Samsung ups the ante with two new HD players

It's going to be an interesting Christmas this year, HD-wise. We just received insider news that two more Samsung high-def players will be heading our way in Q4 2007. And forget about the latest BD-P1200 as we will be getting a stepped-up BD-P1400 instead! But what got us really excited was confirmation on the impending arrival of its dual-format BD-UP5000. This is a full-featured universal disc player that plays back both Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats and their interactive technologies. Pricing and specifications were unfortunately not available at press time.

On a separate note, the recent debut of the second-generation Toshiba HD-E1 HD-DVD player has prompted a deep price revision for Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-ray player, from a cutthroat S$1,999 (US$1,315.13) down to a reasonable S$999 (US$657.24) tag. But even at this pricing, it still pales in comparison to the Sony PlayStation 3 which delivers videophile-grade 24Hz 1080p visuals and wireless multimedia streaming capability.

So what other next-gen players are in the pipeline? From the HD-DVD camp, we will probably be getting a souped-up 1080p model by end of the year. As for Blu-ray, expect another possible market revolt when Sony launches its highly affordable US$599 BDP-S300 some time in Q4. That leaves vendors such as Pioneer, Panasonic and LG sitting on the fence without firm indication of a possible Asian entry for 2007.

Olympus teases about new SLR

Olympus has begun offering new teases about a new SLR (single-lens reflex) camera model, likely a successor to its top-end E-1 introduced in 2003.

Olympus' European Web site offers a cloaked view doubtless intended to agitate prospective buyers into a lather of anticipation.

Editors' note: We're waiting for word from Olympus on Asia for this.

Having just released new low-end models, Olympus no doubt is preparing to refresh its high end. Olympus showed off a prototype high-end SLR at the Photo Marketing Association trade show in March, but said only that this would be rugged, weatherproof, and shipping this year.

You shouldn't believe everything you see on the Internet, though. For example, it seems probable that Olympus engineers actually designed the E-1 successor and that the new camera wasn't just belched fully formed from a volcano.

Click for larger images of the prototype and teaser ad:

Little Lamp

There's not much information on this battery-powered miniature LED table lamp at the moment. But what caught our eye was the fact that the battery is the base. Snap on the lamp shade, which even comes with its own working on/off pull chain, and voila! This bright idea for a Thumbelina lamp is all credit to the trendy Suck UK folks ( correction: Tobias Wong occasionally designs for Suck UK, but not the Little Lamp). And since it uses LED, we're told it gives off 150 hours of light. Tres chic, mon petite. Now all that's needed is for someone to check it out and tell us how brightly this little thing shines.

See bigger image here

Via Slacktivate

Price: 15 sterling pounds (US$30)
Availability: End June, at Suck UK , can also be found at I Want One Of These
Device: LED table lamp
Specs: Classic black lamp shade, 16 x 9cm

Ultra-bling Ambilight TV

Some say diamonds are a girl's best friend, while countries go to war (watch Blood Diamond) supplying them. If you are into the bling factor of these precious stones, remember to drop by Courts Tampines megastore for a sneak peek of Philips' Diamond FlatTV. Developed to commemorate its millionth Ambilight flat panel, this one-of-a-kind 42-incher features a stunning 2,250 diamond-encrusted frame.

To coincide with its Singapore appearance from June 15 to 24, a diamond set worth S$3,000 (US$1,973.68) will be given out in a lucky draw for any Ambilight TV purchased during the showcase. As for the price for this glittery affair? US$220,000 is a ballpark figure, though the proceeds will be going to charity instead. That will be after an auction at the end of its world tour which will include New Zealand, Malaysia and Thailand. For those with deep pockets, no further details of the auction were available at press time.

More images of the Diamond FlatTV:

More info here

Computex: Mitac continues to lead the way

Fresh out of Computex is the Mio A702 PDA-phone. As you would expect from a Mio product, this is a GPS-enabled product.

Chinese-language site PhoneDaily spotted this new handheld, which runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional and comes with a numeric keypad below its touchscreen display. Information about the specifications is scant, limited to what can be seen from pictures of the device.

The photos indicate that it has a microSD slot, a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and a jack for attaching an external GPS antenna. There is no directional pad or joystick under the display but a scroll wheel can be found along the A702's left. It does not look as compact as the Mio A501, but that's to be expected given the inclusion of a keypad.

No details about this Mio's connectivity options were given by PhoneDaily, but a reliable source has told CNET Asia that it will come with quadband GSM and Wi-Fi, though not 3G. Price and availability are still unavailable.

Click for larger images:

Credit: PhoneDaily (via Navigadget)

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