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Casio Annouces Two New Exilim Cameras – One With GPS, One Without

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Casio is announcing two new additions to their Exilim point and shoot line – one a top of the line model with built in geo-tagging and the latest generation of GPS technology, and one entry level unit.

The more interesting of the two is the Exilim EX-H20G, which features a built in GPS which will not only automatically tag where a photo was taken, it also has built in maps and will display where the photographer is currently located. The potential here is obvious, you pretty much can’t get lost with this camera, and if you do, it’ll show you how to get home. Couple the GPS capabilities with 24mm, 10x optical zoom lens on a 14.1 megapixel camera, and you’ve got a great portable point and shoot that’ll also record video at 720p (30fps). The EX-H20G will be available this November for $349.99.

Next up, the Exilim Z-16. This is an entry level point an shoot with a 12.1 megapixel sensor, and as such it lacks the GPS functionality of the EX-H20G. It’s also a lot simpler to use, with built in facial recognition software, and well as the “Best Scene” functionality that auto selects many of your most important setting for you. MSRP on the Z-16 is a quite reasonable $99.99, and you should expect to see it in stores this month.

CrunchGear Week In Review: Dropped Frames Edition

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 12:00 AM PDT

iFixIt Tears Down the Playstation Move

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 11:27 PM PDT


Those scamps at iFixIt have torn down the PS3 Move and discovered that it’s basically as complex as a cellphone but without the radio chip. Obviously this is just a controller – no surprise – but they did find a few interesting points.

The Wii and PlayStation use different methods of locating their controllers. The Wii Remote has an infrared (IR) sensor built into the controller, and uses triangulation from the IR emitters on the sensor bar placed near the TV to locate itself. PlayStation Move, unlike the Wii, can locate the motion controller in 3D space. The PlayStation Eye camera visually recognizes the X/Y position as well as the relative size of the glowing sphere on the motion controller to pinpoint the controller’s location.

* The Move contains many of components found in today’s smartphones: a processor, accelerometer, gyroscope, Bluetooth transmitter, vibrating motor, and even a MEMS compass. It’s an amazing amount of tech for the money, even though we still think it’s steep to pay $50 for a controller. Compared to a $40 WiiMote, though, it’s quite the bang for the buck.


Fujifilm FinePix X100 Combines Versatile Digital Power With Insanely Good Looks

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 08:24 PM PDT


Wow, Fujifilm. Just… wow. This is an amazing piece of work. The FinePix X100 is… not really comparable to anything on the market. It’s got the sensor of a DSLR (12-megapixel APS-C) but is set up like an old-school rangefinder, with an actual optical viewfinder. Or rather, a hybrid viewfinder, since they can overlay information on it like an EVF… but it’s still a real image, not an electronic one. This thing looks nuts.

The lens is a 23mm F/2, which they say they’ve had specially made for this body and sensor. The LCD on the back is a ridiculous 800×600 pixels in 2.8″, putting it on iPhone 4 levels as far as pixel density goes. It’ll shoot 5FPS, ISO goes from 200 to 600, and it’ll do 720p video.


But the body! Oh my god! It’s designed after the original cameras we all miss so much. It’s mostly made of metal, including the dials up top, which should give it a hell of a nice heft and feel. I sure hope it has full time manual focus too.

Man, I want one already. It’s like what the Sigma DP series should have been… and to be honest, I’d prefer this thing over the micro four-thirds bodies that are out there right now. Too bad it’s still “in development” and won’t be available until early 2011. Don’t worry, Fujifilm. I can wait.

Check out the FinePix X100 at its microsite.

Back to School: Console Gaming

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 06:45 PM PDT

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Let’s face it, you’re not going to spend all your time at school in class or studying and as a result, it’s a good idea to have some gear for gaming. We’ll hit the usual suspects here.

Free & Cheap

Emulators
While not the most social choice, you can’t beat the price on running emulator software. Programs like Dolphin will work great on most Windows/Linux PCs, and there are multiple options available for most mobile phones. Finding ROMs is fairly simple, and if you have problems you can probably find someone on your floor that knows where to track some down.

Portable
When it comes to portable gaming, there’s not too many choices. You can go with the the Nintendo DSi, (or DSiXL), the Sony PSP platform, the iPod Touch, or any of several indie Linux platforms. Realistically it comes down to the kind of games you like, and what else you plan on using your device for. Personally, I’ve gone with the iPod Touch and the Nintendo DSiXL.

Console Gaming
You’re going to have to make a choice. I’m not going to get into the PS3 vs. Xbox 360 vs. Wii war here, but let it suffice to say that all three platforms have their pluses and minuses. The PS3 obviously has not just gaming, but also Blu-ray going for it, while the Xbox 360 has XBLA and some outstanding gaming franchises making it a strong contender. The best thing to do (in my opinion) is see what your roommates/dorm-mates have, and then decide which would work best for you. The Xbox 360 has several bundles available, most recently the Halo:Reach special edition (and that’s the game you’re probably going to be playing on Xbox Live anyway). The Wii has those great party games and controllers, but is somewhat limited in the game selection. Again, it comes down to a matter of personal preference, so I’m not going to espouse one over the other.

Games
The most important thing to remember is to be careful choosing your games. Sure, having Rock Band in your dorm room sounds fun – right up to the point where you realize that there’s going to be at least 3 extra people in your room with you at all times. Let the guy down the hall be the one who has to deal with the noise, you’re going to need to sleep and study. Party games are great, particularly games like Super Smash Brothers or Mario Party. Just be careful spending those hard wheedled dollars on games instead of things like food and laundry detergent.

At the end of the day, it boils down to this: don’t spend all your time playing and drop out. But there’s nothing wrong with putting a couple of bean bag chairs down and letting off some Steam from time to time.

The Peek 9 Launches Tomorrow If You Care Or Not

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 06:42 PM PDT


Peek sent out an email today announcing that a new Peek will be announced tomorrow. A bit needy, sure, but I’ll bite because they got my attention with this line, “It’s called Peek 9 and it is a major step forward — cheaper, simpler, and faster than ever.” Cheaper, simpler, and faster than the current Peeks? Nice. If that statement isn’t marketing bull, the Peek 9 might have a chance.

Peek has always been about low-cost. That’s the staple of their message, but over the years, even their line got more expensive as more features we added. The Peek Pronto launched in 2009 with a $79.99 MSRP with a $20 monthly fee. That’s not exactly cheap in my book seeing how it’s nearly the cost of a smartphone plan.

A retailer prematurity announced the Peek 9 a few days ago and listed the price at $69.99. That’s not exactly an official announcement, but it’s the cost of the service plan that I would like to see dropped. Right now it’s $14.99 and even that’s on par with some on-contract plans. Hopefully the big news tomorrow is the service plan is cheaper.

The email is clearly carefully worded to no doubt generate buzz. There’s a bunch of key words here: focused, cost-efficient, real-time apps and cheaper. That’s fine. I want the Peek 9 to deliver. But can even a cheaper, app-filled Peek stand out in a world full of iPhones, BlackBerrys, and Android devices? That’s a question only the retail market can answer.
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