CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA—(Marketwire - June 26, 2008 ) - DXG USA (www.dxgusa.com), one of the fastest growing digital camera manufacturers in the U.S., today unveiled the new DXG-567V high-definition (HD) camcorder with direct uploading capabilities for sites such as YouTube™. The DXG-567V is not much bigger than an average mobile phone, is available now at retailers nationwide in 4 eye-popping colors including black, red, pink and sky blue, and is priced at just $179 (MSRP.)

The DXG-567V HD camcorder is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, pocket-sized, easy and reasonably priced way to capture high-quality video and quickly upload and post it online. The DXG-567V also ships with all of the required cables including S-video for connecting the camcorder directly to a TV as well as composite video and rechargeable AA batteries, making it the ultimate multi-function video camera for the entire family.

"Rapid Blog Manager" Software Offers Fast Video Upload

The DXG-567V camcorder comes with Rapid Blog Manager software, which allows users to upload and share videos on the Internet. Simply connect the DXG-567V's retractable USB connector to a computer to automatically launch its menu and instantly upload videos from the camera to YouTube, a blog or other Web video site.

Experience HD at an Affordable Price

With the DXG-567V, it's never been easier to capture and share high-definition video, up to 1280 x 720 at 30 frames-per-second (FPS). The camcorder's buttons are all within reach, eliminating complex menus and making it easier to record spontaneous moments in high-definition video. When back at home, consumers can easily connect the DXG-567V to any plasma or HDTV with the included cables to experience the videos they've shot in HD.

Out of the box, the DXG-567V includes the ArcSoft TotalMedia™ Extreme software (a $99 retail value,) to create, edit and watch videos. The software features two unique applications that enhance the movie-watching experience with features and options right and a separate program that allows consumers to make amazing customized movies.

[Akihabaranews]

Feature List:

• Integrated iPod design
• Records to iPod (Classic or 5th Generation), or iPod nano (2nd or 3rd Generation)
• Professional connectors: two combination XLR - 1/4-inch inputs, 1/8-inch stereo output
• Supplies 48V phantom power to inputs when wall-powered
• Records 16-Bit, 44.1kHz or 22kHz stereo
• Two built-in condenser microphones for detailed recording
• Built-in microphones in XY configuration for optimum stereo image
• Switchable limiter ensures overload-free recordings even in unpredictable aural situations
• AC power adapter included
• Four AAA batteries provide up to five hours of operation
• Tripod stand mount for placing into ideal recording conditions

[Alesis via Brad Linder's Blog]

PANASONIC INTRODUCES WORLD'S FIRST 6X WRITE-ONCE BLU-RAY DISC MEDIA*

Secaucus, NJ (June 18, 2008) – Panasonic today announced that it has developed the world's first Write-Once Blu-ray Discs (BD-R) with 6X writing speed*. The new discs will be available in both 25GB** and 50GB capacities.

Panasonic, which introduced the world's first dual-layer 1X BD-RE Blu-ray Disc in 2004***, 2X BD-R/RE Discs in 2006, and 4X BD-R Disc in 2007, is now launching the first 6X BD-R to meet consumer demand to read and write large amounts of data at higher speeds. The new 6X discs have a maximum data transfer speed of an amazingly fast 216Mbps. This transfer speed, along with the discs' high capacity, allows consumers to use these discs for a variety of applications such as storing high-definition video or backing up PC data.

The new discs feature a wide power margin at any writing speed from 1X to 6X. This enables high-quality recording, even if the drive's laser power fluctuates, resulting in greater overall drive compatibility.

Panasonic's adoption of newly-developed disc technology produces extremely level and well-balanced discs with highly precise signal grooves. This improves servo characteristics and enables the laser beam to focus to the right position even when the disc is rotating with 6X high speed, thus providing optimum reading and writing performance.

Specifications

6X BD-R

Format Name: Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver. 1.3
Model Number: LM-BR25MDE, LM-BR50MDE
Data Capacity: 25GB, 50GB
Layer Constitution: Single Sided/Single Layer, Single Sided/Dual Layer
Recording Format: Phase Change Recordable
Laser Wavelength: 405nm （Blue-violet Laser）
Objective Lens Numerical Aperture (NA): 0.85
Disc Diameter/Thickness: 120mm x 1.2mm
Track Pitch: 0.32 μm
Minimum Mark Length: 0.149μm
Data Transfer Speed: 216Mbps(Max.)
Hard Coating

*As of June 18, 2008

**The capacity of Blu-ray discs is expressed in units of 1GB=1 billion bytes, but the capacity is slightly below that after formatting, so that the actual amount area that can be used will be less.

***Introduced in Japanese market only

[Panasonic and AVWatch]

To get the levels back on another DS, just play it back over your computer's speakers and hold up the DS mic to it—the mic will grab the sound and the game will change it back into level code. If only Nintendo didn't make their online system so horrible to use, the developers wouldn't have to resort to archaic methods that are pretty much on par with tin cans and strings. [Kotaku]

The Price: $18

The Verdict: Perfect for journalists, lawyers and students. Comes with different soft earpieces and jack adapters. I love it. Sound quality of the recordings is as you hear it, which is to say as good as your cellphone delivers. If you're recording by cellphone using a native app, that's going to be better, though.

[Amazon]

It's also got twin analog and digital tuners so you can record one channel and watch another, and it sports Sony's Roomlink interface. There's one HDMI-out for your TV, plus all the usual optical and analog video and audio connectors. It's due out in Japan April 30th for around $1,670. [AV Watch]

Instead of recording music like we do now, we can just model the instrument the performer uses and what they do with their hands/mouths/feet. This way you can get a (theoretically) 1:1 reproduction of music even years after the original recording is gone. And why stop at instruments? Why not model a guy's vocal chords, allowing Sinatra to croon on about how it's tough to find love when you're stuck in a casket in the year 2525. Putting words into his mouth, in essence. Well, not his, since he's not around to model, but you get the point.

The processing power needed to play this is going to be pretty intimidating, but this is what we see happening for iPods and other playback devices in a few decades. So says Gizmodo. [Eurekalert via Hypebot via Tech Digest]

Awesome, no? Teach your kids about real audio recording, not this MP3 digital nonsense, for just $35. [MAKE via Gadget Lab]

The audio recording, a verse of "Au Clair de la Lune" sung by a woman/zombie/spirit/ghostard, was made by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville. Scott was a Parisian typesetter and inventor who invented the phonoautograph, and died thinking Edison stole his idea for recording sound (just like he stole and ran Méliès out of the movie business).

However, while the fact is that Edison stole many things, this is not one of them, according to Giovannoni: "Edison is not diminished whatsoever by this discovery." Another scholar, Paul Israel, director of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University remarked that "what made Edison different from Scott was that he was trying to reproduce sound and he succeeded."

The phonoautograph is a device that only prints the sound it captures, but it can't reproduce it. Giovannoni and his team had to digitally process the recording, made on April 9, 1860, to create the version you can listen to here. [NYT]

You can rewind and pause TV, record two shows at once (but none while you're actually playing games on it), and stream live TV to your PSP, all from the little box that receives digital terrestrial signals. It's true that this can record a HD signal, but most of us in the States watch our HDTV via our cable or satellite, which this doesn't work with. We'll see what Sony plans to do to address that before they bring PlayTV here. [BBC]

The recording was made in 1949 by a student at a concert in Newark, N.J. When it was eventually found and played recently, the ancient magnetic wire had stretched and twisted and was so frail it broke often. It took 36 hours of work to just get the audio safely off the wire and into a computer, and even then the tracks were peppered with holes, slowed-down sound and missing high-frequencies.

By finding rhythmic sounds buried in the recording, and using mathematician Dr. Kevin Short's signal processing algorithms, the team carefully pieced together the tracks, interpolating holes and correcting for distortions and speed-shifts. The resulting album, The Live Wire, was nominated for the Best Historical Album category in the Grammys. You can listen to tracks showing just how nifty the processing was via the Science News link. [Science news and University of New Hampshire]

It can record and play back in WAV, MP3 and WMA, and can take an expensive external mic if you want something a little hotter. Mercifully, it takes SD and SDHC cards (and not Olympus' proprietary xD ones), and can run 12 hours on two AA batteries. I would have preferred a lithium ion but there are always reusable alternatives. It even comes with Steinberg's Cubase music production software.

The only thing I'm truly wary of is the user interface—Olympus has given its recorders some supremely ugly interfaces in the past, and there's no indication that this will be any more intuitive than its predecessors. [Olympus]

Olympus LS-10 Recorder Delivers Superior Sound Quality and Professional Features to Musicians

True All-In-One Digital Portable Audio Device Lets Audiophiles Record in Uncompressed Linear PCM Format

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., January 3, 2008 - Olympus, the market leader for portable digital voice recorders and professional dictation devices, now leverages its audio expertise with the LS-10 Linear PCM Audio Recording Device, the ultimate portable professional recording tool for musicians and everyone who values high-quality recording. Straight out of the box, the intuitive and easy-to-use LS-10 delivers the high fidelity of a portable professional recording studio in an extremely light, go-anywhere body. No extra gear is required to record audio in uncompressed 24 bit/96 kHz Linear PCM format for digital stereo recordings true to the original performance. In addition to WAV, the LS-10 records and plays back in the common WMA and MP3 formats.

The LS-10 contains many unique and innovative features, including the following:

* Uncompressed 24 bit/96 kHz Linear PCM recording capability;
* WAV, MP3 and WMA recording and playback;
* Elegant and durable aluminum body;
* 2GB Built-in memory and a SD/SDHC removable media card slot that can accommodate SD cards;
* Built-in stereo speakers for instant playback of recordings;
* High sensitivity built-in stereo microphones;
* Manual Recording Level Adjustment to obtain the optimum level;
* Remote jack for optional wireless remote controller;
* Recording battery life of 12 hours; and
* Large 1.8-inch LCD with backlight.

"The LS-10 will bring music to the masses by allowing musicians and audio enthusiasts to produce studio-quality recordings," said Andrew Flagg, director, Sales and Marketing, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "As more and more people return to playing musical instruments themselves, the LS-10 will help them reach their true potential as performers and allow them to share their music with friends and family. Whether it is used by a band of amateur musicians or an orchestra, the LS-10 offers the best sound quality, ease of use, and feature set in the industry and produces recordings that are faithful to the original performance."

High Quality Recording

The LS-10 features uncompressed 24 bit/96kHz Linear PCM recording capability, to capture the rich sound quality of music performances. It has the versatility to record and play back in the WAV, MP3 and WMA formats. The LS-10 can record with its internal microphone or by plugging in an external microphone. The LS-10's value extends beyond the realm of music. Students will find it useful for recording lectures and journalists for recording high-quality interviews for broadcasts and podcasts.

Elegant and Intuitive Design

An enlarged, backlit LCD is easy to read and shows file information, recording time and events clearly. The device is outfitted with an ergonomic dial thumb pad allowing the user to play or stop a recording, adjust the volume level, fast-forward and rewind with the touch of one button. The Erase and Folder/Index buttons are positioned individually below the thumb dial for easy access.

Durability

The LS-10 has a lightweight and durable aluminum body. This keeps the weight of the LS-10 to a mere 5.8 ounces including batteries.

Memory Capacity and Expandability

The LS-10 has two gigabytes of internal flash memory to capture lengthy recordings. The LS-10 also features an SD/SDHC removable media card slot to further expand its capacity. During a busy day of recording, changing SD cards is an easy way for users to capture more audio without taking the time to download files to a computer.

Recording and Listening

The LS-10 can play back the high-quality audio it records and play it back on its built-in stereo speakers with vibrancy and clarity. These speakers allow more than one person to listen to a new recording simultaneously to help collaborating musicians evaluate recording progress on the fly.

Wireless Control

The optional exclusive wireless remote controller allows users to start and stop the recording of the LS-10 from a distance. This is ideal for live performances when the LS-10 can be placed near the stage and activated from several rows back.

Battery Life

The LS-10 can record 12 hours on two AA batteries, longer than many competing Linear PCM recorders and long enough for an all-day event.

Accessories

The LS-10 ships with Steinberg CUBASE LE 4 Sound editing software with 48 sound tracks and variety of effects, a carrying case, USB cable, audio cable, wind screen, two AA batteries, a strap, an instruction manual and Olympus warranty card.

Optional accessories for the LS-10 include an infrared remote control, AC adaptor, conference microphones (ME30W), Carrying Bag, Tripod, Rechargeable Battery (Ni-MH) and Charger, a zoom microphone, and a headset.

Pricing and Availability

The LS-10 provides excellent uncompressed audio recording at a fraction of the price of competing Linear PCM recorders. The LS-10 Digital Audio Device has an estimated street price of $399.99 (U.S.) and will be available in January 2008.

You can either go through these steps to have yourself this cut-rate spy device, or you could just use a stethoscope to listen through walls directly. Or how about this: You could just stop being such a nosy muthafucka and mind your own beeswax. [Instructables]

That's surely enough to make even Mr. Bond a bit envious (although I'm sure those innards would be packed in something from Omega, or whoever the sponsor for the next film ends up being). The watch not only plays files and do the iTrip-thing, great for car travel, but also includes a voice recorder—perfect for on-the-street podcast recordings—as well as line-in recording. Capacity runs three sizes (512MB, 1GB, 2GB), and transfers are done through the included USB cables (USB 2.0 port on the watch). It's even water resistant! Thank you, Thanko. [Thanko RareMono Shop]

Western Digital has just announced their new WD Scorpio 250GB, a Serial ATA 2.5-inch hard drive for notebooks which, at 3.94 x 2.75 x 0.354 inches, is the largest smallest shipping hard drive in the world. The 5400rpm 12ms read seek time WD Scorpio uses Perpendicular Magnetic Recording, and you will find all its features and price after the jump.

While Fujitsu and other companies have announced similar units, the WD Scorpio is shipping now with capacities that will range from 40GB to 250GB, with a 5400rpm speed and 8MB buffer. According to Western Digital, it gives a 12ms read seek time and 2.0ms track-to-track seek time, with a 4.20ms average latency.

The hard drive features their WhisperDrive technology, which they say "combines state-of-the-art seeking algorithms to yield it one of the quietest 5400 RPM." That means an average 24dBA while idle and 26dBA while seeking on average. It also has Western Digital's IntelliSeek technology, which basically means a reduction in the motion in the disk which in turn "reduces power usage by more than 60 percent compared with standard drives." We don't know if those "standard drives" are competing drives with similar technologies or Winchester drives from 1974. What we know is the price: $199.99 gigantic amounts of porn and pirated DVD movies not included. – Jesus Diaz

Product page [Western Digital]

As far as docks go, the i182 carries a steep price tag, $230. True, there's a slot for SD cards and MemorySticks so you can record video in a format natively supported by the Sony PSP, but the fact remains: watching video on the iPod's tiny screen isn't exactly the bees knees. iLuv, we'll talk once you automate the recording process. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [iLuv via New York Times]

...allowed individuals to record content off the radio for private use. From the looks of it, this one may get messy because the judge said that by allowing consumers to store music XM is acting as a broadcaster and distributor but only paying to be a broadcaster. The judge also thought it was silly to use a act meant for cassette tape recording in this, higher-tech circumstance. XM issued a statement saying they are ready to thunderdome it in a court. –Travis Hudson

Judge: Lawsuit Against XM May Proceed [Via Orbitcast]

Inside Seagate's R&D Labs [Wired]

And yes, this is where the name of that Pearl Jam album came from, as they used one of these bad boys in the studio. Is there anything better than well recorded, spatially-rich music on a good set of headphones? –Adam Frucci

Product Page [via NotCot.org]

If you're not looking for even 15 minutes of fame, there's also karaoke software included. Too bad it's not waterproof—it would be a perfect shower karaoke machine for our aqua-crooning editor. – Charlie White

Product Page [Cerventis LLC, via Slash Gear]

Once your music finds its way into the digital realm, the included software lets you record yourself playing along with your favorite digital audio files, and it can even slow down their playback speed so you can keep up with that Eddie Van Halen solo you've been woodshedding. Your guitar, Unchained, for $199.95. – Charlie White

Product Page [Hammacher Schlemmer]

For no reason in particular, Creative decides to release an upgraded 1.60.01 firmware to reinstate FM recording. At first we thought the RIAA was pressuring Creative to remove the feature, but would the RIAA de-pressure them? When's the last time they relented?

In any case, if you were unlucky enough to upgrade to the gimped firmware, go and grab 1.60.01 and re-activate your FM recording. – Jason Chen

Download Site [Creative via i4u]

It works like a TiVo, where its included Snaptune One software shows you a playlist of songs from your choice of radio stations, recording that station's entire playlist and then letting you pick which songs you'd like to listen to on the PC or transfer to your iPod or a CD. Timeshifting? Scheduling recordings? It does that, too. Sounds like TiVo to me.

We have one of these Instant FM Music devices here and we'll be testing it over the weekend, so stay tuned for our results. Our first impression? Aren't those record company greedmeisters going to hate this? Sure, the FM sound quality won't be that great, but still, you'll be able to have and hold those songs for free. – Charlie White

Product Page [ADS Tech]

If you've already updated to 1.50.02 without realizing this kills your FM recording, you may be able to revert to an earlier firmware (we haven't tested it). Personally, we hate to see technology stifled by outdated business models and greedy record execs, but what do we know—we're just consumers. – Jason Chen

1.50.02 Released [Epizenter via CNET]

1.41.01 [Creative - Thanks Jon!]

For the more technical, there's a six-bar VU meter, peak hold, overload indicator, and phono pre-amp. Available late October for $239. – Jason Chen

Product Page [iKey via Mobile Mag]

The TruScene could be really helpful making those hit-and-runners burn in hell—well, a hit and run isn't punishable by death, but it should be. This device has an estimated price of roughly $1,000 each. So if you want to monitor both the front and rear, it will cost a lot. The TruScene should be available later this year. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via OhGizmo!]

It's amazing to see the lengths that people will go to snoop on their fellow man. These sunglasses promise to record exactly what you're looking at thanks to a built-in video camera. The camera, which uses MPEG4 to encode video, has a 92-degree field-of-view. In practical terms, that means you don't even have to look directly at your mark in order to record. It's just a matter of time until creeps from sea to shining sea begin using these sunglasses at the gym, beach or supermarket, furthering their own sick, morally reprehensible ends.

Now, since these are supposed to be spy glasses, it can't look like you have a small SGI workstation on your person, lest you arouse suspicion. To that end, the small wire connecting the glasses runs through your shirt and into the included MP4 media device, which stores the video. There's no external battery source required for the sunglasses to function beyond plugging them into the MP4.

The Spy Camera Sunglasses are primarily being aimed at small business, so you may have a tough time buying just one. Here's hoping that the company doesn't mind my registering an obviously fake account (where would we be without lorem ipsum?) trying to obtain more information. – Nicholas Deleon

Sunglasses Spy Camera And Mp4 [Made in China via the Red Ferret Journal]

The iPod has a million and one uses, just like those knives they sell on late night TV. Besides playing your collection of MP3s and iTMS-purchsed songs, it can also record your voice, a feature I would wager not many users take advantage of. The Micro Memo XRM-IP, distributed in Japan by Focal Point Computer, magically transforms your 5G iPod into a voice recording machine, pleasing the dozen or so people who use their iPod thusly. It plugs right into the dock connector, at which point the iPod latent voice software awakens and you can begin recording in stereo. Of course, we've had this very device under the XtremeMac moniker for a few months now, but it's only just now that our Japanese friends get to play, too.

Voice is saved onto the iPod as WAV files, so you can transfer the files off the iPod onto your computer and convert them into whatever space-saving, lossy format you desire. The Micro Memo doesn't require any external battery source either, so no worries about running out of juice so long as you keep your iPod charged. Available in black or white, the Micro Memo even features a monaural speaker. You probably wouldn't want to listen to your music through the speaker, but the din of your professor should sound just fine. Look for it in the Land of the Rising Sun in August for about $77. – Nicholas Deleon

Focal Point Home Page (in Japanese) [Focal Point Computer via Fareastgizmos.com]

There's a built-in speaker for instant playback and it's powered by the iPod itself. If you don't like that attached microphone, the MicroMemo will also let you plug in your own external mic, as long as it has a 3.5mm plug. MicroMemo is now available for pre-order on the XtremeMac website. – Charlie White

Product Page [XtremeMac]

The SMS notifications are pretty cool, but we don't know how much use the proximity recording is going to be. Maybe burglars are going to list all the items they steal out loud?

KT releases new phones in Korea [Akihabara News]