The Price: $180

The Verdict: When I got my first look at the Zi6, I had an inkling it could be the best "cheap" pocket camcorder yet, and I was right. I've been using it for a while both indoors and outdoors, and found the video quality to be stellar no matter the situation. To make things simple, here's how the Zi6 would've fared if it had been out in time for my Ultimate Cheap Camcorder Battlemodo:As you can see, this is a pretty badass pocket cam. The macro feature, a first on cheap camcorders like this, is a welcome way to film text and gadget screens up close. The camera's thick size actually makes it feel like a real piece of hardware and not something that could get lost in your bag. The HD recording is also great for giving users a bigger size for recording.

Despite all the good stuff, there are a few shortcomings with the Zi6. Most importantly, when switching between infinite and macro focus, or from low-light to full-light, the camera takes a while to refocus. Quick panning was similarly out of focus, and looked jagged at times. While HD was good for size, the Zi6 isn't recording at Blu-ray, or ever broadcast TV HD caliber. Truth is, the VGA should be sufficient for most videos. Finally, the USB connector popped open easily and often, a minor annoyance.

That said, the Zi6 may finally usher in the death of DV cams for most practical tasks. It takes clear video that can be imported to your PC immediately without fuss, and the AA battery slots ensure that you won't be stuck without power should the included rechargeables run dry. The Zi6 is truly best in its class, though that class is still "cheap pocket camcorders." [Kodak]

Examples of the Zi6 at work up close and at a distance in a variety of lighting situations:
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Steven Seagal and Richard Dean Anderson at Best Buy Geek Squad Black Tie Event

Steven Seagal and MacGyver from B Geezy on Vimeo.

The panel comes with 2GB of built-in internal memory, but includes an additional built-in memory card reader and a USB port. In case that's not enough, the panel can also link up to internet content from Kodak Gallery, Flickr and FrameChannel. If you've got about $1000 to spare, look out for it in the "cool gadgets for rich people" section of your neighborhood electronics store this holiday season.

Unmatched Image Quality from Any Viewing Angle Delivered by Kodak-invented OLED Technology

ROCHESTER, NY, September 17, 2008 – Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today introduced the world's first consumer-available wireless picture frame featuring innovative Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology, a Kodak invention that produces exceptionally sharp and vivid image quality. The frame will be on display at the Kodak booth (Hall 5.2) at Photokina.

OLED technology generates greater color depth and saturation than other displays, viewed on panels that are substantially thinner, resulting in a sleek, low-profile design.

The new KODAK OLED Wireless Frame also features built-in Wi-Fi technology that expands the user's experience by enabling access to pictures, videos and music stored on PCs in other rooms, as well as connectivity to online photo and video sharing sites and Internet content portals for news, weather, sports and more.

At the heart of the new KODAK OLED Wireless Frame is an ultra-thin, 7.6-inch diagonal digital panel that produces stunning image detail, when viewed from any angle. The viewing experience is further enhanced by Kodak Perfect Touch technology, which automatically processes images to improve exposure, brightness and color, and KODAK Image Science, which optimizes image quality for display on OLED panels.

"We're tremendously proud to introduce this exciting new picture frame," says Pete Jameson, General Manager, Digital Devices Group, Eastman Kodak Company. "Kodak is a worldwide market and technology leader in digital picture frames, and OLED technology was created by Kodak, making us uniquely positioned to bring the benefits of OLED to consumers."

Kodak's extensive achievements in OLED development and innovation were recently recognized by a 2008 Technology Leadership Award from business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

"In addition to spectacular image quality, the new frame's Wi-Fi connectivity delivers rich experiences that clearly demonstrate Kodak's commitment to help people unleash the power of their personal content," Jameson adds.

The KODAK OLED Wireless Frame requires no backlighting, and incorporates an ambient light sensor that optimizes the viewing experience by adjusting display brightness based on the surrounding light. Kodak has also designed a premium audio system into the frame, providing outstanding sound reproduction when enjoying videos, digital music and online content.

"Experiencing your memories easily and vibrantly is what KODAK Digital Frames are all about – people want their images to look their best," says Jameson. "Our new OLED frame represents a broad and dynamic future for an exciting new generation of KODAK products that deliver unsurpassed image quality and unprecedented clarity and color in capturing and reliving life's moments."

Benefits delivered by the KODAK OLED Wireless Frame:

· Enjoy spectacularly crisp images and videos on a 7.6-inch diagonal OLED screen, with 180° viewing angle.
· Experience extraordinary color, rich details and vivid image depth from the high-contrast luminous display (white to black ratio = >30,000:1)
· Experience high quality, lifelike video playback with sharp, seamless motion
· Upload images and videos to the frame from a digital camera, memory cards, USB drives, or wirelessly from personal computers and the Internet via built-in Wi-Fi capability.
· Transfer pictures from a PC to a KODAK OLED Wireless Frame even more effortlessly with the new KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Display Software. In addition to organizing and editing pictures, this software makes it easy to move favorite pictures, slideshows, videos and music wirelessly from a computer directly onto the frame. Digital Display Software also enables access to exciting Internet content available at KODAK Gallery, and Kodak partners Flickr and FrameChannel.
· Store up to 10,000 images* on the frame's 2 GB of built-in internal memory (actual storage capacity will vary based on image content).
· Enjoy pictures and videos from many sources with built-in memory card reader and USB port.
· Wide screen display with 16:9 aspect ratio and 800x480 resolution.

Pricing and Availability

The KODAK OLED Wireless Frame will retail for US $999 (MSRP) and will be available at kodak.com beginning in the 2008 holiday season, with additional online and retail distribution to be announced.

Yes, the camera captures video in 60fps 720p HD, the highest quality of any pocket cam so far, and it looked great when I saw it projected on a 40" flat-panel TV. The Zi6 also shoots stills and lower quality VGA video for wannabe YouTubers. Its SDHC slot supports cards up to 32GB—if you can find one—and my favorite sleeper feature is its ability to shoot well in macro focus mode.

It's thicker than the Flip, more like the RCA Small Wonder EZ210, so it has a more sturdy feel. It runs on rechargeable Ni-MH AAs and will also take regular AAs, but I'm told that standard batteries won't last as long. That all makes me skeptical of the battery life altogether.

The unit is $180, the same price as the new Flip Mino, and it has much more functionality, and so far a better look and feel. Mark me down for one of these (in black, not pink, pictured below) when they arrive in September, so I can round up some lab assistants and put it through the paces.

Here's the press release:

Zi6 Pocket Video Camera Unveiled, Boasting HD Video Capture and Instant Uploading to YouTube™

ROCHESTER, NY, July 10 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced its entry into the fast-growing pocket digital video camera market with the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera. This stylish HD video camera makes it fun and simple to shoot and share high-quality videos in moments, thanks to 720p HD video capture, a large 2.4-inch LCD screen, and easy-to-use software.

“Today’s connected consumers increasingly turn to video to express themselves and connect with others. The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera satisfies their thirst for an HD video camera that is simple to use and can go anywhere life takes them,” said John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “With the launch of the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, consumers now have a high-quality solution from the trusted brand in digital imaging.”

With the exploding popularity of video sharing sites such as YouTube, the demand for easy to use video devices is also growing rapidly. At the same time, the expanding penetration of HDTVs is driving consumer demand for HD quality personal content.

The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust.

A range of advanced features enables consumers to:

Capture video in HD quality on this fun and super simple pocket video camera (720p at 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio).
Upload your videos to YouTube quickly and easily using the built-in USB and software.
Record hours of video with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB.
Experience your videos on HDTV in stunning HD quality with included cables.
Edit videos, add pictures and music, and share your creation anywhere with the included video software CD.
Go green with included pre-charged AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and battery charger.
Watch videos on the vibrant 2.4” LCD screen.
Catch the highlights with slow motion playback right in the palm of your hand.

Uploading to YouTube
YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community. The Kodak and YouTube relationship will enable consumers to quickly and easily upload videos to YouTube directly from the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, or from the included simple and powerful video editing software (ARCSOFT MEDIAIMPRESSIONS for Kodak).

Accessories
A range of accessories will be available for the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera:

KODAK 2GB and 4GB High Performance memory cards
1-hour battery charger with 4 AA pre-charged Ni-MH batteries
KODAK tripods
KODAK camera bags

Pricing and Availability
The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera will be available from late September 2008, retailing for US$179.95 MSRP.

[Kodak]

Zi6 Pocket Video Camera Unveiled, Boasting HD Video Capture and Instant Uploading to YouTube™

ROCHESTER, NY, July 10 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced its entry into the fast-growing pocket digital video camera market with the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera. This stylish HD video camera makes it fun and simple to shoot and share high-quality videos in moments, thanks to 720p HD video capture, a large 2.4-inch LCD screen, and easy-to-use software.

“Today’s connected consumers increasingly turn to video to express themselves and connect with others. The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera satisfies their thirst for an HD video camera that is simple to use and can go anywhere life takes them,” said John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “With the launch of the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, consumers now have a high-quality solution from the trusted brand in digital imaging.”

With the exploding popularity of video sharing sites such as YouTube, the demand for easy to use video devices is also growing rapidly. At the same time, the expanding penetration of HDTVs is driving consumer demand for HD quality personal content.

The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust.

A range of advanced features enables consumers to:

Capture video in HD quality on this fun and super simple pocket video camera (720p at 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio).
Upload your videos to YouTube quickly and easily using the built-in USB and software.
Record hours of video with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB.
Experience your videos on HDTV in stunning HD quality with included cables.
Edit videos, add pictures and music, and share your creation anywhere with the included video software CD.
Go green with included pre-charged AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and battery charger.
Watch videos on the vibrant 2.4” LCD screen.
Catch the highlights with slow motion playback right in the palm of your hand.

Uploading to YouTube
YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community. The Kodak and YouTube relationship will enable consumers to quickly and easily upload videos to YouTube directly from the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, or from the included simple and powerful video editing software (ARCSOFT MEDIAIMPRESSIONS for Kodak).

Accessories
A range of accessories will be available for the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera:

KODAK 2GB and 4GB High Performance memory cards
1-hour battery charger with 4 AA pre-charged Ni-MH batteries
KODAK tripods
KODAK camera bags

Pricing and Availability
The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera will be available from late September 2008, retailing for US$179.95 MSRP.

Motorola and Kodak Redefine the Mobile Imaging Experience with MOTOZINE™ ZN5

BEIJING, CHINA — 23 June 2008 – Motorola (NYSE: MOT), a leader in wireless communications, and Kodak (NYSE: EK), the world’s foremost imaging innovator, today announced MOTOZINE™ ZN5, the first product combining world-class innovation from both companies. The MOTOZINE ZN5 combines a high-quality phone and camera experience to help content-craving consumers seize inspiration and share the content they create and love with the world.

Unveiled today in Beijing at a gallery-inspired event, ZINE ZN5 delivers an easy and immersive mobile imaging experience. ZN5 is the first mobile phone to combine Motorola’s ModeShift Technology and KODAK Imaging Technology. Together, they redefine the quality, convenience and connectivity of mobile imaging devices. With KODAK EASYSHARE Software and easy access to KODAK Gallery1 or other web sharing sites,2 pictures are easily moved off the device, allowing consumers to print, share and enjoy their favorite photos whenever they want.

“Today’s creative consumers not only want to be the photographer, but also the retoucher, the exhibitor and the critic,” said Jeremy Dale, corporate vice president, mobile devices marketing, Motorola, Inc. “The MOTOZINE ZN5 lets them be all the things they want to be.”

Built to Shoot
ZN5 puts image capture first, with a high-resolution landscape screen and one of the fastest click-to-click times available. To launch the camera, simply slide open the Kodak lens cover to transform the phone into an ultra-fast 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, a Xenon flash, 4GB of optional external memory3 and optimized settings for low-light environments.

Built-in KODAK Imaging Technology ensures that every picture taken with ZN5 looks its best. When KODAK Imaging Technology is combined with KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology, images become brighter and more vivid on the spot. Multiple capture modes, like multi-shot and panorama, which automatically stitches together continuous shots taken on the horizon line into a single, extended image1, makes taking photos fun.

“KODAK Imaging Technology combines Kodak’s unparalleled experience in imaging science with easy connectivity to the company’s vast portfolio of products and services,” said John Blake, general manager digital capture and imaging devices group, vice president Eastman Kodak Company. “We have redefined the quality, convenience and connectivity of mobile imaging devices. We have worked closely with Motorola to create a device that not only delivers Kodak-quality pictures, but allows consumers to explore a wide range of options for sharing their photos with friends and family around the world.”

Built to Share
With one touch, photos can be viewed right from the home screen; no menus, no searching. This multimedia device provides a fun, quick and easy way to share favorite photos. Pictures can be uploaded via Gallery Link in one simple click and instantly shared to the KODAK Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com)1 to be viewed, stored and shared with friends and family. ShoZu can be used to upload photos to a variety of social networking sites1. ZN5 comes with KODAK EASYSHARE Software, the world’s most used photo software, making it easy to organize, edit, share, store and find mobile pictures1. Consumers can transfer pictures to a computer via USB, Wi-Fi1 or Bluetooth® wireless technology4 and print wirelessly on Bluetooth-compatible KODAK All-in-One Printers and at KODAK Picture Kiosks.

Built to Talk
In phone mode, ZN5 features Motorola’s patented CrystalTalkTM technology to help callers hear and be heard, even in noisy environments. With dual compatibility for GSM and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), users can connect in more areas around the world2 and enjoy high-speed wireless connections to surf the Web via a full HTML browser2. To complete the communications experience, ZN5 also supports SMS, MMS, IM and personal e-mail2.

The MOTOZINE Multimedia Experience
MOTOZINE ZN5 is the first device to carry the MOTOZINE franchise name, Motorola’s new label for its multimedia-optimized devices. For the consumer who thrives on content consumption and creation, products in the ZINE portfolio give them the freedom to shape pop culture, on their terms.

MOTOZINE ZN5 will be first available in China in July 2008 and is expected to roll out around the globe throughout the remainder of the year. For more information regarding pricing and product availability in your region, please contact your local Motorola representative.

About Kodak
As the world's foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com/, and our blogs: 1000words.kodak.com, PluggedIn.kodak.com, and GrowYourBiz.kodak.com.

Editor’s Note: Kodak corporate news releases are now offered via RSS feeds. To subscribe, visit www.kodak.com/go/RSS and look for the RSS symbol. In addition, Kodak podcasts are viewable at www.kodak.com/go/podcasts. Our podcasts may be downloaded for viewing on iTunes, Quicktime, or other PC-based media players. Users may also subscribe to Kodak podcasts via the iTunes application if already installed on your computer. From the iTunes store, type “Kodak podcast” in the search field to view all of our podcast offerings.

Kodak, EasyShare and Perfect Touch are trademarks of Kodak.

[Motorola]

Kodak EasyShare M853 ($150 , 8.2MP) - The Best UI
The Good: The UI is clean and straightforward. On-screen menus explain the different options very clearly. The color in outdoor, well-lit settings was very accurate. Macro shots were clear.
The Bad: For such a great UI, I was surprised at the mediocrity of certain features. The most problematic issue I found was the M853 wouldn't mount to my Mac. Neither iPhoto nor Image Capture recognized it as a USB mass-storage device. The display is too small to get a decent field of vision. There are few options for taking manual shots, and the buttons used for these limited options aren't labeled. The M853 had the worst battery life of any camera I tried. Low light/no flash situations yielded poor pictures.
The Verdict: A beginner will be taking pictures right away, but it's not worth the frustration that comes later.

Nikon CoolPix L18 ($140 , 8MP) - The Easiest to Use
The Good: The CoolPix is so simple that it pretty much has two modes: Auto and Easy Auto. No pure manual mode exists, but there are some scene options available if you need something more specific. Outdoor pictures as well as close up macro shots looked good. Most of all, I really loved the 3" LCD display—larger than any other I tested.
The Bad: It may be too simple for people who like to tinker with their shots. You can adjust exposure and ISO, but the options don't help very much and you may not have as much control over your pictures as you'd like. Low light shots came out very blurry. I am not fans of AA batteries in cameras, and this one takes two.
The Verdict: This camera is a no-brainer for those with no-brains. It's pretty much the digital equivalent of a disposable camera—decent pictures for a decent price.

Canon PowerShot A580 ($150 , 8MP) - The No-Frills Camera
The Good: This camera takes pictures and it takes them well. Outdoor pictures came out bright and colorful, and turned out best when we were able to get a clear shot of the subject without background distractions. Manual options are comprehensive and show changes live, allowing you to see your alterations. The A580 took the clearest pictures of any of the cameras in dim light/flash free situations.
The Bad: It's bulky and unattractive. Pictures taken from a distance were out of focus and came out bad. The UI is cumbersome. Indoor, well-lit, no flash macro shots did not come out well (though maybe that's asking too much). It too runs on AAs, which I have avoided buying since 2002.
The Verdict: If you want the best pictures you can get in this price range, the A580 is a good choice. If you want to win the $150-and-under point-and-shoot beauty contest, you better keep shopping.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S750 ($150 , 7.2MP) - The Fiddler's Delight
The Good: Pictures on the S750 turned out bright and crisp. Outdoor shots looked good, and so did indoor macro shots. Plenty of manual options put you in control of the pictures you take.
The Bad: It helps to have some experience with digital cameras if you want to get the most out of the Cyber-shot. The auto mode is fine, but the manual options are the stars of the show. The scene modes are few and located on the camera dial itself, not a menu, adding some awkwardness. Low light shots were blurry. It uses Sony's proprietary Memory Stick, and not SD, a big no-no in my book.
The Verdict: The Cyber-shot is a very complete camera, it takes good pictures in different situations, has many options as well as a solid UI. I think it's worth learning all of the features on the camera; after all, this will be an investment, and it could improve my photo-taking skills.

GE A735 ($100, 7MP) - The Cheapest
The Good: The A735 is seriously cheap—$40 to $50 less than the rest—and holds its own when it comes to features. Manual mode is full of options. Bright light pictures had rich, deep colors.
The Bad: Most pictures didn't come out well and were very dark. Indoor and low-light situations were blurry and unfocused. The UI is a mess, way too many options and not easy to figure out. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't want no stinking AA batteries!
The Verdict: If you're super-broke, wait until you save up some more and get something nicer than this. It will take pictures, but you won't be happy with most of them.

The Final Word: Point-and-shoots in this price range will never be masterful at taking great pictures. However, if you don't have the money or desire to make the DSLR investment, or even spring for the next step up, you don't have to be stuck with junky pictures or a junky camera. There are different things I liked about each one I tested, especially the screen on the Nikon and the picture quality of the Canon. But for the best all around package, I'd spend my hard-earned $150 on the Cyber-shot DSC-S750.

The $180 M820 and $230 M1020 support all of the major memory card formats and USB drives, as well as make with the MP3 and MPEG (1 and 4) video playback. The $120 P720 is more basic, dropping the multimedia and CF card support. Can we get some Wi-Fi syncing, at least in the higher end model, please? [Kodak]

The Motorola Z12, an important phone for the flagging company, is rumored to have this technology inside. Chances are, that won't be the last, and so I find myself excited to see the light at the end of the grainy-phone-photo tunnel. (And the end of ridiculously sized cellphone like the n93 above.) [Reuters]

There's a slideshow function, you can edit images, transfer your pics to a USB drive, print pics out via a connected printer and charge your camera battery. Not all at the same time, though. Available in October, the dock will cost $99. [Kodak]

The Z812 IS Megazoom
12 x optical zoom
Schneider Dreuznach Variogon lens
Optical Image Stabilization
0.23-second click-to-capture delay
8 Megapixels

The V1233 Easyzoom
12 Megapixels
4,000 x 3,000 pixels
720p resolution video
2.5-inch LCD color display
Schneider-Kreuznach lens
5 x optical zoom
Face detection technology
Automatic focus and metering

The V1253 Easyzoom
12 Megapixel
720p resolution video
3.1-inch widescreen color LCD display
Kodak Color Science Chip
Schneider-Kreuznach lens
5 x digital zoom
Face detection technology
automatic focus and metering

No prices yet, but expect to see them at IFA. [Let's Go Digital via i4U]

Not many details are known about the phone, although we do know it'll debut just in time for the holidays. Only time will tell if it'll be able to take on Sony Ericsson and its Cybershots (which happen to be my favorite cameraphones). – Louis Ramirez

Kodak's CMOS Camera Will Be 5-megapixel [News.com]

Kodak 1881, PocketSized Digital Camera [Yanko Design via Gearfuse]

Remember Kodak's latest multifunction printers? The ones Kodak was all cocky about, claiming that they crushed the competition with amazing photos at 10 cents? Well, according to Popular Photography, it's all a big pile of steaming bull dung.

After testing the Kodak EasyShare 5300 against its HP, Canon and Epson counterparts, it seems that not only does the Kodak comes last in every single aspect, but it has no price advantage whatsoever, not even reaching the 10 cents per print mark. The final price per copy was 11.5 cents and the quality "was so low in color saturation that they could be deemed no better than 'draft' quality by professional or lab-print standards." If you use better-quality paper to get results comparable to the competition, the price soars to 37 cents.

Popular Photography has not tested the 100 years life of each copy, but after reading their article, I won't be waiting around to see if it's true or not. –Jesus Diaz

All-in-One Printer Shootout [Popular Photography & Imaging]

No, don't ask me why this new Kodak makes me think of Krusty's footwear, but I think it has something to do with its oversimplified roundness. The 12x zoom has got quite a reach on it as well. A quick list of features include: Shutter lag of 0.26 secs; 7.1 Megapixels; High ISO; Image Stabilization. What it is missing: a buttonhole that squirts water at your friends, but what do you expect for $299? There's another pic after the jump.

– Ad Dugdale

Kodak announce Z712 IS, Z885, C613 and C763 compacts [Photography Press]

That's the 5500 above, the king of the road. It prints, scans, copies. It has PictBridge, memory card slots and a 2.4 inch LCD for editing on the spot, a fax, document feeder and duplexer. Cadillac style, man.

Then there's the 5100 and 5300.

Kodak EasyShare 5100
-$149
-prints, scans, and copies
-PictBridge-enabled
-32ppm in black and 22 ppm in color

Kodak EasyShare 5300
-$199
-same features as the 5100, but adds memory card slots and a 3-inch LCD for editing your photos

They'll be available in March. And I can't believe we have printer lust.–Brian Lam

Kodak's new printers [Kodak]

In fact, all of your 4x6-inch prints will be a lot cheaper with the new inks averaging 10 cents per print. Meanwhile, letter-size black and whites will run about 3 cents per print. The inks themselves will be priced at $9.99 for a cartridge of black ink and $14.99 for a five-color cartridge. Kodak claims this is 50% cheaper than what you'd spend on say an HP, Epson, or Canon ink refill. So we checked out their prices and in all instances, the Kodak ink saves you a pretty decent amount of cash. Whether the quality is as good—that we'll have to see for ourselves, but analysts have said good things so far.

Oh, these printers are fast as hell, too. They'll shoot out your photos at the rate of 22 pages per minute.

PC World has product comparisons, but I like Business Week's writeup of Antonio Perez losing a power play to Carly Fiorina to run printer giant HP many years ago, landing at the distraught Kodak to find the lab geeks had invented the 100-year ink, considered the holy grail of the industry.

The new printers are detailed in this next post.–Brian Lam

Kodak Launches a Printer Offensive [BusinessWeek]
Kodak Announces New Multifunction Inkjet Printers [PC World]

UPDATE: The news is here.
Kodak Invite [crave]

Casio introduced the first slim camera with a 7X optical zoom tucked inside the camera. At an inch thick, it's plumper than many other slims when turned off. But with the internal zoom, it doesn't get the big-boner effect of most rivals when they get turned on. This is also Casio's first camera to use a CCD that moves to counteract camera shake. (It's playing catch-up the pioneer of image stabilization, Panasonic, plus Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Olympus.)

More after the jump...

Fujifilm took an awesome camera, the F31fd, and made it way better by squeezing it down from 27.8 millimeters to just 23mm (.9 inches) thick. And it squeezed in room for a slot that can take cheap, ubiquitous SD memory cards (along with Fujifilm's old standby: overpriced, underappreciated xD picture cards.)

Kodak brought haut couture to the lowly poor with the swell-looking V803 camera. Priced at reasonable $200, it provides higher-end features including 8-megapixel resolution, and ISO 800 light sensitivity. But its real beauty is skin-deep: a choice of ten exterior colors. The gold, green, red, and (believe it or not) white finishes are especially sweet-looking. But we don't' yet know what the photos will look like.

Samsung's L73 is clad in Sammy's new deep-gray, stainless-steel finish. It isn't ultra-skinny, but has a sexy, curvy, voluptuous figure that we wouldn't kick out of bed. And its Samsungs first camera with has face-detection technology. It also has Samsung's pretty-new touch technology, that lets you breeze through complex menus by pressing or sliding your finger over buttons that run along the right and bottom sides of the screen. – Sean Captain

I like their two WiFi versions, the EX1011 (10") and EX811 (8"). Both frames feature 128MB of internal memory, 800x480 LCD displays and photo streaming from a PC folder or their proprietary service. While most models fill their spec sheets with standards like memory card support and USB connectivity, these models can support MP3/MP4/mov/avi with audio playing out of their built-in speakers.

Look for them in March for $279 and $229.
Their non WiFi MP3 model runs $129. Video models start at $179.

But while I was impressed by Kodak's line, most of us at CES have noticed a trend:

Digital Picture Frames are everywhere.

Seriously. Kodak claimed that this is because of consumer demand, and then she quoted a study by (the CEA?) that I have since heard again from other manufacturers. 70% of consumers are on their 3rd digital camera purchase. 70% of these purchasers are women. Along with that, most digital photos never make it to any sort of viewable medium. To Kodak, the influx of digital frames is "natural progression". Philips supported the idea, adding that their product availability was very scarce over the holiday season.

I think that displays got cheap. – Mark Wilson with photo gallery by Curtis Walker

For just $199, the 8-megapixel V803 is a sharp looker that contrasts with the clunky My-First-Digicam style of similarly-priced models from companies like Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, and well, Kodak. If you want to blow an extra $50, plus more money for memory cards, you can get a 10-megapixel sensor in the otherwise-identical V1003 version.

We didn't get a chance to take sample photos, but at least one spec is promising: Kodak upped the light sensitivity to ISO 800 to improve the chances of picking up something recognizable in a dark setting. (Most previous Kodaks were stuck at a wimpy ISO 400 level.)

And Kodak finally got smart enough to make a camera that can remember its settings — like ISO, white balance, and resolution — after you shut if off (long a given capability from rivals such as Canon). But to keep it from being truly useful, Kodak makes you specify individually which item should be remembered and which should keep resetting to default when the juice goes out (which happens often because of power-save modes on digicams). So instead of a single "reset" button, you get a screen full checkboxes. Hmmm...that's a slight improvement.

Kodak also modified the "Favorites" button so that pressing it actually saves a copy of a photo to the camera's internal memory. Uh, we thought it already did that — as did most of Kodak's PR team. (Instead, it used to just tag a photo as a "favorite" for when you upload it to Kodak's PC software.) Well, at least they finally installed a feature we thought they always had. – Sean Captain

The boyz from Rochester dropped four models on Vegas: standard 7- and 8-inch frames, plus 8- and 10-inch ones with built-in Wi-Fi. (Prices range from $129 to $279.) Each comes with one interchangeable frame, and you can buy additional ones to upgrade the look. Options are: frosted floral glass, warm walnut wood, antique silver, plus a whiteboard that you can write things on—like cartoon thought bubbles—then wipe off to write something new.

The frames all sport the full range of slots—even for those dorky xD cards (good, 'cause we do like Fujifilm and Olympus cameras). 128MB of built-in memory holds about 60 photos. The Wi-Fi models let you transfer photos from a PC over a wireless network, or you can grab pics you have online at Kodak's EasyShare Gallery. All the frames also play music and videos.

Kodak actually slipped a few of these frames into Target stores back in November, on the down-low. But the full lineup goes on sale everywhere in February. – Sean Captain

Well, besides being still pretty darn sexy, it's light, has 5x zoom (just like the V570 from 10 on the V610) and is fairly compact. But how easy is it to use? Fairly easy, as long as you don't mind the noticeable jump when you switch from the wide angle to normal angle lens and the slow zoom time. It has a limited number of external controls to keep down complexity, but you can only frame your shots using the 2.5-inch LCD—not a big deal since most people use that anyway.

The image quality is above average, and since the camera is a simple point-and-shoot with no control over aperture and shutter speeds, it's targeted toward the novice—a point Kodak pounded home by making the V705 very easy to use. – Jason Chen

Review [Photography Blog]

We're not crazy about its paltry 2-inch viewscreen, but at that low price for all that lens glass, who's complaining? Besides, we're finding its rather odd appearance strangely attractive. Look for it to ship in the US around the first of November. – Charlie White

Kodak Easyshare Z710 [DP Review]

The G600 should be available before the end of the month for around $149.95. – Nicholas Deleon

Kodak Home Page [Kodak]

The EasyShare C875 has an 8-megapixel image sensor and 5x optical sensor and was touted by Kodak execs as being very easy to use. It has a neat feature that recognizes facial features and then attempts to track the subject's face. This seemed to work well enough when it was demonstrated and is sure to be a hit among the drunken youth of America who are often too hammered to properly take photos. There's also a smart scene mode that automatically chooses the best settings depending on the shooting location.

Both cameras share a few features between them, including Kodak Perfect Touch, which, surprisingly, is supposed to lead to better looking pictures. Jump for a picture of the dual lens V750.

The Kodak EasyShare V705 should be available this September while the C875 should be at the end of this month. The V705 will carry a price tag of $349.95 and the C875 will hover around $299.95 . – Nicholas Deleon

Kodak Home Page [Kodak]

The C875 is the highest of Kodak's C point-and-shoot series in terms of megapixels. Its 5x zoom is fairly decent as well for a compact-body camera. No official announcement from Kodak yet, but it's 249.99 ($464) from Argos.

Product Page [Argos via Digicam Review]

Kodak EasyShare C875 [Fotocentraal]

Kodak touts the quickness of the P712's autofocus system, where you can focus, click and capture a frame in less .07 seconds. The f2.8 - f/3.7 Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 12x zoom lens has optical image stabilization, helping you hold it nice and still, especially when you're shooting with a long lens. The camera will be available this month for a retail price of $648. – Charlie White

Kodak EasyShare P712 [Digital Photography Blog]