Not content with just showing off new TVs , home theater systems , Blu-ray players, and cameras , Sony also unveiled at PMA two new photo printers for giving your digital memories a more tangible existence. The $120 DPP-FP67 and $200 DPP-FP97 create 4 x 6 prints in 45 and 67 seconds, respectively. Additionally, the FP97 (above and to the right) also sports HDMI out and a 3.5-inch LCD. No fancy Bluetooth connectivity like Dell’s Wasabi , unfortunately, but the pair does support a variety of cards including SD, SDHC, MMC, xD and of course, Memory Stick.

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Sony announces DPP-FP97 and DPP-FP67 photo printers

Sure we’ve seen Batman hoodies before , but this one is the baddest assest one we’ve come across.

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New Batman Hoodie Probably Won’t Protect You Against Bullies [Batman]

Judging by the frequent of Pretec breakthrough flash-based storage cards, breaking records must be part of Pretec quarterly exercise. The company is set to unveil not only the World’s First SDXC, but also an unprecedented 100GB CompactFlash at 666x. The latter up the ante, broke company’s own CF’s record at 433X.

Even with new standard still in lobbying effort, Pretec has the go-ahead with the SXDC small form factor flash-based memory standard that’s capable of reaching 2TB. Pretec will exhibit both the 32GB SXDC and 666x, that’s capable of 100MB/s transfer rate, at PMA and CeDIA tomorrow. We’ll visit each both tomorrow to dig deeper on the cost.

Hannover, Germany and Las Vegas, Nevada. March 3rd, 2009 － Pretec, creator of the highest capacity CompactFlash card in the world (100GB) and the fastest CF card in the world (433X), continues today its record braking history in the field of speed and capacity by unveiling the new SDXC 32GB, the world’s first, highest capacity and fastest SD card at CeBIT booth Hall21/D83 and at PMA CFA booth at LVCC South Hall K286 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SDXC (eXtended Capacity) is a next-generation SD card, with capacities up to 2 TB (2048GB), and read/write speed up to 50MB/s initially and up to 104MB/s in the future, with a possible 300MB/s as a long term roadmap. By using exFAT file system, Pretec’s 32GB SDXC card is not compatible with SDHC, which is using FAT32 file system. The maximum access speed of traditional SD card (SD 1.1 spec.) is 12.5MB/s and maximum capacity is 4GB, in which Pretec 4GB SD is the 1st such high capacity card in the world in July 2005 (www.dpreview.com/news/0507/05072804pretec_4gbcard.asp). World’s 1st 8GB SDHC card was introduced by Pretec in Aug. 2006 (www.tomshardware.com/news/pretec-8gb-sdhc-card,3377.html), and subsequently joint displayed with Sanyo’s DV Xacti HD1a in Photokina 2006 (findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_Sept_25/ai_n16838419); maximum speed increased to 25MB/s for SDHC (SD 2.0 spec.), which is the access speed of Pretec 166X SDHC card (http://www.pretec.com/epages/Store.storefront/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Store.Pretec/Products/2018202009%22). Pretec 32GB SDXC card, sampling now to design-in customers, can reach the speed of up to 50MB/s, depending on the host system design which needs to be compliant with SDXC specification*, will be enhanced the capacity to 64GB SDXC by the 2nd half of this year.

Pretec also reveals 100GB and 666X CF card, which can reach the speed of up to 100MB/s at CeBIT and PMA today, to be the largest capacity and highest speed small form factor memory card in the world. The next generation of CF card, called CFast, was first introduced by Pretec at CES 2009 (http://www.photographybay.com/2009/01/11/pretec-cfast-compact-flash-card-transfer-rate-of-160mbs/), with current maximum transfer speed of 375MB/s and 750MB/s in the future.

The 2TB capacity memory card (www.dvhardware.net/article3774.html) was 1st revealed by Mu-Card in 2004, a joint effort by Pretec, ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) and a few other companies in Taiwan, with maximum transfer speed of 120MB/s. The significant boost of the capacity is due to the scheme of “Sector Addressing” instead of “Byte Addressing” (www.allbusiness.com/electronics/computer-equipment-computer-chips-memory/5054211-1.html) published by Pretec in 2005. Mu-Card Alliance was subsequently merged with MMC Association, which in turn is part of JEDEC organization.

* As of today, no SDXC compliant host systems are available in the market yet

• Pretec World’s Largest 100GB CF and World’s Fastest 50GB CF
• 2TB SD cards in the works?
• CES 2008 : Another Breakthrough from Pretec, 48GB CompactFlash with Ultra DMA Mode
• New Fujitsu P1620 could give Air a run for its money
• Transcend launches 32GB SSD drive

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Pretec to demo World’s first 32GB SDXC and 100GB 666x CF

London-based investing hotshot Index Ventures has just announced a new early-stage 350 million Euro venture fund. To hear partner Bernard Dalle tell it, raising the fund was a breeze, with all existing limited partners re-upping their investments. He further said that good startups in London are having no problems raising venture capital and deal flow was just as strong. Really? Well, I guess all those reports that this is a global downturn were just plain wrong! You heard it here, struggling Silicon Valley startups: Just move to London!

Apologies for giving Dalle a bit of a hard time, but I am subbing for Michael Arrington, and it’s a huge pet peeve of mine when venture capitalists blithely shrug off an epic downturn that, let’s face it, has to be hitting them in some way. Let’s just say, I don’t buy that it’s all still that easy.

Of course if anyone could make it look easy, I’d give it to Index. The firm has torn through its 2007 fund of the same size, raised a $400 million late stage fund last year, and has had a string of big exits including Skype and MySQL. Those two helped to rank its best-known partner Danny Rimer as number 16 on Forbes’ annual Midas List. I first knew Rimer as an open source software bull, and last I talked to him, he was bullish on a reinvention of ecommerce.

For Dalle’s part, he wouldn’t tell me much about where the firm was investing going forward. He said the firm would still focus geographically on Europe, Israel and the U.S. and was looking closely at mobile advertising, that ever-present buzzword “the cloud” and virtualization.

Regardless of the fact that I could have gotten more answers from the CIA than this briefing, I congratulate Index on the new fund and indeed hope that money and deal flow is holding up as well as they say across the pond. If you’re in Europe raising money, let us know your experiences in the comments.

Update: Given Index is London-based, there’s further analysis on TechCrunch UK.

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Index Closes a New 350M. Euro Venture Fund

Doodle is a free web app which helps you find suitable dates for group events, like a conference call, by creating a poll for a suitable meeting time and lettting people fill in their availability. It’s an idea which works very well, and is easily messed up. London-based ikordo closed last year through lack of funding and a complex interface. However, Doodle, which grew from a hacker project, has well-funded competitors like Tungle, which also comes as an Outlook plugin and has $1.5m in backing, as well as TimeBridge, and Jiffle. So Zurich-based Doodle is hoping its Outlook plugin, generic calendar feeds, white-label version and – most importantly – new open API for developers will set it apart from the pack.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

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Doodle launches API to unleash group events apps

We’ve barely had time to digest the fact that real, actual, honest-to-goodness Meizu M8s are now available at the odd retail outlet around the globe, and Meizu’s famously colorful CEO is already spouting off about a successor. Talk about a buzzkill, eh? Jack Wong made an off-the-cuff remark in a forum post today about the M9 in two flavors — M9c for CDMA networks and M9t for China’s 3G TD-SCDMA networks — but beyond that, he’s said nothing about specs or availability. Odds are, we can expect a good 18-24 months of teasers, missed launches, and brushes with vaporware status before either model actually launches, so if you had your heart set on an M8, seriously, don’t feel bad about taking the plunge. [Via Meizu Me ] Filed under: Cellphones , Handhelds Meizu looking to CDMA and China-centric 3G with M8 successor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:42:00 EST

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Meizu looking to CDMA and China-centric 3G with M8 successor

Last Thursday over 140 entrepreneurs, investors, and startup rookies came together for Startup2Startup, a monthly invite-only dinner built around fostering the startup community. This month’s featured speaker was Adaptive Path founding partner and ex-Googler Jeffrey Veen, who walked the audience through some of the key aspects of website design and how to deal with associated communication issues.

Following Veen’s presentation, the attendees shared their thoughts and experiences related to design in intimate round-table discussions. The event’s co-founder Dave McClure painstakingly creates seating arrangements to ensure that each table has an array of attendees ranging from startup rookie to veteran, ensuring that discussion is both lively and informative (and strictly off-the-record).

The evening was an overwhelming success, highlighted by Veen’s engaging presentation that was both accessible and entertaining (you can see an intro video and his slides below, and we’ll post the full video of his talk shortly). As a bonus, Veen introduced the audience to one of his newest projects.

Dubbed Wikirank, the site tracks the popularity of Wikipedia articles, sifting through hundreds of gigabytes of Wikipedia’s publicly available traffic data and presenting it in an intuitive and attractive interface. With this data, the site can generate an at-a-glance view of what the world is interested in at any given moment. The site also allows users to create embeddable charts comparing the popularity of different topics over time. If you’d like to try it out, the first 30 TechCrunch readers to enter their Email addresses here will have access to the site’s private beta.

Next month’s Startup2Startup event will feature Tony Hsieh, founder and CEO of Zappos, who will be offering tips on building a great company culture and customer service (for which Zappos is widely acclaimed).

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

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Startup2Startup Tackles Web Design As Measure Map Founder Unveils Latest Project

It would have a well kept secret if weren’t for the store’s cache. Last week rumor turned fact with Sony unveiled the 9mp super zoom DSC-HX1 camera at PMA’s eve. The new Cyber-shot features 20x optics and company’s newly-developed Exmore CMOS sensor with ability to burst 10 fps at full resolution.

Nearly all leaked details came though except for the LCD screen; the Official release reveals a 3-inch tilt screen, Optical SteadyShot, Face Detection and 1080p movies are among many highlights to be featured in the Sony from this April.

But most impressive of all, is probably the Sweep Panorama mode that’s capable of taking up to 224-degree horizontal or 154-degree vertical shots. How wide? Sony says the auto stitching works up to maximum resolution of 7152×1080 in ultra wide horizontal orientation. For $499, you should be able to preorder one from March.

SONY PRESENTS FIRST CYBER-SHOT CAMERA WITH SWEEP PANORAMA TECHNOLOGY

LAS VEGAS (PMA #F171), March 2, 2009 – Sony is spotlighting its first digital still camera to feature sweep panorama technology here at the Photo Marketing Association confab. The new HX1 Cyber-shot model can take 224-degree panorama shots in one easy press-and-sweep motion.

It is also the company’s first Cyber-shot camera to use the exclusive 1/2.4-inch Exmor™ CMOS sensor technology. This technology allows it to achieve burst speeds of 10 frames per second at full 9.1 megapixel resolution in continuous burst mode.

Setting it apart from most digital still cameras, which use an electronic shutter to achieve high speed, the HX1 unit has a mechanical shutter that helps reduce distortion when shooting a moving subject.

Compared to images shot with traditional sensors, the HX1 model takes clearer images with about 50 percent less noise when in handheld twilight or anti-blur modes. It is also the first Cyber-shot camera to include a Sony G lens and 1080p HD movie clip recording capabilities.

“Traditional CMOS sensor technology provides higher shutter speeds, but we are using what we call an Image3 system that combines the best image, sensor and processor,” said Karim Noblecilla, senior product marketing manager in Sony Electronics’ Digital Imaging Division. “By combining this sensor with a high-quality Sony G lens and powerful BIONZ™ processor, we are able to create solutions beyond fast speed that helps consumers get better pictures.”

Incorporating on-chip A/D conversion, which minimizes image degradation that can occur during analogue processing, Noblecilla said the Exmor CMOS sensor delivers outstanding images, reduces noise and can continuously shoot at a high speeds.

Clear Images in Low Light or for Moving Subjects

Compared to cameras with traditional sensors, the HX1 model has two scene modes that significantly reduce noise. Using the high-speed shutter Exmor CMOS sensor technology, the new model takes six shots within a fraction of a second. Combined with the power of the BIONZ imaging processor, it immediately superimposes them into one picture. The camera calculates the position of objects in each frame and composes the sharpest picture possible, resulting in clearer, sharper images.

The two modes that use this functionality include hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur. For difficult shots in low light, the hand-held twilight mode results in clearer and sharper pictures without the need of a tripod. Anti-motion blur uses High ISO to reduce blur especially in dimly lit environments.

To reduce blur, the camera detects if a person or object is moving, or if the camera is shaking, which is likely when taking a telephoto shot. When it superimposes the images, the camera captures the moving subject or object from one of the six shots. It takes, combines and composes the rest of the image using the six shots. This reduces blur on the main subject and results in a sharp, clear background.

Sweep Panorama Technology

Capturing wide landscapes, church spires or skyscrapers is as easy as “press and sweep.” Sweep panorama mode lets you reach beyond the traditional wide-angle lens and capture breathtaking shots. With wide and ultra-wide settings and horizontal or vertical directions, sweep panorama mode can take up to 224-degree horizontal or 154-degree vertical shots.

Using the fast-speed Exmor CMOS sensor, the camera continuously shoots full-resolution images at a high speed. Using the BIONZ imaging processor, it automatically stitches the pictures together to create one stunning panoramic photo. The maximum resolution is 7152 x 1080 (ultra wide horizontal).

“This panorama mode is so seamless that it removes the guess work,” Noblecilla said. “The camera indicates where you are in the degree range, so you know how wide you can shoot and stitches the photos automatically. It calculates and aligns pictures for you without using additional software.”

1080p HD Movie Recording

The HX1 camera captures movie clips in 1080p HD resolution, and a built-in stereo microphone records crisp, clear audio. The camera’s wide 20x optical zoom is also available while shooting.

When set to HD movie, it records at 30 frames per second (1440 x 1080). The camera uses the high-quality, high-compression MPEG4 AVC/H.264 format. Other recording options include standard-definition video and VGA.

The camera also has HDMI™ connectivity via supplied HDMI accessory (cable not included) so images can be shared in high definition on an HD television set. MPEG4 AVC video recording allows you to view footage on a PC and upload it to the Web.

Sony G Lens

The Sony G lens is optimized to complement the advanced image sensors and image processing technology in Sony’s cameras. The HX1 camera features a 28-560 millimeter f/2.8-5.2 wide-angle lens with 20x telephoto range. With the combination of this G lens and sweep panorama mode, the camera can cover almost any telephoto and wide angle need.

Containing a six-blade aperture, the G lens produces beautifully defocused backgrounds with a soft, natural feel. A-spherical lens elements and elements made from extra-low dispersion glass combine to minimize chromatic aberration common to high-magnification lenses.

Intelligent Auto

Like many of Sony’s new cameras this year, the HX1 model has the convenient and powerful intelligent auto mode, which combines Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN), Optical SteadyShot™ and face detection technologies. It recognizes scenes and lighting conditions within one-thirtieth of a second, and then changes settings. This produces clearer images with more natural skin tones, reduced red-eye, fewer closed-eye shots and less overall blur without compromising image quality.

The iSCN feature detects up to eight scenes and automatically changes settings that will apply to the scene or lighting conditions. With the iSCN Advance feature, the camera takes a second shot when low or backlight is detected, letting users choose the best picture.

With face detection technology, the camera will adjust the flash, focus, exposure and white balance producing more natural skin tones and reducing red-eye. Face motion detection identifies a moving subject and adjusts the ISO to minimize blur. In conjunction with iSCN, the camera takes two pictures simultaneously and saves the one in which the eyes are the least closed.

A new selected-face memory function registers one face (selected by the user) as the main face and adjusts focus, exposure, flash and white balance accordingly. The camera remembers the face every time that face shows in the frame.

Additionally, the camera comes with Smile Shutter technology that helps capture a smile the moment it happens and dynamic range optimizer (DRO) technology that adjusts for contrast.

Pricing and Availability

The Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 camera will be available in April for about $500 and pre-sales will start in March. The camera and a range of accessories will be available online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.

[via SlashGear.com]

Kodak , masters of the digital camera that is relatively cheap and easy to use, just went public with their EasyShare Z915, which packs 10x, image-stabilized optical zoom into a 10-megapixel point and shoot body. In addition, the Z915 also has a “Smart Capture” feature, which “which analyzes scenes and adjusts camera settings to automatically deliver beautiful pictures” (ummm…auto mode?), and a 2.5-inch screen, for reviewing the fruits of your labor.

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Kodak’s EasyShare Z915 with 10x Optical Zoom Gets Up Close and Personal [Point]

While a smattering of other camera outfits decided to out most of their new point-and-shoot models a few weeks prior to PMA, Kodak has kept with tradition by breaking their new kid out here in Vegas. The EasyShare Z915 is a markedly standard 10 megapixel shooter, boasting a 10x image stabilized optical zoom lens, the company’s own Smart Capture feature to automatically snag the best shots, support for AA batteries, a 2.5-inch rear LCD and an SD / SDHC card slot. It’ll be available in red, blue, black and gray this April for a completely respectable $199.95. Trouble is, you’ll probably forget this thing even exists by then. Full release is after the break.

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Kodak introduces EasyShare Z915 with 10x zoomer