According to Apple’s Latest Patent Application 20040224638, Steve Jobs and his team may be cooking up the next big hype in notebook and mp3 industries.

This may sound out of the world, but Apple is thinking of integrating ipod mini into their notebook, with the mp3 player’s screen as the touchpad for the notebook!

This is within the framework of a patent that is primarily covering wireless capabilities that extend up to higher RF frequencies that are associated with cell phones. Just as there are cameras integrated into mobile phones, imagine cellular capabilities integrated into this notebook/mp3 player combination - it’s going to be a killer gadget in the various industries.

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Creative has launched an Apple iPod mini lookalike in its latest member of the Zen MP3 players - Zen Sleek

Award-winning Zen family gains a new member featuring a striking design with distinctive materials and textures.

Creative the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer and the Internet, announces the exciting new Zen Sleek MP3 player. This compact, high-end player, with large backlit display and touch-sensitive controls, combines sleek, glossy white contours with smooth aluminium, making it ultra-stylish as well as easy to use.

Everyone can enjoy using the Zen Sleek, thanks to the intuitive design of its backlit Touch Pad control which gives natural, one-handed fingertip management of all the player’s functions, even in poor light. It is complemented by the large blue backlit display, which provides all the information users need about tracks, artists, playlists and settings. The Zen Sleek can store up to 10,000 songs* in WMA or 5,000 in MP3, while quick and easy downloads from a PC at up to a song per second are assured by support for USB 2.0. It can also record direct from its built-in FM radio and microphone and offers playtimes up to 16 hours from the rechargeable battery.

“The Zen Sleek is the latest expression of Zen style,” comments Geraldine De Bonis, European Business Manager for MP3 Players with Creative. “Its combination of cutting edge design with the most advanced audio technology makes it a unique and modern statement of excellence. It’s the player for people who want an individual product with outstanding sound.”

The Zen Sleek fits comfortably into the hand for fingertip management of all its powerful features. Output can be adjusted to personal taste via the Equalisation feature, which offers nine acoustic environments. Like other Creative MP3 players, it supports the widest choice of music download services, giving owners easier access to the music they want.

Zen Sleek Features:
· Stunning design, in smooth aluminium and cool white contours.
· 20GB hard disk stores up to 10,000 songs* in WMA or 5,000 in MP3. Also supports WAV.
· Vertical touchpad with LED backlight is quick and intuitive to use, gives total control with fingertip touch.
· Large blue backlit display for access to comprehensive track information and settings.
· FM tuner with 32 presets and direct recording, to capture memorable broadcasts.
· Built-in microphone for live voice recording and personal notes.
· Equalisation feature with nine acoustic environments such as ‘rock’ or ‘jazz’, plus bass boost, enable listeners to customise music to their personal preferences.
· USB 2.0 connection, for downloads at up to a song per second.

*Based on four-minute songs at 64Kbps in WMA, 128Kbps in MP3.

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Mamiya ZD’s viewfinder is better than most small format SLR, but not quite as super-bright as the Mamiya AF645D. In the viewfinder, beneath the matte focusing screen, the usual LED information display is found and it is quite visible. A viewfinder diopter adjustment is found beside the viewfinder. The two LCDs can be illuminated with a soft green-blue light and are easily readable in the dark. Here the usual data (image size, format, compression ratio, picture number, ISO, selected memory card, white balance etc.) are shown. The menus are viewed on a 1.8″color monitor, which is sufficiently bright, but rather small and only of medium resolution. Mamiya claims that power saving is the reason for this design decision. The menus are arranged into four different color groupings, and are well structured. Menues can be displayed in several languages. The adjustment possibilities are rich and clearly arranged and the functions are highly customizable. 31 Presets can be produced and stored separately. Menu selections are made with two scroll wheels and are achieved very quickly. Especially practical is the exposure shift function which can be used with the Program exposure mode, where pairs of aperture / shutter combinations can be scrolled through quickly.

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Take it steady with a Fujifilm Camcushion

Fujifilm launches a secure camera cushion your digicam can rely on

Filled with resin beads, and made from a durable, hard-wearing material, the Camcushion is a great companion for busy photographers wanting a steady platform for their cameras, or when use of a table-top tripod is impractical or just not possible. The no-nonsense cushion sits on any surface and is the ideal platform for cameras to rest safely and securely - perfect for self-timer shots or long exposures.

Just the thing for awkward shooting situations, the cushion is lightweight and can easily slip into a camera bag. Furthermore, the Camcushion cuts out camera shake in low light situations, when flashes are not permitted and longer shutter speeds are required - just like a tripod but without the time-consuming setting-up. It’s also a convenient way to stabilise your camera if you’re using it as a webcam.

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SANYO XACTI Digital Movie C5: Brilliant Companion for the Technologically Avant-Garde

SANYO’s Digital Movie Family has a new member: The XACTI Digital Movie C5 has the same self-confident appearance and sets bold new standards with its unique design. The interior of the youngest member of the C Series is refined and mature as well. The multi-talented C5 combines a dual purpose video and photo camera with the finest technology: a resolution of 5 Megapixels, a 2-inch LCD display (diagonal measurement) - all in an extremely compact and light case. The 23 mm deep aluminum body makes the XACTI Digital Movie C5 one of the slimmest photo-video combinations in the world.

SANYO’s new XACTI Digital Movie C5 camera sets bold new trends in fashion and technology with its exceptional design, precision technology and full range of functions. Now you no longer have to decide whether to take a video or a camera to a party or on vacation to capture film or snapshots. The XACTI Digital Movie C5 is both: a full-fledged digital video camera that records films in MPEG4 format with VGA resolution at 30 frames per second as well as an outstanding digital camera with a resolution of 5 million pixels, which the in-camera software can interpolate to 10 Megapixels. And if you can’t decide, simply select the Dual Shot function. It activates the video and photo functions so that you can take full resolution, 5-Megapixel photos while shooting video at the same time.
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