Casio just gave a bump to the top-end of their Exilim Zoom line-up by introducing the 10.1 megapixel EX-Z1000. The Z1000 features the same anti-shake DSP and meager, 3x zoom we saw in Casio’s 8.1 megapixel Z850 but doubles the pixels count on the LCD to 230k. They also double the ISO sensitivity to a massive ISO 3200 (likely) just for show — but let’s hope that tiny 1/1.8 inch CCD can cut through the noise a bit better than Z850 can, eh? All this largeness impacts the size as well giving the case a bump by a few millimeters in all directions. Still, at 22.4-mm thin, she ain’t no fatty. Hey Casio, how about some pricing and release date?

[Via Akihabara News]

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They’re just stuffing that Panasonic OEM drive into a USB 2.0 case like everyone else is, but Buffalo has the distinction of selling their external BR-H2U2 Blu-ray drive for $1012, along with black and white internal versions for the equally steep $916. The drives will be shipping (in Japan, at least) early this June, so early adopters looking for a little abuse between now and then can feel free to drop by our place to be kicked in the head and have your money lit on fire.

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[Via Akihabara]

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We’ve seen plenty enough units claiming to be the “world’s ____ flash drive,” and while we think most of the size awards can safely go to the iDisk Diamond, it’s hard to begrudge the title of “world’s thinnest flash drive” to a 3mm thick unit that features a whopping 16GB of storage. The new U510 from PQI in Taiwan takes its credit card form factor seriously at 3.3 x 2.12 x 0.1 inches, and the USB 2.0 device features a thin retractable USB jack. No word on pricing or availability, but we’re guessing it’s not going to be cheap.

[Via New Launches]

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Well hello there N73 (bottom) and N93, how nice to see you in the for realz at last. Other than finally making these phones official we don’t really have too much new information to offer. Both models run Series 60 3rd Edition and feature large 2.4-inch 262k color QVGA displays, Bluetooth 2.0, a MiniSD slot, MP3 / ACC media players, FM radio with Visual Radio, and a chubby 3.2 megapixel shooter with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, mechanical shutter, and integrated flash. Want to share those snaps? Coolio daddy-o, ’cause a new partnership with Flickr gives you the ability to upload and add comments to your photos directly from your new N-series cellphone without the need to download any additional software (don’t forget to ZoneTag!). The N73 will launch as both a quad-band GSM / EDGE model and another which includes 3G (2100MHz UMTS). It features 42MB of on-board memory and 3D stereo speakers at the top and bottom of the unit to kick out some tinny jams. Meanwhile the N92-lookin’ N93 turns out 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM / EDGE and 3G (2100MHz UMTS), 50MB built-in memory, 802.11b/g, UPnP, TV-out, and adds a 3x optical zoom to the camera, which can record MPEG-4 VGA video at 30fps. If you’re looking for mobile TV, you’ll have to stick with the N92 though, since the N93 does not feature a DVB-H tuner. Both will drop in July; welcome to the show, boys. More product images after the break.

[Via PhoneScoop]

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Along with the N93 and N73, Nokia just launched their new N72 multimedia tri-band GSM / EDGE cellphone. This Symbian S60 handset features a 2.1-inch, 176 x 208, 262k color display, Bluetooth 2.0, and 20MB internal memory expandable via RS-MMC. Media support includes a digital music player with dedicated music keys supporting MP3 and AAC playback, an FM Radio with Visual Radio support, and throws in a 2 megapixel shooter with integrated flash capable of CIF video capture at 15fps. Nokia is positioning this pup as a “multimedia computer” which is a bit of a stretch, but we’ll play along for now. Expected in Pearl Pink or Gloss Black sometime in June 2006.

[Via PhoneScoop]

from Engadget

Intel has gone public with its latest platform, the vPro, which the company says is optimized to provide features such as security, performance and remote access functions for businesses. Like Viiv, vPro includes processor technologies, a software platform and more than a little bit of hype. In the case of vPro, the chip is the “next-generation dual-core processor,” the software is Windows Vista and the hype — well, you get the idea. More specifically, vPro is designed around Intel’s Conroe desktop processor, along with a networking chipset and extensive features for remote management of PCs along with built-in virtualization technology to allow IT managers to create secure partitions on networked PCs (and, yes, it’ll work with XP, though it’s got features designed to “simplify” Vista upgrades). Intel expects to begin shipping at least some demo vPro systems this quarter, and factory workers are presumably already applying vPro stickers to cases, just so you can scrape them off when they arrive in your office.

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Even though we didn’t previously know its name, we’ve been waiting around for Kodak to announce the EasyShare V610, their first Bluetooth-enabled camera ever since we saw it appear in the FCC not too long ago. What we weren’t expecting was a device that claims to have 38-380mm focal length 10x optical zoom (which can be engaged while recording video!). This is a feat not accomplished by mere mortal compact digital camera makers, and has previously only gone into cleverly designed cameras like Ricoh’s R4 (7.1x zoom) and Panasonic’s TZ1 (10x zoom). We’re still trying to figure out exactly how a camera with no expanding barrel or crazy folded prism optics system is going to work a 10x optical zoom (and how useful we can make that without a little OIS assistance), but each of the V610′s two lenses, much like the V570 before it, feature a 6 megapixel sensor capable of shots up to ISO 800 (with pixel binning, no doubt). It also features, as mentioned, Bluetooth 2.0 for transferring images on the go, as well as to Kodak kiosks and printers (sounds like it will have the OBEX profile), a 2.8-inch display, 28MB of internal flash, SD slot, and comes ready to roll in a 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.9-inch body. It could be available as early as May for as little as $630 US, but we don’t have any solid info yet; check out a comparison shot of it and the V570:

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