Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

If you think Cybershots are currently lacking in style, consider this concept Cybershot camera design by Young Hwan Kim. If features the standard slimness and sexiness found in most of Sony’s little snapping wonders, plus an extra feature - a wide, swiveling camera lens protector at the front.

And it’s unlike any other camera lens protector you’ve ever seen, because when closed it covers the whole face of the camera, and only swivels downward to activate the thing.

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Sony has announced their latest point-and-shoot model, the Cybershot W300. Offering 13.6-megapixels in a nice shiny titanium-coated casing, this will make a nice follow up to the previous 12-megapixel W200.

The W300 features 2.7-inch LCD, a 35 to 105mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.8 lens, face detection, Smile Shutter mode, noise reduction settings and the ability to share photos with an on-board slideshow or using the HDTV output. The slideshows can also be customized with MP3 soundtracks.

The Cybershot W300 will be available beginning in May and retail for $350.

Via [Crave]

Sony has just announced the Cybershot DSC-H50, a 9.1-megapixel camera with 15x Carl Zeiss optical zoom, a UV hard-coated scratch resistant 3-inch LCD and comes with an IR remote.

The DSC-H50 also features Super SteadyShot, NightShot, D-Range Optimizer, smile recognition, face detection and has an advanced sports shooting mode that will offer shutter speeds up to 1/4000 of a second with continuous auto-focusing.

The DSC-H50 will be available beginning in May and is expected to retail for $400.

Via [I4U News]

Sony Ericsson has added two new models to it’s Cyber-shot lineup, the C902 and the C702. Starting with the higher-end model, the C902 has a slide-out lens cover making easy to snap those quick pictures, illuminated camera touch-keys, Photo Flash and a 5-megapixel camera with face detection and auto focus. The C702 features a 3.2-megapixel camera with digital zoom and face detection, built-in GPS with Google Maps for Mobile pre-installed. The C702 is designed for single hand use and is also both splash and dust-resistant.

The C902 and C702 both offer just 160MB of internal memory but have a Memory Stick Micro card slot for additional storage. The C902 will be available in Swift Black or Luscious Red while the C702 will be available in Speed Black or Cyan Blue.

Keep reading for a few more pictures of the Cyber-shot C902 and C702…

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Sony has posted a small rise in quarterly profits recently, but are being cautious about painting too rosy a picture. Sony’s Cybershot series of cameras and Handycam camcorders had a strong fourth quarter which helped to bolster the Japanese giants overall numbers. Sony even managed to get better numbers out of it’s gaming division by lowering production costs on the PS3 as well as getting some improved sales figures for the PSP.

“The game division turning into the black is a positive,” said Takeshi Osawa, a senior fund manager at Norinchukin Zenkyoren Asset Management. “But the U.S. economic outlook is a cause of concern for its consumer electronics business.”

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Sony has just revealed their new Cybershot G1.  The G1 combines your everyday point-n-shoot pocket camera with the Internet via its built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.  It also comes with 2GB of on-board storage, a 3.5 inch LCD screen, DLNA compliance, as well as the ability to play slideshows with music.  The G1 shoots at 6 megapixels and has 3X optical zoom.  Nothing too special as far as the actual camera is concerned, but all of those added on specs are surely a bonus. 

Since the FCC just approved the G1 today, Sony will have no problem revealing this guy at this year’s PMA in Vegas.  Look for it in April for an MSRP of $600.

Read [PCMag] Read [FCC]

I guess this was the big week for announcements. Though disappointing, the week was headlined by Apple’s ”Fun Ehhh New Products” event. Microsoft has been teasing Origami, Sony Ericsson dropped some sweet Cyber-shot, Walkman, and everyday phones, Blu-ray has a hardware and content launch date, SanDisk announced a whole slueh of new products, and TiVo announced KidZone. As always, we saw a bunch of gaming rumors including the PSP, DS, and Revolution. Finally, on Friday RIM finally settled their patent lawsuit, paying $612.5 million to NTP to keep their Blackberry’s up and running.

Here’s the rundown of the past week. In case you missed them be sure to checkout our Gadgetell Podcast 2: The day before “fun new products” (now on iTunes too!) as well as this weeks columns. Thanks again for your readership.

Features

• Up to the minute coverage of Apple’s Special Event


• Some quick wit from our resident comic


• WTFH: Kiosks change the music industry


• The Water Cooler: Will Rome fall again?


• Dave Rubin on Microsoft’s Origami Project

• Gadgetell Podcast 2: The day before “fun new products” 2/27/06

• TomTom GPS units highlight Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins locations along routes


• BenQ launches two new moniters


• Cellfan offers Star Wars skins


• Samsung 16X DVD+RW drive w/ LightScribe


• Printable glossy inkjet CDs and DVDs


• Logitech-Adobe NuLOOQ: graphic design tools at your fingertips


• Samsung uses iPod software designer for YP-Z5


• Sony Ericsson K800i


• Toshiba ships their 25 millionth 1.8? drive


• iRiver gaming


• Sony Ericsson’s first Cyber-shot phones


• Sony Ericsson W300


• Sony Ericsson’s entry level phones


• Google and Sony Ericsson team up


• MatrixStream: HD IPTV


• Nintendo Trauma Center


• Google payments


• Updated: 6 versions of Windows Vista


• DirecTV VOD: DirectFlix


• Sony’s first slider HDTV


• iPod Hi-Fi


• Apple updates their Mac mini


• PodZinger searches over 70,000 podcasts


• Pinnacle PCTV USB stick


• Plasma waterfalls


• The YapperMouse: a skype mouse


• CellStik now backs up Motorola, Samsung, and LG


• Multi-touch DS patent


• TiVo is giving away their boxes…again


• TiVo is hosting the Academy Awards


• Unlock your GSM phone now


• Sony, NEC to optical drive divisions


• SanDisk’s lineup of new memory cards


• Beware the Ides of March


• Blu-ray to launch 5/23


• TiVo olympics recap


• TiVo press event tomorrow


• Motorola patents mobile guitar phone interface


• Popular Science and their HOW 2’s


• Pink Motorola SLVR


• Craigslist, Google Base, now Windows Live Expo


• Updated: Microsoft’s Origami Project


• Series 3 TiVo no, KidZone yes


• ABC to offer ad-supported TV shows online for free


• Apple says Mac mini not PVR after all


• Sync your non-iPod media player with iTunes


• Blackberry FINALLY reaches a patent deal

• Updated: Apple rumor roundup


• Rumor: Touch-screen Nintendo Revolution controller


• Rumor: Google Calendar (CL2) revealed


• Will the real iPod video please stand up?