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This speaker system simply rocks!

Trust me, one thing is just looking at the specs, another is listening the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin sound quality when coupled with any iPod (we did it with a brand new iPods touch.

It’s simply amazing, not just a good shape!

It’s got two 1-inch aluminum tweeters, two 3.5-inch fiber cone mid-range drivers, and one 5-inch bass driver that will really impress any die-hard audiophile.
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin cool design will match your iPod’s and will get you so much envy that your friends will likely prefer silence instead of hearing it!

Zeppelin is compatible with all dockable iPods, including the iPod classic (3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G), iPod touch, iPod nano (1G, 2G, 3G), and iPod mini.

Several devices other than an iPod can play sound through Zeppelin; both analog and optical digital connectivity are supported by a common auxiliary socket on the back. Examples include a computer–either direct or wirelessly using Apple Airport Express; television; MP3 players (through the player’s headphone connection); home theater devices; CD players–portable or static; and portable radios with headphone or digital outputs.

Video iPods, the iPod touch, iPhones, and the iPod classic can take advantage of Zeppelin’s video output capability to connect to a television’s composite video and S-Video.

Price? Beauty is priceless, the Zeppelin retails for US$ 599. A lot less than beauty itself!

Mother’s Day upcoming!

The perfect gift? A Nikon Coolpix S51! Your mother will like its sleek design and the Magenta (or call it pinky, if you like) nuance.

She will like too the advanced features that make it easier to take beautiful photos and to share them with friends and family!
The Nikon Coolpix S51 includes Pictmotion, which allows users to create audiovisual shows anywhere by simply selecting favorite images and movies and adding music and visual styles.

The Nikon Coolpix S51sports a 3.0-inch LCD monitor that offers a bright and large image that eases composition and viewing, even out in the sun.

Not to mention, she’ll never miss a shot with optical lens shift VR image stabilization.

You’ll like it’s Nikon quality (and now comes with a 22% saving offer!).Moth

Griffin Technology, announced two new additions to its line of cases for iPod: FlexGrip and FlexScreen; as well as a new Screen Care Kit for iPod touch.

FlexGrip
FlexGrip provides the ultimate in silicone protection for iPod nano and iPod touch against dirt, dings, dents and scratches. The two-color case is smooth on top with a textured, nubby rear surface for easy grip. It goes on easily and allows full access to the screen, connectors, and controls. FlexGrip for iPod touch includes a static peel touchscreen protector and cleaning cloth.

FlexScreen
FlexScreen features the same textured back as FlexGrip and adds a crystal-clear, scratch-resistant polycarbonate face shield. This incredibly durable shield easily snaps onto the outside of the case for added protection.

Screen Care Kit
Griffin’s new Screen Care Kit for iPod touch includes five static peel screen protectors, and a premium lint-free cleaning cloth to remove smudges, dust, and fingerprints. Cleaning and care instructions are included, making this kit a necessity for the iPod touch user who wants to preserve the screen from damage.

Pricing & Availability
Griffin’s new FlexGrip , FlexScreen, and Screen Care Kit; each priced at $14.99, are now available in retail stores and on Griffin’s website: www.griffintechnology.com.

The new Nikon Coolpix P80, a new addition to its successful COOLPIX P series range, a great 10 Megapixel camera!

Designed for active photo enthusiasts with an interest in fine detail, this camera features a class-leading compact body size and a zoom lens that ranges from wide-angle to super telephoto (27-486mm equivalent in 35mm [135] format).

The Nikon Coolpix P80 sports optical VR Image Stabilization minimizes the effect of camera shake, for sharper images, and a bright 2.7-inch high-resolution LCD and electronic viewfinder to make composing and sharing pictures easier than ever.

In addition to this, the Nikon Coolpix P80 also offers manual control of exposure (shutter and aperture) and a high sensitivity rating of up to ISO 6400 for use in low light conditions. The exceptionally powerful zoom lens is capable of focusing on subjects that are as close as 1 cm, and image-shift Vibration Reduction technology stabilises the image sensor to combat camera shake.

Shutter Priority and Manual Exposure Modes give you personal control over camera operation. A new Sports Continuous Mode lets you capture up to 30 frames at up to an amazing 13 FPS!

The Belkin F8Z109 TuneStudio Portable Digital Multitrack Recorder lets you record directly onto an iPod.

A High-Quality Four-Channel Audio Mixer

The first of its kind, the Belkin TuneStudio is a four-channel audio mixer allowing for digital recordings made directly onto an iPod at 16-bit, 44kHz quality in uncompressed WAV format for crystal clear audio. Recorded items can be played back instantly. Audio is streamed though the built-in USB interface to and from a PC or Mac. TuneStudio also works as an external sound card, allowing input and output of audio to a PC from its connectors.

Each channel has a 3-band EQ as well as pan and level controls. High-quality Phantom-power-enabled XLR inputs provide up to 60db of microphone gain; a high-quality stereo compressor with makeup gain enhances audio dynamics and keeps audio levels within the recording limits of the iPod. Compression is controlled by a single knob. The TuneStudio features LEDs to indicate master audio level, power status, peak indications, and compressor.

Record Jam Sessions While on Tour or Create Podcasts on Location.

The Belkin TuneStudio is compact and rugged, making it ideal for bands on tour, as it can withstand life on the road. Jam sessions can be recorded easily by simply attaching instruments and microphones to the TuneStudio. Podcasters can use the TuneStudio to record their shows either in studio or on location.

The Belkin TuneStudio is currently compatible with:

* iPod classic (6th generation–80 GB and 160 GB);
* iPod nano (3rd generation–4 GB and 8 GB; 2nd generation–2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB); and
* iPod video (5th generation–30 GB, 60 GB, and 80 GB).

Olympus today took advantage of the relative quiet to revamp its EVOLT digital SLRs with the Olympus Evolt E420.
The 10-megapixel camera is claimed as the smallest and lightest ever in the category and weighs just 13.4 ounces, or at least 20 percent lighter than the next-best in the class.
It also represents an improved ease of use over the earlier E-410, with both a shadow correction function and a new onscreen autofocus feature that uses the live preview LCD to mark out properly focused subjects.
The combination is said by Olympus to produce a camera that can be used like a compact point-and-shoot while still offering all the control of a full SLR.

Also new to the Olympus Evolt E420 are a larger, 2.7-inch LCD with improved color accuracy and contrast, face detection for portrait shots, and better handling of automatic white balance.
Olympus ships the camera in May, starting at $500 for a body-only version.
A more common kit version will sell for $600 with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and should be accompanied by a more specialized, $700 edition with a fixed-focus, 25mm f/2.8 equivalent to 50mm on a conventional film camera.

Amazon.com is running a promotion right now for the Apple iPod touch 32 GB player where you get a free 1GB iPod shuffle when you buy the largest capacity iPod touch selling for $494.

The iPod shuffle 1 GB is about a $50 value, so this is not a bad deal. It only applies to the Apple iPod touch 32 GB though and not to the 8GB or 16GB models.

Apple today announced that its Apple iPod shuffle, the world’s most wearable music player, is now even more affordably priced at $49 and that it is introducing a new 2GB model of the Apple iPod shuffle for $69.

The Memorex Mi8000BLK iFlip 8.4-Inch Portable Video System for iPod docks and charges your 5G iPod and plays video on a 7-inch LCD.
Your out-the-door price: $59.99, no rebate required.

The Memorex iFlip may look like a mini laptop, but underneath the lid sits a whole new world of video possibilities.
Open the Memorex iFlip cover and you’ll see a universal dock on the bottom that holds and charges select iPods, along with an 8.4-inch widescreen LCD display for video playback. The screen is ideal for watching stored iPod movies on planes or entertaining the kids on long car trips, plus it offers an easy way to share your favorite digital photos with friends without hooking up to a full-size TV. Add in an intuitive onscreen menu system and a host of connectivity options and you have the perfect portable video player for almost all on-the-go applications.
The video screen is crisp and versatile, with such features as a selectable aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3), a 480 x 234 native resolution in RGB mode, a 300 cd/m2 brightness rating, and a 350:1 contrast ratio. In addition, the 75-degree horizontal viewing angle and 70- degree vertical viewing angle lets fellow passengers see the screen without straining their necks. And don’t worry about the iFlip running out of juice on the first leg of your cross-country trip, as the integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery delivers roughly five hours of video playback per charge. To renew the battery, simply plug in the AC adapter and you’ll recharge both the Memorex iFlip and iPod simultaneously.

Finally, the Memorex iFlip isn’t restricted to iPod use only, as it connects to other video devices via the S-video output and line-in jacks.

Other details include dual headphone jacks for people who travel in pairs and adjustable brightness, color, hue, and contrast controls. The Memorex iFlip–which is compatible with the iPod nano (1G and 2G), iPod video (5G), iPod photo (regular and U2 model), iPod 4G with click wheel (regular and U2 model), and iPod mini–measures 8.7 by 1.8 by 6.7 inches (W x H x D) when closed.

Apple yesterday rolled out new iPhone and iPod touch models with beefed-up memories and bumped-up prices.

Apple has just upped the iPhone’s storage capacity to 16gb, and the iPod touch 16 GB to 32gb.

The iPhone, formerly available only in an 8 GB model for $399 now has a 16 GB cousin that retails for $499. The iPod touch also added a big brother, launching a 32 GB model for $499 to accompany the 16 GB and 8 GB models that sell for $399 and $299 respectively.

“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod and iPhone Product Marketing, in a statement. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”

The new iPods touch and iPhones will ship with the new software that CEO Steve Jobs unveiled at last month’s MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, including a maps application that allows users to use a combination of cell tower and Wi-Fi hot spot triangulation to mimic a GPS device and find their location on Google-powered maps.

We were wondering what was missing from PMA 2008 pre-announcements: Nikon!
Here comes the new Nikon D60, supposedly replaces the well-known Nikon D40X, features 10.2 MP and introduces a new anti-dust system, active d-lighting, a stop-motion recording mode and Expeed branding.
Active d-lighting helps in the area where most DSLRs this year will compete on: extended dynamic range.
The stop-motion feature - welding together single frames into a movie - is a first-ever feature as far as we know in a DSLR.

At least three new lenses: a 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, the Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED for die-hard macro enthusiast and the PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED offering both tilt and shift movement.

Still have to sort out the number of new Coolpix cameras upcoming; the most prominent may be the P60, a 36-180mm-superzoom compact with optical viewfinder (a rarity) that replaces the Nikon Coolpix P50 losing somehow on the optical side at wide-angle (from 28mm up to 36mm).
The P60 features M exposure mode provides full control over both the aperture and shutter speed settings.

Check the Coolpix L16/L18 for budget-savy users, the S210 (8 MP), S520 (8 MP) and S550 (10 MP).
More details coming up!

Updated! Now Nikon D60 is available for pre-order!

Ok, it may not be due to PMA 2008 and the new Canon Rebel XSI we already wrote about, but now the evergreen Canon Rebel XT 8MP comes in a kit with the standard EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens for as much as US$ 459.95 - a 23% saving over regular price!

PMA 2008 opens on January 31st: there’s already a host of new products, some of them unofficially introduced, a lot of web speculations and too much rumors.

Among the tech trends for 2008 we can spot for sure:

• CCDs are getting past 12/14 MP, 10 MP is now pretty commonplace, although lens quality still matters (and we mean the lenses which sometimes are part of bundle kits),

• Live View: being able to pre-view not only through the viewfinder will become common feature among DSLRs, at last,

• extended dynamic range: in a nutshell the range of luminosity the CCD is able to catch, a much better and technical explanation may be found here on CambridgeInColour.com. Many digital camera are introducing/will introduce algorithms to enhance dynamic range so we’ll have to sort out which just fits better our pictures.

Some of the new products we already know something about:

- Canon introduces EOS Rebel XSI (in Europe AKA 450D) that goes far beyond the best-seller Rebel XTi (AKA 400D) with a 12 Megapixel CCD, Live View mode, SD/SDHC card support, a 3″ display and much more: watch out for this, it’s gonna mean a lot of rock’n'roll again for Canon;
- Pentax introduces K200D and Pentax K20D: the first is an entry-level 10 MP DSLR sporting several smart features.
The Pentax K20D features Live View, raises up the ante to 14 MP (!) and extends the previous K10D with a tougher body, new lenses and (need to say?) extended dynamic range;

- Samsung presents GX-20: almost the same as Pentax’s K20D just ‘dressed’ by Samsung; aggressive pricing and kit bundling will give competitors some trouble from this prosumer DSLRs couple;
- Fujifilm announced many new compact cameras as well as the new S100fs: a high-level bridge camera (bridging compact and DSLR, that is) that takes the place for the (glorious, we still love it) Finepix S9100 (AKA S9600).
The 2/3″ CCD reaches now 11 Megapixel, focal length is now 28-400mm (previously the S9100/S9600 lens was 28-300 mm) with optical stabilizer.
Yet again the S100fs its own extended dynamic range system (more to investigate on this) and the brand new Film Simulation mode (hence the name FS) already used in the award-winning DSLR S5 Pro.
Brand new cameras are the S1000fd, self-dubbed “the smallest 12X zoom compact camera”, and the S8100fd, now with 10 MP sensor, that replaces the (still young) S8000fd.

Still many upcoming new products in the next days, both lenses, accessories and memory card.

Goin’ to Las Vegas? Check here for more info on PMA 2008.

PMA 2008: one of the first products from the upcoming PMA 2008 is the new Olympus SP-570UZ, an update to the SP-560UZ, goes even further than the rest of the crop of ultrazoom cameras.
Now sporting 10 MP CCD and a whopping 26-520mm (35mm equiv.) zoom: that is 20x!
Still supported RAW shooting and only XD-cards, 4 AA batteries and 22 scenes exposure modes to choose.
The feature list of the SP-570UZ includes: Face Detection tech, TruePic III, High ISO settings, a 2.7″ LCD display and much more…

Priced around US$ 499, the SP-570UZ is available for pre-order now, in stores by April 2008.

Partner site MacSwitching.com attended Apple’s presentation of new products like the MacBook Air and Time Capsule.

There’s a dedicated photo gallery about all new January 2008 Apple products available here.

First impressions?
MacBook Air is perfectly usable; keyboard layout is just like MacBook’s and the new LED display is much brighter and sports a wider viewing angle.

What really impresses is how fine the MacBook Air, as well all other Macs integrate with Time Capsule and get easier the usually tedious task of backing up data on a regular base using Leopard’s Time Machine feature.