Author: ChipChick.com

Gaga Oh La La! Lady Gaga just got a promotion. Today, Polaroid announced that Lady Gaga will act as the brand’s Creative Director for a new specialty line of imaging products. The perfect candidate for such a job, Lady Gaga surely prides herself on her own creative imaging whether it’s in fashion, video, or music. Announcing the new products on Thursday January 7th at 10:45 at the Polaroid Booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Gaga will be there in full effect to unveil this mysterious new line of products and her future business plans with the company at Polaroid’s booth.

Casio is bringing their highspeed burst shooting technology to compact and very consumer friendly cameras. These cameras will make sure you never miss a shot, and they are also able to record slow motion videos. Dynamic Photo technology is also being crammed into some these cameras, so that you’ll be able to combine moving images with the other moving images. For the Exilim EX-H100 model (picture above), we’re talking High-speed movie recording at up to 1,000 fps and an Ultra-high speed burst shooting at a speed of 40 shots per second, along with a Wide-angle 24 mm 10X optical zoom lens in a compact body and a 10MP CMOS sensor.

The following three new models sporting the Dynamic Photo technology.

EX-H15
This 14.1 effective megapixel model packs a wide-angle 24 mm 10X optical zoom lens and a 3.0-inch Super Clear LCD screen with a high resolution of approximately 460,000 pixels into a compact body. The camera is also loaded with advanced standard features including CCD-shift image stabilization, long 1,000-shot* battery life on a single full charge, and the high-resolution HD Movie function.

EX-Z2000
This 14.1 effective megapixel model comes with a wide-angle 26 mm 5X optical zoom and a 3.0-inch Super Clear LCD screen with a high resolution of approximately 460,000 pixels in a compact, thin body. The camera comes with CCD-shift image stabilization and HD Movie function, as well as a long-life battery, making it possible to take 580 shots* on a single full charge. With this model, Casio has also realized a fresh new digital camera design, creating an innovative form finished in natural curves. The EX-Z2000 comes in several color including black, pink, silver, red and violet.

EX-Z550
This camera features a wide-angle 26 mm 4X optical zoom lens and a clear 2.7-inch LCD screen. A 14.1 effective megapixel model, it is equipped with CCD-shift image stabilization and HD Movie function. the EX-Z550 is available in blue, black, pink, red and silver.

At Casio’s press conference they announced a new digital picture frame. But before you start yawning, hear them out. The Digital Art Frame has the unique capability of transforming your photos into paintings. The frame can transform a photo into an oil painting, Water Color Painting, Color Pencil Sketch, Pastel Painting, Pointillism, Air Brush, Oil Painting, Gothic  and Fauvist Oil Painting. and many more types of art. The Digital Art Frame also uses a new version of Casio’s advanced Dynamic Photo technology.

Previously Dynamic Photo technology was able to remove a subject from its background and composite two photos together. Now that compositing technology has been extended to work on videos too. You can composite images on video and vice versa, it’s all about creativity and expression. The frame also has Adobe Flash Lite Playback technology for playing back Flash content. In addition, you can even create clocks and calendars using your media. However, several clocks and calendars are already bundled if you’re feeling lazy.

When you’re done with your creation, you can use the frames built in wifi to send your new composited masterpieces to someone via email, to your blog or even as SMS.

HP’s EliteBook Notebook PCs are aimed at business professionals that demand hardy laptops that still provide tons of performance. The system is made of HP DuraCase, HP DuraKeys, and metal hinges with steel pin axels and a reinforced display latch for 4 point lockdown. As a matter of fact, it’s so durable that it can has met durability tests under military standards (MIL-STD 810G). The system also has a spill resistant drain. But what makes the  8440w and 8540w especially unique is that it can be configured with workstation-class graphics and powerful Core i7 Processors.  Read on for each new system’s specs.
HP EliteBook 8440w and HP EliteBook 8540w mobile workstations

• HP DuraCase, HP DuraKeys, metal hinges with steel pin axels and reinforced display latch for 4 point lockdown
• Meets durability tests under military standards (MIL-STD 810G), measuring levels of environmental reliability
• Pre-loaded with HP SkyRoom, an affordable, high-definition videoconferencing software
• Configurable choice of Intel® Unified Mobile Access (UMA) or NVIDIA graphics; the latest Intel processors and
chipset and HD Plus resolution displays
• HP QuickWeb HP QuickLook QuickWeb, 3, HP Power Assistant and spill-resistant drains
• BFR/PVC free, underscoring HP’s commitment to the environment
• HP Long Life Battery for up to a three year life span
HP EliteBook 8440w and HP EliteBook 8540w mobile workstations
• HP EliteBook 8440w represents HP’s first 14-inch mobile workstation
• 15-inch HP EliteBook 8540w features USB 3.0 and support up to four DIMM slots
• Gunmetal anodized-aluminum finish with full magnesium-alloy chassis
• Outstanding workstation-class graphics and future Intel® Core™ and i7 processors
• Available in January, starting at $1,499 U.S. (8540w) and $1,299 U.S. (8440w)

HP EliteBook 8440p and HP EliteBook 8540p
• Classic platinum anodized-aluminum finish and magnesium frame
• Sets a standard for on-the-move productivity with up to 24 hours of battery life
• Features future Intel® Core™ and i7 processors
• Available in January, starting at $1,099 U.S. (8440p) and $1,249 U.S. (8540p)

Panasonic has announced new full motion video network cameras that will let folks monitor their homes remotely when using certain Panasonic’s Internet-enabled plasma HDTVs, as well as PCs and cell phones. The new BL-C210 and the BL-C230 have an integrated Internet connection allows users to view camera output in real time full motion video from anywhere in the world, using a personalized secure web address. Users can even have the camera pan, tilt and zoom remotely.

The cameras use H.264 video compression for high quality video while using less bandwidth. The system also has built-in sensors that detect body hear, sound, and motion. When a sensor is triggered, an image is captured and can be sent via email or to a VIERA CAST enabled TV. There is built-in memory to store images and the included recording software connects up to 16 cameras.

The Panasonic BL-C210 IP network camera will cost $199.95 and the BL-C230 for $299.95.

HP’s got a new Multi-Touch laptop that they’re adding to their TouchSmart line for just under $1000. The new multi-gesture laptop offers a few nifty features in addition to a bunch of the same features as its predecessor, the TX2. The display is a bright 12.1-inch diagonal WXGA HD LED. The TM2, like the TX2, incorporates a swivel screen which allows for zoom, scroll, and rotate multi-touch gestures. HP did not skimp on the hardware for the TM2, which will be armed with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and sport optional high multimedia performance ATI Mobility Radeon discrete graphics. Best of all the device runs the beautiful new TouchSmart software, which includes Twitter, an HP Music Store, and even Hulu! But what blew us away about the TM2 in particular is the special desktop that HP has included called BumpTop 3D desktop. You can drag and drop documents in a 3D like environment using your fingers. It’s absolutely the coolest touchscreen desktop interface we’ve ever seen.

 

Doxie is a cute and portable document scanner that makes it easy to share and archive documents on any PC or Mac. Doxie scans directly to the cloud: send paper and photos directly to popular web apps like Google Docs, Evernote, Scribd, Backpack, Acrobat.com, and Flickr. Doxie also scans directly to desktop apps like iPhoto and Picasa, and offers the exclusive Doxie Cloud PDF hosting service for instant document sharing via e-mail, chat, and Twitter. And Doxie’s intuitive, integrated design offers seamless scanning with one press of Doxie’s Multi-Tap Heart Button – yes, folks, it’s a button with a heart on it! Doxie will retail for $129.99.

The Usb Body Mass Scale from Ion is the most efficient way to keep tabs on your weight and mass. The device operates as a regular weight scale, but it also connects to your computer so that you can track your weight, bmi, and body composition over time. Pricing TBD.

Weigh and measure yourself any time with USB BODY MASS SCALE. This USB medical device connects to your computer’s standard USB jack and transmits a host of information including weight, body mass index, and even body composition. Track changes over time with the easy-to-use tracking software.

It’s official! The Speedy USB 3.0 hard drives are starting to arrive. Seagate’s new BlackArmor PS 110 3.0 Performance Kit promises delivery speeds up to 3x faster than USB 2.0 drives. But what makes this kit especially unique is the fact that the kit comes with everything you need to upgrade your laptop to USB 3.0, including cables and a PC card adapter. The drive comes with a complete backup software suite, and the software also protects backup files with AES 256-bit encryption. Pricing for the BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 Performance Kit begins at $179.99 for the 500GB version.

Workstation PCs have primarily stayed in the business sector because traditionally, they’ve always been very pricey.But the HP Z200 Workstation might change all that. It’s an entry-level workstation computer that is priced like your average desktop. The system features Intel Core dual-core processors and quad-core options based on the enterprise-class Intel Xeon 3400 series. Pricing begins at $769 and it will be available starting in February.

Are you jealous of all of the All-in-one touchscreen computers that are coming out? How about breathing some new life into your old computer with the HP Compaq L2105tm 21.5-inch Widescreen Touch Monitor. The L2105 might look pretty ordinary, but it’s HP’s first Microsoft Windows 7 OS certified multi-touch monitor, featuring optical touch panel technology. The display has a 1920×1080 resolution with a 1000:1 contrast ratio. Pricing begins at $299. Something tells us we’ll be seeing a lot more touchscreen monitors this year.

Ultraportable projectors are popping up everywhere, and HP wants to get in the action with the HP Notebook Projection Companion. This little guy measures four by three inches and weighs less than one pound. It’s able to project an image unto 60 inches from a instance of 8.5 feet. It will be available to purchase for $399.

The other neat accessory near the projector that we snapped a picture of, is a thin and light world wide laptop travel adapter that comes with interchangeable connectors. We don’t have much details on it yet but it should retail for at least $100.

 

HP Notebook Projection Companion: Designed for use in smaller settings where a handful of people are present, the HP Notebook Projection Companion is ideal for highly mobile users. Compatible with HP business and consumer notebook PCs and other notebooks with a VGA connection, this ultra-portable accessory is powerful and durable enough to serve as a primary projector or as a backup while on the road. DLP technology gives presentations sharp images, crisp text and vibrant colors. Weighing less than one pound (0.9 lb/0.42 kg) and measuring just 3.6 x 1.6 x 4.4 inches (9.3 x 4.0 x 11.1 cm), this remarkably compact projector fits easily inside a notebook carrying case.

The new HP ProBooks 6440b and6540b Notebook PCs aren’t just for business professionals, they’re also suitable for anyone clumsy. That is because, not only are both systems built to last, but both systems feature a spill resistant keyboard with drains. The ProBook 6440b sports a 14 inch display and has a 5lb weight while the 6540b touts a 15.6″ display and a 5.5lb weight. The systems also come with a 2MP webcam (optional), HP QuickWeb, HP QuickLook3, and a touchpad or the optional pointstick input device. Under the hood the systems are powered by Intel Core i7 and future Intel processor-based mobile platforms. Pricing begins at $949.

 

The HP Mini 210 and HP Mini 2102 are not major overhauls of HP’s previous Mini series of notebooks, but this round of updates sport some nice refinements. Both systems weigh 2.69lbs, are less than one inch thin with unto 10 hours of battery life, they sport a 10.1″ LED screen, a 93 percent full size island style keyboard, and optional 3G broadband and GPS. The Mini 210 is geared towards consumers and is available in several colors including Black Crystal, Silver Crystal, Pacific Blue or Sonoma Red HP Imprint. The Mini 2102 is practically identical but it’s geared towards business users and only comes in black. Both systems come with some cool new software from HP including QuickSync, QuickWeb, CloudDrive and MediaStream. The Mini 210 is available on Jan. 7, starting at $299.99, while the Mini 2102 starts at $329.

 

HP QuickWeb is an innovative software solution that sits outside your computer’s operating system, enabling you to access the web without having to boot into Windows. With a single touch of a button, you can enjoy a fast connection to the internet in under 20 seconds from a power-off state.

Just push the HP QuickLook button on your HP business notebook. HP QuickLook 3 springs to life in about ten seconds. You then have immediate access to information from your Microsoft Office Outlook® program. HP QuickLook 3 enables this fast access by proactively capturing information and storing it outside your computer’s operating system. You can specify the frequency at which data is captured, the type of data that is captured (e-mail, calendar, contacts and tasks), and the range of data that is captured. For example, you can capture and cache up to 1,000 messages from your inbox for ready access via HP QuickLook 3.
Work Fast with HP QuickLook 3:
• find information in seconds when your computer is off.1
• view e-mail, calendar, contact and task information with
the push of a button.
• create and edit calendar, contact and task information,
and then see your changes incorporated into outlook the
next time you open it.
• respond to e-mail messages and store them in your outbox until
the next time you open outlook.
• cache data from office outlook 2003 and 2007
automatically.

Ion’s new DESK FX USB cables glow in color when connected to a computer USB port or USB hub. Do you need these, no! Are they cool, yes! These should certainly make your workspace look trippy.

LaCie’s popular Rugged external hard disk is now speedier than ever. Lacie is set to release the LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 with faster speeds than even firewire. We’re talking 110MB/s. The system will also come complete with a software bundle for easy formatting and backup, as well as 10GB Wuala online storage included for one year. We’ll update this post with pricing and more info when it becomes available. It’s about time USB 3.0 products came to market!

The new Archerfish Solo is a home surveillance system that is more advanced than anything that has come before it. Lets face it, even with motion activation, you’re bound to end up sorting through tons of empty footage. But Archer is super intelligent, you can specify it to look out for expected events, unanticipated intrusions, or just the odd things that can happen when you’re not around. When one of these things do happen, Solo notifies you with a video message sent to your cell phone or email.

Archerifsh Solo doesn’t even require a dedicated PC, it works out of the box. It automatically records event video clips to Archerfish secure servers and continuous video to a Micro SD card. It also gives you 24/7 viewing access via the web, it works both indoors and outdoors, its expendable, and it automatically filters out video that doesn’t interest you. The Archerfish Solo will be available in April for $399.

• Advanced Video Technology: Analyzes video in real-time; not available in any other consumer product
• Complete System Out of the Box: Doesn’t require a dedicated PC
• 802.11b/g Wireless: Works with your wireless router for easy setup and use
• Mobile Notifications: Sends video notifications to any user’s mobile phone or email inbox
• Flexible Recording: Automatically records event video clips to Archerfish secure servers and continuous video to a Micro SD card
• Dual Use Camera: Works indoors/outdoors with day/night capability
• Custom Web SmartPortal:* Provides point-and-click management of your Archerfish devices, locations and users
• 24×7 Live or Recorded Video Access: Allows viewing of any location, from anywhere
• Expandable System: Makes it easy to add more Archerfish devices, even in different geographic locations
• Video Search Engine: Finds specific video clips by event, date and time
• Intelligent Video Filter: Automatically filters out video that doesn’t interest you
• Automated System Safety: Preserves peace of mind with tamper detection, self recovery, secure storage and proactive system health monitoring

Last year Netbooks and solar powered gadgets were everywhere at CES. The year before it was iPod docks. Every year, there are certain trends that start on the show floor in Vegas and slowly make it to the mainstream as the year rolls on. This Thursday CES 2010 officially begins in Las Vegas, but we’ve already started covering some of the new products that will be showcased at the show. In particular, this year we have 5 predictions for 5 types of products that we expect to see a lot of innovation from at CES.

Here is our list:

1) Smartbooks
They’re lighter than netbooks with longer battery life. They’ll finally arrive this year and CES will be the first place we see them.

2) Color eBook readers
Enough with this craze for ebook readers, were sick of the monochrome version and want one that is good enough to view magazines on.

3) More Android phones and media devices
First there was only the G1, and now there are so many Android phones, we don’t know which one to choose.

4) MultiTouch displays
Everything from notebooks, to smartphones, to laptops are going to be sporting multigestures.

5) Cell phone watches
Just kidding kids! We where just making sure you were listening

What do you think we’ll be seeing a lot of at CES? Better yet, what do you want to see come out of the show?

Lets take a brief pause from the e-readers, Netbooks, and Flash Drives, for a moment that have leaked out thus far and get back to basics shall we? Like good old fashioned accessories for the iPhone or stylish headphones and speakers. iWave has unveiled its new Audio Customs Collection inspired by the Graffiti culture. The Audio Customs Collection features earbuds and iPhone/iPod cases ($9.99 to $29.99), headphones ($19.99 to $39.99) and speakers ($19.99 to $29.99). Each one displays a funky print that pops.

Smartbooks are rumored to be the next biggest thing since the netbook, unfortunately, they’ve been slow to arrive to market. However, it looks like Lenovo is beating others to the punch with the Lenovo Skylight. The Lenovo Skylight is Lenovo’s first smartbook. The system has enough battery power to keep going all day and it has has a Web optimized U/I. Skylight comes with a Qualcomm a 1GHz snapdragon arm processor that has both WiFi and 3G integrated, a full size keyboard and touchpad, 20GB of flash storage, a 10.1 inch screen and a full web browser. Pricing will begin at $499 and will be available to purchase from Lenovo, as well as AT&T.

 

•    Beauty and Brains – Thinner than many smartphones, Skylight’s sleek and lightweight design is a technological combination of beauty and function. Skylight is being introduced in two new vibrant colors, glossy lotus blue and earth red models. Skylight’s clamshell design opens to reveal a brilliant high definition 10.1 inch screen designed for watching high definition videos or viewing photos. Tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Weighing less than two pounds, Skylight is extremely mobile and lightweight enough for the user to tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Unlike many netbooks, Skylight’s full size keyboard makes typing easy.
•    No Power Cord? No Problem – Skylight has over 10 hours of active battery life,1 enough to allow the user to watch two movies or more back to back on the next plane flight.
•    Simply plug it in at night to charge like a mobile phone. On the next plane flight, enjoy watching two movies or more back to back.
•    Wireless Freedom – Skylight has built-in WiFi and 3G connectivity to give users a web connection nearly everywhere they go, and Skylight will seamlessly handoff between the WiFi and 3G. With the purchase of an AT&T DataConnect plan, users get 3G data but also access to AT&T’s nationwide Wi-Fi network, including more than 20,000 Hot Spots in the U.S. for fast and easy web access on the go.
•    Web Optimized Interface – Skylight’s unique custom interface lets the full capabilities of the web shine through with live web gadgets. Users can check Google Gmail™, update their Facebook™ status, see what’s new on YouTube™ or browse the Internet. simultaneously without having to continually refresh or log in.  There are more than 18 preloaded web gadgets including Amazon MP3 to download digital music favorites and Roxio CinemaNow to buy and download digital movies. Powered by the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon chipset platform and featuring 20 GB of standard flash and 2 GB of cloud storage, Skylight delivers the performance needed for mobile users unwilling to compromise their mobile experience and the flexibility to store their data wherever they like – in the cloud or on the device.