Olympus announces two new dSLRS and a pancake lens

All this time that Olympus was lying low, it was probably developing the E-420--the world's smallest and thinnest dSLR. Measuring just 53mm thick and 380g, the Japanese company touts this camera as "ideal for traveling or just walking around town". It will ship with a 10-megapixel sensor and 2.7-inch HyperCrystal III LCD display with Live View.
To complement the size of the E-420, Olympus has also released the 25mm F2.8 lens in the traditional pancake form of 23.5mm thin and 95g light. While you may be scratching your head and wondering what "pancake" means, it is a term of endearment that photographers give to small and thin lenses usually found on rangefinders. The lens offers a view of 50mm (35mm equivalent) when used with Olympus 4/3 systems.

Alongside, we see the E-520. Although it is chunkier than the E-420, we attribute this to the built-in image stabilizer (IS) mechanism that is not present in its smaller sibling. The IS system is driven by Olympus' proprietary Sonic Wave Drive, and shutterbugs can expect to shoot at lower shutter speeds without using a tripod. Other than the IS, the E-520 specifications remain pretty much the same as the E-420.

The shooters and lens will be available in Asia from June. However, pricing was unavailable at press time but we will update once we have the information.

(Photo credits: Olympus)

Dell XPS line on life support? Maybe not

According to Wall Street Journal, Dell's trademark XPS line may soon be retiring in favor of the Alienware brand.

This was a move expected by many when the US maker acquired the Alienware label, which is well known for offering extreme gaming rigs at an equally extreme price point. Dell's gaming XPS range, on the other hand, is conventional and relatively more affordable. But with the recent release of the overclocked and water-cooled XPS 730, the Texan manufacturer has elevated the XPS into enthusiast levels.

In light of this, the report makes sense. After all, having two lines in the same niche market will cause confusion to consumers. We made a quick call to a Dell Asia Pacific representative and was told that there has been no news of terminating the XPS line for this region. So if this news is true, it could be likely that this move may apply only to the US market for now.

World's prettiest universal remote! Period

You could have the traditional magic wane or a tablet universal remote, but nothing comes close to the sleek and sexy Thync. Easily the prettiest controller we have come across, this has a huge curvy touchscreen powered by underlying drag-and-drop flash menus. Other juicy bits include voice command capability and an inbuilt speakerphone feature which syncs with any Bluetooth-enabled mobile.

There's one problem, though. Until one of the big remote control manufacturers such as Logitech or Philips adopts this industrial design, we seriously doubt you could lay your hands on a Thync anytime soon.

Via Ubergizmo | Photo credit: David Chacon

Creative announces USB-powered X-Fi audio solution

Sound card maker Creative Technology has announced that it will add an external USB solution to its Sound Blaster X-Fi family. Dubbed the Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1, the upcoming audio device is aimed at making it really easy to upgrade the basic sound systems in PCs and notebooks to deliver 5.1 surround sound. In fact, all that's needed is a simple connection to the USB port, according to Creative. Unfortunately for Mac and Linux users, the external X-Fi sound device will work with only Windows Vista and XP systems.

The X-Fi Surround 5.1 features several onboard technologies such as the X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer which enhances the sound quality of MP3s and movies, as well as the X-Fi CMSS-3D which converts stereo music into surround sound. It also comes with an integrated volume control knob and push-to-mute feature. Connectivity on the X-Fi audio box includes RCA jacks for front inputs, optical output (TOSLINK), as well as mini jacks for surround sound, line-in, microphone and headphone.
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Exit USB hub

I'm a sucker for trashy, pop-cultural whimsy. So not surprisingly, this one caught my fancy, though it's not all table clutter since this pulls its own weight as a four-way USB hub. Still, one suspects the awkward placement of the ports will have PC users tossing this back onto the clutter heap. Shanghai Donya has this retailing for 999 yen (US$9.70) if it's collectible fun you're after.

Theme-wise, this ought to get along manfully with the bloody Voodoo Knife Holder, prickly Voodoo Doll Toothpick Holder, the rather unfortunate Dead Fred Penholder and Hanging Harry Light Pull, and The Hold Up.

Via Japan Today | Photo credit: Shanghai Donya

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