Technology

New smartwatch features daylight-readable e-paper display, iPhone and
Android compatibility, sports and fitness apps and 7+ day battery life

Palo Alto – Allerta, the company behind the inPulse smartwatch for Blackberry, today introduced the next generation Pebble smartwatch. It is the first smartwatch to offer full iPhone and iOS compatibility. Pebble features a 1.26″ electronic-paper display that delivers a crisp, high resolution text and images while enabling the watch to last for over 7 days on battery.

Pebble is the first watch built for the 21st century. It’s infinitely customizable, with beautiful
downloadable watchfaces and useful internet-connected apps. Pebble connects to iPhone and Android smartphones using Bluetooth 2.1, alerting you with a silent vibration to incoming calls, emails and messages. While designing Pebble, we strove to create a minimalist yet fashionable product that seamlessly blends into everyday life.

Many apps are being built to run on Pebble. Cyclists can use Pebble as a bike computer, accessing the GPS on a smartphone to display speed, distance and pace data. Runners get a similar set of data displayed on their wrist. The music control app allows users to play, pause or skip tracks on their smartphone with the touch of a button. Golfer can feel free to bring Pebble onto the course. Pebble has partnered with Freecaddie to create a great golf rangefinder app for Pebble that works on over 25,000 courses world-wide. Instead of looking at a smartphone app, golfers can view current distance to the green right on their wrist.

Multiple watchapps can run on the watch simultaneously. New watchapps can be downloaded and installed on Pebble using the Pebble App available for iOS 5+ and Android 2.3+ devices. Using the free and open Pebble SDK, developers can create their own watchapps that take advantage of the built-in 3-axis accelerometer, e-paper display, vibrating motor, 4 buttons and Bluetooth chip. Developers can also take advantage of the push notification system that Pebble uses to receive and transmit data to the internet.

Pebble is launching on Kickstarter on April 11, 2012. Prices start at $99. Pebble is available in 4 colors: Arctic White, Jet Black, Cherry Red, and a 4th color option that will be voted on by backers of the project. Pebble will retail for $149 when it goes on sale later this year.

Word on the street says Google is gearing up to launch a cloud service of some kind that could bring a host of new features to the desktop, but why wait on Google?

IDrive Online Backup has just released new free software – IDriveConnect – allowing users to access their Google Docs as if they were sitting in a regular folder on their computer. This allows for some simple yet extremely useful functionality:

– Drag-and-drop to easily upload and download within Windows Explorer
– Automatically convert popular document types to Google Docs format
– Share files and folders directly within IDrive Connect

Additionally, IDrive Connect has the option to save items in Google Docs directly to an existing IDrive account. Create an IDrive account and store up to 5GB of documents, and more, completely free of charge.

IDrive Connect is built on IDrive’s EVS platform
EVS is the foundation of IDrive Online Backup, a fast, flexible, and secure cloud storage platform. With public APIs available, developers can take advantage of those same features to create their own applications compatible with the IDrive family. Since EVS was developed in-house by the IDrive team, they are able to offer secure cloud storage at a more affordable rate than plans offered by competitors Carbonite and Mozy.

IDrive Online Backup is available for home and server editions of Windows and Mac OS X and for mobile devices in the Apple App Store and Android Market.

Panasonic announced six new DECT 6.0 Plus telephones that offer an array of convenient features for landline phone users including a simplified keypad layout with oversized buttons, large white backlit display, talking caller ID and amplified handsets. Each of the new 2012 model series are expandable up to 6 handsets, to create a truly robust home communication solution that grows with a user’s needs.

The two new Link2Cell® models, the KX-TG7740 and KX-TG7730 series, allow consumers to make and receive cell phone calls on any of the comfortable Panasonic handsets throughout the home. As an added benefit, iPhone users can import their ringtones to the Link2Cell phone system so that each call rings throughout the home with the same tone as the cell phone.

Link2Cell works with or without landline telephone service. Simply place the base unit wherever cell reception is strongest and then pair up to two Bluetooth®-enabled cell phones to the system. Once paired, cell phone calls will ring on all compatible Panasonic handsets, ensuring that important calls will not be missed. Additionally, since it is Bluetooth compatible users can transfer up to 3050 entries from a cell phone address book to the handset with the touch of a button.

“Panasonic continuously seeks to provide consumers with innovative telephony products that deliver a superior experience for their communication needs,” said Desirae Dolphin, Product Manager, Panasonic Consumer Marketing Company of North America. “With the ever-changing landscape of communication tools, our goal is to deliver phones that are easy-to-use and offer unique features that enhance the home communication experience.”

The Panasonic KX-TG4740 and KX-TG4730 series are expandable digital cordless answering systems which feature a simplified keypad layout with fewer, larger buttons making it easier to dial. Each series is equipped with a side volume key on each handset, similar to cell phones making it easy to users to adjust the volume during a call, and allow for up to 4-way conference calling. The new KX-TG4753B expandable digital cordless answering system with three handsets includes all the great features of the KX-TG4730 series in addition to a range extender which doubles the effective transmission distance between the base unit and the cordless handsets.

The new Panasonic KX-TG4770 series is an expandable digital answering system with one corded and additional cordless handsets which features a large LCD screen on the base unit with a simplified button layout for ease of use. The cordless handsets feature Power Back-Up Operation, a feature exclusive to Panasonic phones, which allows for up to three hours of talk time after the power has been lost.

All six new phones are equipped with Panasonic’s DECT 6.0 PLUS technology which takes the superb sound quality and outstanding range of DECT 6.0 to a new level with an increased frequency of error correction of up to 80 times, improving sound quality and extending transmission range. Additionally, adjustable Tone Equalizer allows users to customize the tone of incoming calls to maximize clarity or accommodate for mild to moderate hearing loss. Depending on their particular hearing loss frequencies, users may boost bass, mid-range, or treble tones, making voices easier to understand.

Additional features of the 2012 lineup of consumer telephones include:

· Intelligent Eco Mode – Automatically lowers the power consumption when using the handset close to the base unit

· Talking Caller ID – Announces Caller ID information in between rings so users don’t have to stop what they are doing to answer unwanted calls

· Light Up Indicator – A visual indicator on the handset will flash brightly when there is an incoming call

· Silent Mode – Program any handset, such as a bedside phone, not to ring during specified hours

· Call Block – Block unwanted calls by entering the caller ID information into the phone’s memory

· Handset Locator – To locate a misplaced handset, simply touch a button on the base and the handset will ring

The new phones are now available at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco and Amazon.com:

· KX-TG4734B expandable digital cordless answering system (4 handsets) $109.95, (3 handsets) $89.95; KX-TG4732B (2 handsets) $69.95;

· KX-TG4745B expandable digital cordless answering system with dial keypad on base (5 handsets) $139.95; KX-TG4744B (4 handsets) $119.95; KX-TG4743B (3 handsets) $99.95; KX-TG4742B (2 handsets) $79.95; KX-TG4741B (1 handset) $59.95.

· KX-TG4753B expandable digital cordless answering system with three handsets: $109.95

· KX-TG7733S Link2Cell® Bluetooth® Convergence Solution ((3 handsets) $99.95; KX-TG7732S (2 handsets) $79.95; KX-TG7731S (1 handset) $59.95.

· KX-TG7745S Link2Cell Bluetooth Convergence Solution with dial key pad on base (5 handsets): $149.95; KX-TG7743S (3 handsets) $109.95; KX-TG7742S (2 handsets) $89.95; KX-TG7741S (1 handset) $69.95.

· KX-TG4771B expandable digital cordless answering system with 1 corded and 1 cordless handset $69.95; KX-TG4772B (2 cordless handsets) $89.95; KX-TG4773B (3 cordless handsets) $109.95.

For more information about Panasonic telephones, please visit www.panasonic.com/phonestuff.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., have introduced the EOS 60Da Digital SLR Camera, a long-awaited successor to the EOS 20Da that is optimized for astrophotography. This DSLR caters to astronomers and hobbyists who enjoy capturing the beauty of the night sky by offering a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity. These modifications allow the camera to capture magnificent photographs of “red hydrogen emission” nebulae and other cosmic phenomena.

“The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized fields,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., “This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated.”

The Canon EOS 60Da camera packs a powerful 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that produces sharp and high-contrast images of astronomical objects, a major enhancement over the EOS 20Da model’s 8.2-megapixel sensor. The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or H? wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

Enhanced Features

Crisp images of the stars and planets can be viewed on the EOS 60Da’s improved 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots for detailed focusing. The flip-out Vari-angle screen allows photographers to adjust the screen for easy viewing without straining even while the camera is mounted to a telescope via a third-party T-ring adapter. Optimized for stargazing with friends or in an educational setting, astronomy enthusiasts can connect the camera to a TV with the provided AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV Video Cable and display the night sky on a TV monitor using the camera’s Live View mode. Moreover, the EOS 60Da’s Live View mode is equipped with a Silent Shooting feature that eliminates shutter-induced vibration for maximum camera stability when the camera is mounted to a telescope or super-telephoto EF lens.

Enhanced noise reduction on the EOS 60Da sensor offers photographers the ability to experiment with the wide array of ISO settings and increased ISO speeds up to 6400 expandable to 12800. Other features include an intelligent nine-point autofocus system, full manual controls, and RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG image recording capabilities.

Accessories

The EOS 60Da helps capture the wonders of the night sky with its use of Canon’s award-winning EF and EF-S lenses along with other EOS accessories. Additionally, the EOS 60Da is packaged with Canon’s RA-E3 Remote Controller Adapter, providing the ability to connect a Canon Timer Remote Control such as the TC-80N3 (optional accessory). The TC-80N3 is ideal for controlling time exposures longer than 30 seconds as well as capturing a series of consecutive time exposures that can be composited during post-processing for improved image quality. This is especially useful when the camera body is connected to a telescope[i] or an EF super telephoto lens.

Canon has also included an AC adapter kit with the EOS 60Da, allowing the camera to be powered through an AC wall outlet or a battery-powered inverter, ideal for long exposure image or video capture at home or in the field.

Availability

As a specialized product, the EOS 60Da is only available to order from select authorized dealers. The estimated retail price is $1,499.00 and it is expected to be available this month.

Engadget have posted a HTC One S review with a video at: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/htc-one-s-review/ and a review of HTC Sense 4 at: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/htc-sense-4-0-review/

HTC Press Release:
The HTC One S is for people who want a high-end smartphone in a more compact size. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with up to 1.5GHz dual-core CPU’s. It also includes a 4.3-inch screen crafted from contoured Corning™ Gorilla Glass. HTC One S brings HTC’s innovative metal unibody styling to a new thin 7.9-mm design, making it HTC’s thinnest phone yet. The HTC One S sports two new finishes that break new ground in mobile phone innovation. The first is an ultra-matte black Ceramic Metal surface that is the result of a microarc oxidation (MAO) process originally developed for use in satellites. It transforms the surface of the aluminum unibody into a ceramic, super-dense crystalline structure that is four times harder than anodized aluminum, enabling the HTC One S to look great over time. The second finish for the One S takes anodizing to a new level with a new patented process that creates a light-to-dark gradient fade that looks gorgeous and sophisticated.

Sony is giving video professionals freedom from camera shake with the HXR-NX30U high-definition camcorder, a palm-size addition to Sony’s NXCAM line. The new model uses Sony’s breakthrough Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization technology to significantly reduce camera shake in challenging shooting applications. The new camcorder also offers convenient features such as a built-in projector, all combined in Sony’s smallest, lightest handheld professional camcorder.

“This high-quality yet easy-to-use camcorder is an extremely versatile field production tool,” said Chiyoko Yannette, marketing manager at Sony Electronics’ Professional Solutions of America group. “It’s perfect for documentary makers, video journalists, educational establishments or corporate users, for shooting in many different situations where other stabilization equipment is not practical such as on-board a vehicle or in a crowd.”

Conventional image stabilization systems typically “float” an individual lens element with a motor drive to compensate for camera shake. Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ combines the entire lens and image sensor assembly into one floating element that moves as a unit to reduce the shaking effect caused by normal motion during shooting.

The new HXR-NX30U records at full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution using a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens (35mm equivalent :26.0mm -260mm) for superb optical quality, sharpness and brightness. The camcorder’s 1/2.88-inch image sensor uses Sony’s Exmor R™ CMOS technology, which significantly enhances low-light performance, speeds image readout, reduces rolling shutter artifacts and enables a range of frame rates – 1080/60p, 1080/30p, 24p, 60i, 720/60p.

Using AVCHD recording, the camera has 96 gigabytes of internal memory (approximately 40 hours of HD content), with a slot that accepts either SD or Memory Stick media cards for additional recording capacity. A built-in video projector lets users play back images of up to 100 inches from a distance of about 16 feet (5m) on any flat surface. This feature is ideal for reviewing footage in the field or on a set, when a monitor is either not available or convenient to use.

The HXR-NX30U also features a detachable XLR unit and professional-quality audio, record level control, the option of Linear PCM audio recording, time code, and the ability to reset time code on multiple NXCAMs via infrared remote control.

The HXR-NX30U is planned to be available in June for a suggested list price of less than $2,500.

Evernote have announcedan Android Update featuring ‘Speech-to-text and Big Widget Enhancements.

Evernote for Android

Speech-to-text feature
Audio notes have been a core feature of the app since day one. Today, we’re giving you a new option: speech recognition. Tap the new speech bubble icon in the tool bar above the keyboard to launch the feature. As you talk, the app instantly places your spoken words into the body of the note as text. Magic.

Speech-to-text availability
The speech-to-text feature uses Google Android’s text transcription service. You must be online for it to work. Also, this capability is only available on devices with version 4 of the Android operating system (aka, Ice Cream Sandwich), and certain other devices, as well. If you see the speech-to-text option appear when you update, then you’ll know that your phone or tablet supports the functionality.

New widget features
In this update Evernote added a bunch of great new capabilities to our widget app, available as a separate download from the Google Play Store.

Features:
Widget Color: Choose between original green or a new dark theme
Custom buttons Choose which Evernote functions appear in the widget
Large widget notes Choose what notes appears in the large widget—last viewed; last updates; specific notebooks, tags, or Saved Searches

New tiny widget
When you long press on the phone’s home screen and go to the Widget menu, you’ll now see a tiny 1×1 single function Evernote widget, which takes up the same screen real estate as an app icon. This widget is great for placing a single Evernote function anywhere you like.

Read More: http://blog.evernote.com/2012/03/27/evernote-for-android-update-speech-to-text-and-big-widget-enhancements/

Fujifilm announce its partnership with luxury British luggage manufacturer, Globe-Trotter. The two companies have collaborated to create a limited edition, Vulcanised Fibreboard suitcase for the latest in Fujifilm’s coveted X series, the much-anticipated X-Pro1. The 12 cases are launching exclusively at Harrods Technology.

The Vulcanised Fibreboard suitcase is handmade on original Victorian machinery at the Globe-Trotter factory in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Vulcan Fibre was invented in Britain in the 1850s and is formed from 14 layers of specially bonded paper, coloured to specification. The brass rivets and locks and tan leather trim contribute to its luxury aesthetic. The case is finished with an embossed leather ‘Harrods Exclusively’ tag and brass plaque. Each case has handcrafted compartments to house the X-Pro1, the flash, filter and the camera’s three lenses and lens hoods: 18mm, 35mm and 60mm. The X-Pro1, the latest in X series range of Fujifilm cameras, is receiving phenomenal reviews for its image quality, versatility and cutting edge technology. Its retro styling is perfectly matched to Globe-Trotter’s timeless aesthetic and craftsmanship.

David Bland, Product Manager at Fujifilm commented: “The X-Pro1 marries incredible photographic performance with classic design. We have long been a fan of Globe-Trotter’s stunning range of cases so we are delighted to be collaborating with them for this worldwide exclusive for Harrods. The case has clearly been handcrafted with the same care and precision that we put into our own products. We are certain that the striking cases will appeal to Harrods’ customers.”

Gary Bott, Creative Director at Globe-Trotter, commented: “Globe-Trotter’s rich heritage, dating back 115 years, has always been about quality design, materials and craftsmanship. When approached by Fujifilm to produce a bespoke limited edition case for the X-Pro1, exclusively for Harrods, we were very excited. The combination of a traditional suitcase with the X-Pro1 camera, a piece of modern technology at its finest, is something new and exciting for our heritage brand. As well as this, Harrods is one of our oldest customers, and it is where Queen Elizabeth II purchased her Globe-Trotter suitcases for her honeymoon, so it is always a pleasure to work with them. The sleek and elegant Fujifilm Globe-Trotter suitcase allows the classic X-Pro1 to be transported by photographers in style.”

Proving that technology and style go hand in hand, the partnership between Fujifilm and Globe-Trotter coincides with the much anticipated launch of Harrods’ Technology Department. The Globe-Trotter case, including Fujifilm’s X-Pro1, lenses and accessories will be available exclusively in Harrods for £5695.

Commodore USA, LLC announced the historic re-unification of the legendary Commodore and AMIGA brands with the launch of the new Commodore AMIGA mini, as well as other new models such as the new C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (now with HDMI output). These new products are now in production and available for purchase at www.CommodoreUSA.net.

The new Commodore AMIGA mini is a trail blazing power-house featuring Intel’s i7-2700k 3.5 Ghz Quad-Core (3.9Ghz Turboboost) processor, 16Gb RAM DDR3 1333MHz and an NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 430 GPU with 1GB DDR3. This machine is fully loaded with a 1 TB SATA drive (optional 300 GB or 600 GB SSD), two WiFi antennae and bluetooth. The new Commodore AMIGA mini case is ultra small and features a solid, all aluminum seamless housing, micro-sandblasted with an anodic oxidation finish. It also includes a slot load Blu-Ray drive and internal space for two 2.5″ hard drives. It measures 7.5 inches square with a height of only 3 inches. The AMIGA mini’s appearance is enhanced with the inclusion of the classic embedded AMIGA logo engraved in the front.

The C64x, highly regarded by Commodore fans for its retro styling, now features Intel’s new D2700 dual core 2.13 Ghz CPU and nVidia GeForce GT 520 (512Mb) graphics for enhanced gaming capability over previous models. It also features 4Gb Memory (DDR3 1066), a 1 or 3 GB SATA drive (300 or 600 Gb SSD optional), a mechanical keyboard, a built in multi-card reader, WiFI, Bluetooth, VGA, DVI and HDMI output, 7.1 channel high definition sound, 2 USB 3.0 and 4 USB 2.0 ports for exceptional external data access, a slot loading Blu-ray drive that can also write DVDs and 2 WiFi antennae for outstanding signal reception.

The VIC mini has specifications identical to the C64x Supreme, wrapped in the elegant aluminum enclosure of the AMIGA mini.

The VIC-Slim is an upgraded unit replacing the previous 1.8 Ghz dual core Atom with the new Intel 2.13Ghz Dual Core D2700 processor and includes 2Gb RAM (DDR3 1066MHz), a 1Tb SATA Hard Disk Drive and HDMI output.

Mr. Barry Altman, CEO, states “This is an historic day. The team here has been working around the clock to fulfill the vision of a reunited Commodore and AMIGA branded computer with the launch of our new Commodore AMIGA mini.”

Mr. Leo Nigro, CTO, states “We built Commodore USA to take advantage of the rapid rate of technological change in the computer hardware market. The introduction of Intel’s new Atom processor for compact devices such as the C64x Supreme, VIC-Slim and VIC mini proves that Commodore USA is setting the pace for the computer industry. The Commodore AMIGA mini with its 16 GB of RAM, powerful i7-2700k 3.5 Ghz Quad-Core processor and built-in nVidia graphics chipset is truly worthy of the AMIGA name. Also, with the inclusion of Commodore OS Vision, our own Linux distribution showcasing our product’s advanced hardware features, we can also provide a unique and compelling experience for customers seeking an alternative to Apple and Microsoft products. First and foremost I’m a Commodore and AMIGA fan, and like millions of other fans around the world, I am excited by the return of the famous Commodore and AMIGA brands we grew up with and loved.”

Barry Altman adds, “Leo and I and the entire team, started on this journey to prove that we could take these historic computer brands and produce products that are relevant to both the historical consumer base and new customers. These computers are breathtaking in appearance, incredibly powerful and exciting to use.”

Google+ has been updated with a photo album organizer.

To get started, open one of your albums and select Organize album from the Options menu. With the album organizer you can:

Sort photos by time: Click Order by date to sort all photos in the album by the photo date, from earliest to latest. Click it again to sort them from latest to earliest.

Reorder your photos: Select the photos you want to reorder and drag them to their new position in the album. You can also move selected photos to the start or end of the album by clicking Move to top or Move to bottom.

Move or copy photos to another album: Clicking Move lets you move or copy selected photos to one of your other albums or to a new album.

Delete a bunch of photos: Click Delete to delete the selected photos.

Once you are done, click Done organizing to return to your album view.

Sony Mobile Communications today announced Xperia™ sola* as the latest addition to its portfolio of Android powered Xperia smartphones. Complete with Sony technology, premium entertainment and innovative floating touch™ navigation, the NFC enabled Xperia sola comes equipped with Xperia SmartTags, allowing consumers to change their smartphone’s settings and applications to fit their lifestyle in an instant. Xperia sola will be available to consumers globally in black, white and red in the second quarter.

A floating touch of magic

Making its smartphone debut exclusively on Xperia sola, Sony’s unique floating touch lets consumers navigate the web by hovering their finger above the screen so it acts like a moving curser, without actually having to touch the screen. Once the desired link is found it can be highlighted and a simple tap will load the page. Floating touch will evolve with new user functionality and applications through software updates and engagement with developers.

Calum MacDougall, Head of Xperia Marketing for Sony Mobile Communications, commented; “Xperia sola comes with the power of Sony and a sense of magic with floating touch, giving consumers a fun new way to browse the web and latest technology to show off. With Xperia SmartTags out of the box and access to the latest content through Sony Entertainment Network, Xperia sola is perfect for consumers looking for ease of use and the best in entertainment in a smart and innovative smartphone.”

Simplify the everyday with SmartTags

Xperia sola is NFC enabled and comes with two NFC Xperia SmartTags in the box as standard to simplify consumers’ everyday smartphone experiences. By touching an NFC Android smartphone on a SmartTag, a pre-configured profile in the smartphone will launch. The two SmartTags included with Xperia sola can be personalized with up to 10 commands. Out of the box they are ready for the living room to turn on Wi-Fi™ and launches Google™ news and weather apps, or for the bedroom, which turns on the alarm and switches to silent mode. Xperia sola supports NFC pairing, allowing consumers to enjoy great connectivity with other
NFC smartphones, applications and services by tapping their smartphones together.

Powerful entertainment anytime, anywhere Xperia sola boasts razor sharp clarity with Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, xLOUD™ and 3D surround sound audio technology delivering crisp and loud sound, and a 1GHz dual-core processor for super fast performance. Xperia sola also comes with fast capture to take the camera from sleep to snap
in a little over a second with a single key press.

Consumers can also access premium entertainment experiences with Sony Entertainment Network**, where they can watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters on Video Unlimited or listen to millions of songs*** through
Music Unlimited.

Key features for Xperia sola
• Floating touch navigation for an easy web browsing experience
• NFC enabled and Xperia SmartTags in the box to enable quick app loading and easy content sharing
• 3.7″ Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
• Powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor for super fast browsing
• xLOUD and 3D surround sound audio technology for crisp and loud listening
• Direct access to Sony Entertainment Network* with pre-installed Video and Music Unlimited** apps
• Launches on Android platform 2.3, upgrade to Android 4.0 during summer 2012

A wider palette of creative options is now accessible to more shooters with the alpha57 camera, the newest addition to Sony’s popular line of A-mount cameras employing Translucent Mirror Technology.

Sony ?57 Camera

The innovative Translucent Mirror design directs incoming light to the CMOS image sensor and the AF sensor at the same time, allowing full-time continuous AF during both still and video shooting. Users can also frame, focus and preview shots in real-time on the high-resolution Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder, which offers a wide viewing angle and 100% field of view. This allows photographers to capture exactly what they see on the screen.

A natural successor to Sony’s acclaimed ?55 camera, the ?57 is positioned for a wide audience of DSLR users. It can shoot still images at up to 12 frames per second, capture full HD video at 60p, 60i or 24p frame rates and has a variety of creative modes including Auto Portrait Framing, a world’s first technology

“Today’s DSLR consumer is looking for a higher level of control and flexibility in their camera,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha camera business group for Sony Electronics. “With the introduction of the new ?57, we’re bringing blazing fast response rates, enhanced artistic capabilities and other advanced features to the mainstream DSLR marketplace, offering professional-grade performance at affordable prices.”

With the ?57 camera, shooting speeds of up to 12 frames per second are achieved in new Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode, maintaining continuous auto focus and auto exposure with fixed aperture. Magnifying the central portion of the sensor’s image by 1.4x, it’s perfect for capturing split-second action close-ups with a burst of sharply focused images, even when the subject is moving. In this shooting mode, aperture is fixed at either f/3.5 or the maximum aperture of lens in use (whichever is smaller) and image size of photos is about 8.4 megapixels.

Additionally, the ?57 camera lets people create powerfully expressive Full HD movies. Responsive full-time continuous phase detection AF ensures that moving subjects stay sharply focused, just like with still shooting. Support for the AVCHD™ Ver. 2.0 (Progressive) format means that Full HD resolution movies can be captured with 60p frame rate: ideal for capturing smooth, blur-free action. Shooting in 24p is also available to give footage a rich, cinematic look. Movie-making options are enhanced further with full control over P/A/S/M shooting modes for virtually limitless creative expression.

The ?57 model shares the ?65’s 15-point AF system with three cross sensors delivering fast, accurate TTL phase detection autofocus. Newly enhanced Object Tracking AF keeps faces or other selected objects in sharp focus – even if a target is obscured momentarily by another passing object.

Even the novice photographers can now easily create pro-style portraits with the ?57 thanks to new Auto Portrait Framing, a world’s first technology. Using face detection and the compositional ‘rule of thirds,’ the camera identifies a subject’s position, trimming the scene to create tightly framed, professional-looking pictures in portrait or landscape orientation while maintaining a copy of the original image. Saving both the original photo plus the adjusted version allows for easy comparison between the two images, offering photographers inspiration to refine their portrait skills.

To get closer to the subject, 2x Clear Image Zoom digital zoom technology doubles the effective magnification of your lens and is a highly practical alternative to travelling with a bigger, bulkier telephoto lens. The camera uses Sony’s “By Pixel Super Resolution Technology” to ensure that cropped and zoomed images retain full pixel resolution.

Additionally, the model’s range of popular in-camera Picture Effect modes includes 11 different effects and 15 total variations – offering a generous palette of ‘PC-free’ artistic treatments, including Pop Color, HDR Painting, Miniature Mode and much more. Results can be previewed directly in live view mode on the LCD screen or in the new Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder while shooting either Full HD video or stills.

Still and video shooting, framing, focusing and real-time preview of exposure adjustments are a pleasure with the new Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder. With ultra-detailed 1440k dot resolution and a 100% field of view, it rivals quality optical viewfinders. There’s a choice of selectable high-resolution information displays with a wide viewing-angle to help consumers shoot with confidence, including a digital level gauge and framing grid. Information can be displayed either directly in the viewfinder or on the angle-adjustable 7.5 cm (3.0-type) Xtra Fine LCD™ display.

Ensuring detail-packed images, the 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor® APS HD CMOS sensor is teamed with a latest-generation BIONZ® engine. Refined by Sony during the development of its flagship ?77 and high-end ?65 cameras, this powerful processor effortlessly handles large amounts of image data for flawless, low-noise images and Full HD video.

Thanks to the BIONZ processor, creative shooting opportunities are boosted by an outstanding sensitivity range of ISO 100-16,000. Users will experience consistently natural, low-noise images – whether shooting at fast shutter speeds to freeze dynamic action or handheld without flash in low light.

Pricing and Availability
The new ?57 interchangeable lens camera will be available this April with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens for $800 (model SLT-A57K). It will also be offered as body-only for about $700 (model SLT-A57).

Sony will also be introducing a new battery-powered LED video light, model HVL-LE1, which broadens options for recording video indoors or in low light. This new accessory will be available this month for about $250.

The camera, camera kit and a wide variety of Alpha accessories are sold at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide.