The DigiMate III is useful for photographers on the go who need to dump their flash drives into larger storage without having to turn on a laptop or PC. The device fits 2.5-inch laptop-sized hard drives, which as of now are available in up to 160GB sizes—much larger compared to 2 or 4GB flash cards.

The DigiMate has USB 2.0 support, a 6.6×5.0 cm touch screen, a 2 hour battery life, and Windows and Mac Support. It fits SD, MMC, Mini SD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Compact Flash I/II, MicroDrive and xD Picture Cards. There’s even an external battery pack that’s powered by 4 AA batteries available for separate purchase. – Jason Chen
DigiMate III Touch Screen Version [USB Geek]

Battery Pack [USB Geek]
from gizmodo

At this point you’re probably one of two parties: those sick of hearing about the Zune (may we suggest the following reading material?), and those who still want more information on what’s going down with Microsoft’s big launch. Now that the dust has settled a little, here’s what we got.

Further specs on the device [Much via Zune Thoughts' interview with Chris Stephensen]:

• 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.58-inch footprint (vs 30GB iPod’s 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43-inches, and 80GB iPod’s 0.55-inch thickness — trust us, on a device like this a tenth of an inch is a huge difference)
• 5.6 ounces (vs iPod’s 4.8 and 5.5 ounces for the 30 and 80GB models)
• WiFi is 802.11b/g, photo is JPEG only (right now)
• Zunes and their users will have names — Zunetags — building off the phenomenal success of Xbox Live model.
• Faster charge time than an iPod, but still no quoted battery life. It will not be user replaceable.
• Nope, no price or release on the device or anything Marketplace related — which they told us yesterday they wouldn’t be releasing (yet).

Other tidbits:

• CNET thinks that bit about Zune buying you out of iTunes is false, according to a statement issued by Microsoft. Could well be so, but it’s not like they’ve announced everything Zune-related, so we’ll have more to discuss in the coming weeks, assuredly.
• Zune supposedly won’t be taking advantage of the device’s video capabiilties by selling TV shows this year, nor will it play Media Center video files (DVR-MS files, we take that to mean).
• Microsoft went with brown on one of the three Zunes because “artists would and musicians would.” We’re not going to lie, some of us around here like it (key word: some).
• Zune will be backing concerts and shows, and is really working the music influencer angle (ya think?).
• The 3×3 DRM layer (share a song for three plays over three days) will supposedly wrap files of any supported type (MP3, AAC, etc.) in DRM during the transfer. Medialoper poses a very interesting question: what happens to Creative Commons licensed media when shared? Because adding DRM to CC media violates the license, you know. [Via Slashdot]

Watch some Zune movies:
Zune interface demo – QVGA [H.264, 2.5MB], VGA [H.264, 8.7MB]
Zune sharing demo – QVGA [H.264, 3.7MB], VGA [H.264, 15.1MB]

Zune packaging.

From engadget

Looks like we were pretty spot-on with the specs for this crazy decked Pronto TSU9600 remote from Philips, but we have a bit more info now that we thought we’d pass on. As expected, the Pronto can handle just about every IR device you throw at it, with plenty more besides: the WiFi remote can do the home automation thing with Lutron RadioRA integration, and can even control a music collection via the Escient Fireball Media Manager. The 3.7-inch VGA touchscreen is the obvious highlight of the device; Philips is claiming a 160 degree viewing angle, and even packed in a stylus to keep your grubby fingers off the display. Other perks include a docking station, scroll wheel, macro wizard and WAV audio support. The dreaded pricetag isn’t quite coma-inducing, but $1,300 isn’t anything to sneeze at either. Philips is also prepping the RFX9400 wireless extender, which features WiFi and wired connectivity, along with multiple IR ports, for a “mere” $300. Both devices should be out this October.

More info
from engadget

Since Google went ahead and did the deed with Dell, Yahoo has struck a deal of its own by landing a “multi-year” agreement with Acer (the world’s third largest laptop supplier) to become the default search engine on all future notebooks. Yahoo already has ties with names like TiVo, Meedio, and DialPad, but hopes the “loading zone” — which appears when an Acer user launches their web browser — will connect another huge chunk of consumers to all facets of Yahoo content, including local weather, sports, and Yahoo Music; plans are already in place to ensure that Yahoo (not one of those other competitors) is the integrated search engine for the forthcoming Internet Explorer 7. While deals such as these certainly aren’t surprising, those interested in Acer’s hot new Ferraris might be a little alarmed when they arrive pre-modified, though returning them to stock shouldn’t require too much “shop time” at all.

More info
from engadget

HD Beat caught a glimpse of the newest offering from Sharp, the BD-MPC10, at CEDIA yesterday. This monstrosity of a device — the first Blu-ray home theater in-a-box (complete with apropos “blu” backlighting) — rocks that sweet 1080p over HDMI and will set you back $3,000 — not including the cost of a subwoofer, as you’re only getting two front speakers out of the box. The audio system is also decked out with virtual surround sound and speakers that have top-mounted drivers floating on gel to create something called a “rip-in-the-water effect” — and while we’re not sure what that means, we’ll love it all the same. Sharp also told the HD beatniks that the package should be rolling off the assembly lines by March and will be reaching retail stores by late April or early May 2007.

More info
from engadget

Pioneer has introduced a bundle of new HD-based digital video recorders for the Japanese market, all packing either 250GB or 400GB drives, and two of which come equipped with the unsettling combination of DVD burners and VHS recorders — with HDMI output to boot. We doubt that your collection of Max Headroom tapes will look any better when pumped though a spiffy HDMI cable, but at least you’ll have the convience of transferring ‘em to a DVD at the push of a button. All four recorders are also compatible with Pioneer’s HDD-S400 external hard drive, which’ll give ya an extra 400GB of storage. Sadly, though, pricing and availability have yet to be announced for any of them.

[Via Akihabara News]
more info
from engadget

 

CEDIA is just getting started, where there’s a flurry of new products already hitting the show floor, and a few have caught our eye — especially this one, the Crestron TPMC-8X. This tablet integrates Yahoo Widgets into a touch screen, making stock prices, weather or any other glanceable information accessible via a finger click. This magnesium-encased device is packed with Bluetooth as well, but better yet has biometric software, and will restore preferences based on each person’s fingerprints. This $3,800 offering also has a pair of microphones and echo-cancelling built-in to improve your VoIP call. It also has a do-not-disturb option so you won’t be interrupted by other applications a pesky Skype call when you’re curled up catching up on your “Lost” DVDs. No word on when the TPMC-8X will be available, but while you’re waiting you can peep the screen grabs on the flip side. 

More info
from engadget
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