanced Shake Reduction technique that stabilizes the image in programming without a significant sacrifice in quality; rather than boost ISO and add noise, the system detects movement and alters the image itself in response. A Wise Shot mode also uses the feature to produce ideal night shots: the method snaps one picture with ASR and one with flash, letting the user pick whichever generates the best quality.

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The popular ToughTech is now super tiny! We have taken the ToughTech’s rugged and attractive aluminum case and resized it to fit smaller 2.5″ SATA drives – the kind of drive you would find in many modern laptops. Its Oxford 924 chipset gives you the fastest speeds for connections to your computer via FireWire 800, FireWire 400 or USB.The Pocket Drive Case transports the ToughTech™ mini or ComboGB™ with style and durability. The high quality black leatherette case emblazoned with the WiebeTech logo is perfect for storing and protecting small 2.5″ drive enclosures. And the sturdy Velcro flap keeps enclosures snugly tucked away until needed. Keep your files safe and portable with the attractive convenience of a WiebeTech Pocket Drive Storage Case.

The Pocket Case is included FREE with the purchase of a ComboGB or ToughTech mini with pre-installed, pre-formatted notebook drives.

Belkin this morning shook up its approach to its USB hub range with three models that put extra ports in unique locations. The Hub-To-Go is a rare convertible device that changes its role on the fly: while it includes a stable base with a tray for an MP3 player or other small devices, the 4-port hub detaches entirely to stow away for portable use. Its swiveling connector also lets it fit into notebooks and other systems without blocking nearby ports, Belkin says. The Hub-To-Go will sell in late August for $50 along with the Swivel Hub, which eliminates the base to lower the cost to $30.

A third hub, the Clip-On, is stationary and attaches to a desk or cable bundle to provide four USB ports without consuming valuable space. Two of these jacks are top-mounted to provide easier access for hot-swapped devices, Belkin says. The Clip-On joins the other hubs for the August release and sells for $30.

Netgear this morning officially shipped its Storage Central Turbo network storage device. Intended as much for the home and work, the device loads up to two desktop-sized Serial ATA drives of the user’s choice and shares them across up to a gigabit Ethernet network. This lets it handle even live HD video streams in real-time, Netgear says. Specialized storage area network techniques let users upgrade relatively easily by just adding more of the SCT devices to the network, while SmartSync software allows redundant backups between drives and to guard folders against public access or for individual users.

NetGear offers the Storage Central Turbo solely as an empty device, with drives to be added later; it arrives soon at online and physical resellers for $200 and works with virtually any operating system that can access network drives.

Tekkeon this afternoon revealed the myPower ALL Plus, a successor to its previous multi-purpose charger. The Plus (also known as the MP3450) adds a USB port to charge a handheld device such as a camera, cellphone, or iPod while simultaneously powering most notebooks. When committed solely to a notebook, the charger can extend the useful run time by as much as four hours, Tekkeon says. Estimates also have the average portable media player lasting for an additional 42 hours, while cameras typically see an extra 12 hours. Two batteries at once can be used for even more power, the company notes.

Several adapters ship with the power brick to accommodate most notebooks, including virtually all Windows notebooks, most pre-MagSafe Apple notebooks, and mini-USB devices. Tekkeon’s charger helps any device with up to a 19V current (and 64W of power) and has been released today for $160. A lower-power version, the MP3300, primarily charges handhelds alone (up to 14V) and sells for $100.

Texas Memory Systems, maker of the World’s Fastest Storage®, today announced a new Oracle Accelerator Kit – a product bundle designed to make it easier to accelerate Oracle database performance using supercomputer-class hardware. The Oracle Accelerator Kit includes Texas Memory Systems’ RamSan solid state disks, QLogic switches and QLogic host channel adaptors (HCAs) designed for InfiniBand-based Oracle grid computing environments.

The Texas Memory Systems Oracle Accelerator Kit can accelerate Oracle databases up to 2500%. Applications accelerated by solid state disks can support more concurrent users, more simultaneous transactions and demand less technical support. By using a pre-configured solution bundle, organizations benefit from extreme database performance and productivity gains, yet maintain an infrastructure that is scalable and easy to manage. The kits ensure fast and easy installation with assured compatibility of the components, all of which have been tested and certified by QLogic and Texas Memory Systems.

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Synchrotech has unveiled its MicroU2E USB 2.0 to USB 2.0 Mode ExpressCard 34 | 54 Host Adapter, offering USB 2.0 Mode ExpressCard device support on USB 2.0 ports. The adapter features a small footprint that is slightly larger than a book of matches, accepting USB 2.0-based ExpressCards in either 34 or 54 form factors. Supported USB mode ExpressCards include Novatel Wireless Merlin ExpressCards (XU870, EX720, V740), storage media ExpressCards like Datafab’s expSSD, RS-232 host adapters like Synchrotech’s EXP34-RS232-01, most ExpressCard to memory card media adapters like Synchrotech’s EXP34-ADP-CF2-01, and several others. The device does not work with any ExpressCard using the PCI Express (PCIe) portion of the ExpressCard standard, however, but allows the use of USB-based ExpressCards in the latest generation of 3G wireless devices on slotless MacBooks. The accessory is priced at $40.

Apple today was shown to have filed a US patent that may point towards the future of its desktop mice. Originally submitted in March 2006, the patent would use a variant of the multi-touch concept behind the iPhone and apply it to a hand controller. An optical sensor built inside the mouse would map the surface and recognize contact from the user’s hand based on changes in the image. Information would then be translated to a flat grid in software that the computer can use to recognize the user’s intent, the patent says.

Using an image-based system would eliminate the problems of most mice with touch-sensitivity, Apple says. Instead of limiting touch to a specific area of the mouse and usually limiting input to a single point, the optical sensor could potentially cover the entire mouse surface and recognize multiple fingers. This adaptation would allow the mouse both to recognize common mouse functions such as left- or right-clicking but also gestures, such as a pinching motion for zoom (similar to the iPhone), swiping movements for scrolling, or circular movements for rotation.

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Take monitor calibration to the next level with the PANTONE hueyPRO. Designed for photographers, creative professionals and enthusiasts looking to increase their colour control, the hueyPRO combines the innovative form and ease of use of the award-winning PANTONE huey with increased levels of functionality. In addition to automated calibration, the hueyPRO offers users greater control over brightness and contrast, with separate menu choices for the selection of gamma and white point settings.

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Fabrik today added to its drive options today with a 250GB version of its SimpleDrive mobile drive. Sharing the same Pininfarina-designed shell as the original, the USB 2.0 external disk is useful for carrying as much as 19 hours of HD video or 63,000 songs, by the company’s estimates. It ships with StorageSync for quicker incremental backups and access to a 2GB MyFabrik online account for extra backups and sharing files with others.

The upgraded drive ships this month for $199 in a charcoal gray color and should work with any Mac or PC that supports the current USB standard. The drive is also supported by existing drives that range from a $99 80GB sapphire model to 160GB in an automotive-inspired red.

Space-Time Associates today released TinyBooks 5.0.0, a major update to the bookkeeping software that includes numerous improvements to the Professional Invoice Printer as well as the Monthly Transaction Windows and Enter Transaction Dialogs. TinyBooks is designed as a simple, flexible, non-bloated, single-entry bookkeeping and accounting system for the Mac. The software enables users to enter expenses and income, automatically displaying current as well as year-to-date totals. Automatic bar-charting of all expense and income accounts enable users to determine monthly trends, and a Reports window offers easy standard as well as custom reporting/searching functionality. TinyBooks is priced at $50, and requires Mac OS X 8.6 or later.

Tekkeon has launched a new power adapter which may greatly simplify charging for users with multiple portable devices. By itself the myCharger is a normal AC plug with a USB port, but in tandem with the company’s numerous adapter tips, it can charge phones by LG, Nokia, Blackberry, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. Crucially, it can also charge iPods and iPhones without a special tip, since Apple’s own power cords connect directly to USB. Tips exist for other 5V electronics as well, including Bluetooth sets, digital cameras and handheld game consoles. The LG, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and mini-USB tips come bundled with the myCharger, which is now on sale for $25.

Birdstep Technology (OSE: BIRD) today announced the latest version of its RDM Embedded database management system. This new version includes data replication designed to meet market demand for applications requiring a 99.999% uptime guarantee and 24/7 data availability.

RDM Embedded has, over time, found itself embedded in over 20 million applications and appliances in all major markets serving high performance and critical needs. Over the past 20 years RDM Embedded has been used by over 20,000 developers in business critical applications spanning all major verticals.

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Puget Custom Computers successfully shipped its first batch of DDR3-integrated systems today, marking its first foray into the new specification and the first integrator to announce customizable systems utilizing the technology. The systems were built using Kingston’s low latency HyperX 1375Mhz modules and Asus’ P5K3 motherboards. The combination was rigorously tested and certified using Puget’s standard 47 point build process.
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What is a chumby?

The chumby is a compact device that displays useful and en

tertaining information from the web: news, photos, music, celebrity gossip, weather, box scores, blogs — using your wireless internet connection. Always on, it shows — nonstop — what’s online that matters to you.

Why would I want one?

It’s just pure 24/7 gratification to be able to have th

e Internet on tap. Sure, you can get the same information on your computer, but why be stuck

behind a keyboard to enjoy your internet addictions?

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Tinbu, the world’s leading provider of multilingual interactive lottery and horoscope data for web and wireless use, is pleased to announce they have launched in interactive video chat platform in partnership with CC Media.. The interactive model chat platform allows online audiences to chat live, with video and audio, with 1000s of single females from around the world in many different languages. The model chat platform can be viewed online at www.ModelChatLive.com . Video chat room categories include friends and family, dating and marriage, make new friends, and models. Users of the video chat service will not need a web camera to utlize the video chat platform.

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iXsystems recently unveiled the most rack-dense storage solution in the Nearline Storage Class: the Colossus SAN RAID Storage Device. The Colossus is a high-performance, energy-efficient, tiered storage solution, ideal for use in expanding data environments, and provides greater storage density (in terms of GB per rack unit) than any other storage product currently available. With more than 2x the storage capacity, up to 2x the throughput, and data transfer rates up to 100 MB/s (~15%) faster than the nearest competitor, the iXsystems Colossus addresses and exceeds the increasing demand for storage systems capable of managing and maintaining vast amounts of business-critical data.

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Newer Technology has released the miniStack v3 ‘Quad Interface’ powered hub storage solution with up to 1.0TB of storage capacity. It features an integrated powered hub with four interfaces: FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA. Specifically, the hub has one eSATA, two FireWire 800, one FireWire 400, and three USB 2.0 ports, The miniStack v3 utilizes the Oxford 924 bridge chipset, purportedly delivering up to 150MB per second. The drive mechanism is available with up to 32MB of data cache. Other features include external AutoSwitching 100~240v 50/60Hz 3 amp UL listed power adapter, auto-Power on/off automatically with computer, thermal monitoring for minimal fan power consumption and Whisper Quiet operation and a Kensington Security Slot. miniStack v3 is available in seven pre-configured 7200RPM solutions, from 160GB to 1.0TB (1,000GB), priced starting at $170.