Veho VCC-002HD Camcorder
This easy-to-use camcorder takes great quality pictures, even indoors, and is due for release on 5th December 2009 with a RRP of £149.99.
The camera comes with everything you need to get going, upload, edit and organise your videos including HDMI connection, HDMl/Mini USB2.0/TV Out, a Carry Pouch, AC Adaptor and an Np60 Li-ion Battery. Picture quality is excellent as the Kuzo VCC-002 Uses True 1080p Super High Definition technology to record in 1920×1080p and there’s also excellent sound reproduction. Other features include a 3.0 touch screen OSD and 5x Optical Zoom Lens. The built-in memory of 128MB and SD card slot up to 32GB gives you ample recording time. For a 16GB card you can get around four hours of footage that can be uploaded directly to U-tube or onto your HD TV via the Kuzo HDMI output.
Pictures can be taken indoors and at night with a special Night mode with Back Light and there’s an Auto and Skin Scene support. The camcorder also features a self timer of 10 seconds and video stabilization with a 5MP CMOS sensor with interpolation for still captures. The file format is AVl for video and JPG for Still.
And the camcorder not only takes good pictures, it also feels great too with a unique Tacton soft rubber body touch, in fact, the Kuzo VCC002HD has everything you need to make your life truly high definition.
Philips-3000 TV
Get ready for the future with the Philips 3000 Series which is out on 14th December 2009 with a RRP of £299.99.
The TV uses Philip’s innovative Digital Crystal Clear package whereby picture quality is digitally adjusted and optimized for razor sharp colour, detail, depth and quality. If you thought TV pictures couldn’t be improved on, look again – watching the Philips 3000 is just like being at the cinema only better.
With an incredible 28.9 billion colours, the LCD display gives a widescreen HD resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Advanced algorithms detect subtle colour shades and skin tones to produce natural images and vibrant colour. And with a MPEG4 HDTV reception via DVB-T tuner, your set won’t be need to be updated for years to come.
If you like a good sound system on your TV, you need look no further; Philip’s state-of-the art Incredible Surround audio technology mixes sound from left and right to enhance the stereo effect and create a greater depth. You can also use the TV as a PC monitor or connect a Blu-ray player and Game Console or Digital Camcorder. One HDMI input with Easylink gives full HD connection and only one remote control is needed to operate your TV and connected devices. With a USB connector that can be slotted into the side of the TV, there’s scope for superb photo and music playback.
And if that wasn’t enough, you also get accessories in with the price including a table-top stand, power cord, remote control with 2 x AAA batteries, a Quick Start Guide, User Manual and Warranty certificate.
Samsung-DVD Player - inexpensive
At a fantastic £49.99, this Samsung DVD-H1090 Player takes a bit of beating as a powerful home theatre system of the future.
First thing you notice about it is that it’s almost round – DVD players are never round! But what a great idea! It looks contemporary, stylish and slim. It’s also very lightweight and thanks to 1080p up-scaling, means that you can watch your normal DVD movies in high definition quality resulting in vivid, crystal clear images. The HDMI v1.3 technology gives faster data transmission to create deeper blacks and natural colours and achieve a quality that is normally only shown on Blu-ray discs. A progressive scan irons out blurs and distortion that scans individual picture lines in sequence rather than alternately as is usually the case.
The connection can be used to link all your devices to your TV and can be operated with one convenient remote control. Playback formats cover all the most popular multimedia like DivX, MP3, WMA, JPEG and MPEG-4 clips. Also solving the perennial problem of jumbled up wires, the HDMI uses a single cable wire to transfer video and audio to your TV. A USB device or MPE player can be easily connected and used to download content on to a disk. Plus, you can simply plug in a portable digital device into the USB port to listen to music, watch video clips or view photos.
Ministry of Sound iPod Dock
This Ministry of Sound iPod Speaker Dock ships with great sound quality in a stylish package and is due for release on 9th December 2009 at a RRP of £39.99.
The lightweight system is loud enough for any room in the house with a total power output of 12W RMS (2×6W). The iPod slots into place easily and there’s a clear LCD display with clock and alarm function so you can wake up to all your favourite playlists every morning. With a PLL FM tuner, pre-set equalizer and Aix In Function, there are 20 pre-programmed stations to hand. There’s also a handy remote control that is included in the price and requires a cell battery.
The M0SAS079X iPod Speaker Dock also includes with adaptors for different iPods and a mains AC/DC Adaptor.
Samsung Digital Photo Frame
Digital Photo Frames are surely going to be one of the most popular Christmas presents this year and this latest offering from Samsung is due for release on 25th November so why not buy the most up-to-date version out there for your nearest and dearest?
Even better, why not treat yourself to one so you can inflict your photos on them? You know what it’s like – you’re dying to show everyone your pics of your holiday in Bournemouth, but how do you do it without getting the old photo album out and passing it round while everyone feigns interest … yawn. The Samsung Digital Photo Frames allows you to have a continuous slide show on your mantelpiece so that the photos are displayed in glorious colour right there in front of your friends and relations to be admired or ignored as much as they wish. Of course the clarity and detail of the 7” LCD screen is such that everyone will be captivated. With a high resolution of 480 x 234 and a huge internal memory of 120MG, you can store a heck of a lot of pics on there too.
The Samsung Digital Photo Frame is also easy to set up and can be hooked up to your PC or Mac with the supplied USB cable and plugged into the mains. It’s very stable, resting on an adjustable leg that can move to display photos horizontally or vertically. An auto-resize function ensures that all your pictures will fit too. At £49.99, the frame is available in black or white and would grace any contemporary or traditional surface – the only trouble is you may find yourself sitting hypnotised in front of your own photos for long periods of time when you really should be out there taking more but – hey it’s a hard life.
Sony NW-A840 Walkman - the thinnest ever
Now that Sony’s latest portable media player, the NW-A840 Walkman Series has been launched in Japan to wide acclaim, we can’t wait to get our hands on it. Unfortunately, we have to wait a bit longer – when we spoke to Sony in November, we were told that as yet no date has been announced for the launch in the UK or US – but never fear - we’ll keep you posted.
That doesn’t stop us from telling you what delights you have in store once the OLED Walkman is eventually released. Sony has brought the portable media player bang up to date – albeit with retro styling. Available in mahogany brown, reminiscent of wartime radios or in sleek black, the NW-A840 is the thinnest Walkman on the market at 7.2mm. Its slim build doesn’t mean a compromise on display however as it comes with a 2.8 inch OLED and up to 64GB of flash storage.
It ships in three models – the 16GB NW-A845, the 32GB NW-A846 and the 64GB NW-A847. With a 720×480 resolution option to playback video through your TV, the battery lasts for 29 continuous hours of music or nine hours of video. The Walkman incorporates an S-Master digital amplifier and FM radio for crystal clear sound quality but Sony’s digital noise cancellation MDR-EX300SL ear-buds mean that you won’t be annoying anyone next to you on the tube. Note that support Wi-Fi networks are not provided.
With dimensions of 104.9 x 7.2 x 46.8mm, the Walkman weighs approximately 62g and is available in Japan at prices ranging from £160 to £266 – a rival to Apple’s iPod Shuffle if ever there was one.
Orange is to launch iPhone
Orange has announced the launch of the Orange iPhone which will be available from November 10th, 2009 and is hoping to grab as much of the market share from O2 as possible by improving on the user experience and increasing availability.
Not content with being the fastest GSM iPhone ever, the easy-to-use touch screen delivers web pages and emails instantly with improved performance and updated 3D graphics that enhance the whole gaming experience. Video recording functions mean you can shoot high-quality video in portrait or landscape and edit accordingly before posting on sites or sending to your friends via email. A new 3-megapixel camera combines a built-in autofocus and pictures can be viewed in portrait or landscape format simply by rotating the handset, with a zoom facility and geo-tagging option available. The iPhone can also be used to sync with photos already on your Mac or PC so you can share them with anyone wherever you are in the world.
With a digital compass and voice control, users can choose from more than 85,000 applications available through the iTunes App Store and the phone will cost £96.50 for a 32GB iPhone 3GS handset on a £44.04 per month, two-year contract.
As more than a quarter of a million people have registered an interest on the Orange website the iPhone looks set to be the must-have gadget for Christmas. Just as well then that Orange has assured customers that there won’t be a supply issue. In addition, they plan a 3G mobile broadband network covering more people in the UK than any other operator and have committed to providing the best-in-class applications in an attempt to cash in on the market before Vodafone starts selling the iPhone in 2010.
Steelseries New Siberia v2 Headset release dates
Gamers and music enthusiasts everywhere – take off your head sets and don the new Steelseries Siberia v2 Full-size Headset, the keenly awaited successor to SteelSeries’ signature Siberia headset that breaks new turf in realms of sound isolation, comfort and design.
Its predecessor was so highly successful that it was widely used in the professional gaming world and became the headset of choice for professional musicians and is instantly recognisable in several well-known music videos.
With enhanced design, maximum wearer comfort and improved passive noise reduction, the superior speaker and microphone technology of the Siberia v2 delivers the highest quality sound with integrated control capabilities.
Tournament players and gamers alike will find some features especially useful including the “invisible” retractable microphone system for easy communication and travel. The new ear pads sport a new “ear cup” design and thick, leather padded cushions block out all exterior sound and allows players to hear the pin-drop that heralds the onslaught of a grenade. Retaining the trademark headband suspension of the Siberia Headset, the v2 is comfortable to use for long periods of time and is surprisingly lightweight.
Optimised 50mm speakers amplify the bass and overall volume with an improved frequency response to 10-28,000 Hz and the sound quality is crystal clear in high, mid and low registers and the impedance is 32 Ohm. The cable is 1m plus a 2m extension.
Available in November, the Siberia v2 will be offered in two versions with or without a USB soundcard that ensures consistency of virtual sound wherever the headset is being used. Prices will be announced at the same time as the release.
Chronos iDock Series II on sale now
The leading manufacturers of radio, PURE have launched Chronos iDock Series ll – a stereo DAB/DAB+*FM bedside clock radio that works with iPods and iPhones with an SRP of £99.99.
Following on from the award-winning Chronos iDock, the Chronos iDock Series II combines all the features, choice and user-friendliness of DAB digital radio with the added convenience of iPod docking. With equally stylish looks, the Series II is available in an elegant black or white. Sound quality is greatly enhanced with upgraded audio, a digital amplifier and custom-wound stereo speakers and visible controls with a rotary dial and accessible buttons. You can even listen or wake up to your iPod or iPhone while it charges. A set of front-panel connectors also enables users to connect to an MP3, CD player or headphones.
The Chronos iDock Series II is perfect for the study or bedroom and enables the sleep befuddled to wake up in the best way possible - i.e. very slowly. This is achieved by means of a subtle and dimmed display activated by a light sensor, adjustable snoozers with an ability to set for as many days as required and a total of four independent alarms linked to radio, iPod, iPhone or tone. So now you can surface to consciousness gradually whilst listening to news, sport, music or your own favourite tracks; the Chronos iDock Series ll ensures that you start each day in the best frame of mind possible. Even better, with a clear display for track and ‘now playing’ information on a screen, users can use remote or radio control to alter settings and don’t even have to get out of bed – not immediately anyway.
And more good news – for those without multiple power points next to the bed, the Chronos iDock Series ll includes PowerPort that allows the user to connect USB accessories – these could include mobile phone chargers, cup warmers, electric fans, bedside lights, smoothie makers, moustache clippers – as soon as you wake, the world is at your fingertips.
Designed to minimise environmental impact, the Chronos iDock Series II, like all PURE products is manufactured in ethically approved and audited facilities with reduced power consumption in operation and in standby, recyclable packaging and components selected for their eco-friendliness.
Where to get it >>
Cygnett GrooveRide Touch
Take your music on a road trip. The Cygnett GrooveRide Touch is the simple way to play your iPod or Mp3 player wirelessly through your car or home FM stereo.
With easy to navigate, touch sensitive keys, the Cygnett can be used with any MP3 player, mobile phone, Hi-fi or computer and is the only FM transmitter to have a fully rechargeable battery that doesn’t drain your iPod battery. Lasting for up to six hours, it recharges in less than three hours.
Tuning is simple with a clear digital display and a wide channel range from 88.1 Mhz to 107.9 Mhz. A memory function enables you to recall the last frequency used. There are two options available for charging which are included; a 12v connector to charge in your car and a USB cable to charge from the computer. Receiving 5-star ratings everywhere this attractive transmitter has a good enough sound quality for partying at home but it really is the best way to get your music mobile.