It may not be the biggest name in consumer electronics, but when it comes to stuffing megapixels into ridiculously-skinny packages, there aren't many out there who do it better than BenQ. Case in point is the new eight megapixel DSC X800, which, at just 9.8 millimeters at its thinnest point (14mm at its fattest), is not only slimmer than the recently-announced DC X835, it even gives the company's trimmest seven megapixel shooter, the 12.5-millimeter DC X725, a run for its money. Besides its pocketability, however, this model doesn't offer much in the way of high-end features: 3x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, digital image stabilization, VGA movie mode, and a rather non-standard microSD slot are par for the course here. Keep reading after the break for another angle / color combo of the as-yet-unpriced shooter, which should be shipping sometime this quarter.

[Via Slashgear]

Not content with simply destroying our laptops and cellphones, those evil little lithium ion packs have just escalated the human-battery conflict once again by sacrificing many of their number to lay waste to an entire building. Actually, it's not clear what started the fire at Matsushita's Li-ion plant in western Japan on September 30th, although we suspect a cadre of malcontents decided to self-detonate after taking a cue from their comrades at Sony. What is clear is that an unnamed Pentax digital camera -- probably one of the recently-announced Optios -- will be delayed because of the fire, with its launch being pushed from next month to February of next year. Hitting us in the gadget, right where it hurts: smart move, clever foes, smart move.

We never thought adding an absurd amount of surveillance cameras to a city (or its public transportation system) would become fashionable, but it seems like Toronto is the next big locale ready to hop on the Big Brother bandwagon. Reportedly, plans are already underway to "ensure every person using Toronto's transit system will be photographed as of next June," which means that some 12,000 cameras will have to be installed on "every [Toronto Transit Commission] bus, streetcar, subway car and at each station." Of course, it's noted that the images acquired will only be used as "crime-busting tools," and the entire system is expected to cost a cool $18 million. Good news for employees / police stationed at the transit system's command center, though -- you'll be able to "view live video or hear audio from any of the security cameras installed on subway cars." Now that's quality entertainment.

[Via The Raw Feed]

The folks in England just can't catch a break. As if hovering surveillance drones, camcorder-wielding traffic wardens and helmet cam-equipped officers aren't enough to keep you on the straight and narrow, London's city of Westminster is apparently looking to "install networked security cameras that can recognize parking permits and the plates of offending vehicles." Essentially, the system would enable parking violators to be ticketed without an actual human witnessing the offense, and it's being dubbed "the most significant application to be deployed on the Westminster's WiFi network." Eventually, the council plans to roll out about 250 of these sure-to-be-hated cameras, and it should ruin enough people's days to "pay for itself in two to three years."

[Via CNET, image courtesy of BBC]

Canon has announced plans to construct a $451 million factory to construct CMOS components for its cameras. Expected to start production in July next year, the factory will be built on an existing site near Tokyo and will be be dedicated entirely to churning out the complementary metal oxide semiconductors (we prefer the acronym) required to detect light in every digital camera. It should have a capacity of around 3 million chips a year, which is only a fraction of the 24 million cameras that Canon hopes to produce this year. Good for Canon, we say.

What's a Thursday in June without nine new boringcams from HP to be totally underwhelmed by? We can't think of a better way to spend our morning than to sort through all these mundane Photosmart models, and if you have the patience feel free to join in on the fun. The cameras range from the $80 E337, which features a 5 megapixel sensor and a 1.5-inch LCD, all the way up to the R937 (pictured), sporting a 3.6-inch touchscreen and an 8 megapixel resolution, which goes for $300. In between is a vast wasteland of minor feature bumps and teensy aesthetic tweaks, but we've gotta hand it to HP for packing good amount of features into some fairly well priced cameras. Keep reading and all will be revealed.

Just like Canon's new PMA-bound A Series cameras, Fujifilm's new A820 and A900 cameras don't really break a lot of new ground, but there sure is a lot more megapixel bang-for-buck going on here. For $180 and $200, respectively, the A820 brings 8 megapixels and the A900 goes for 9, while both camera have 4x zooms and 2.5-inch LCDs. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any form of optical image stabilisation here, nor any of those much-hyped Face Recognition AF/AE features we've been seeing in other PMA offerings, but if all you're looking for is pixels and lots of 'em, you can't go far wrong with this pair of FinePix, which will be hitting shelves in March.

Watch out, Sanyo, because your diminutive HD2 camcorder is about to face some very daunting competition from Canon. Like the recently announced Sanyo, the PowerShot TX1 packs a 7.1 megapixel CCD into a tiny little package capable of capturing 720p HD video as well -- but unlike the $700 HD2, Canon is hanging just a $500 pricetag on this model. Besides its one-two punch of high resolution stills and videos, this device offers a 10x optical zoom (with an optically-stabilized lens), a 115,000 pixel LCD, and ISO settings ranging from 80 to 1600. You're also getting the latest Digic image processor, advanced face detection and red eye reduction, Vista-compatibility, 14 shooting modes, and a so-called "Intelligent Orientation Sensor" to keep the display looking right no matter how you're holding the cam. No word so far on a release date, but with all this functionality at a very attractive price, you can probably expect the TX1 to fly off shelves when it finally makes its debut.

Two new compact and fashionable PowerShot Digital ELPHs from big C, the SD750 and SD1000. Canon seems to be mostly focused on the looks here: we've never seen a growed-up digicam manufacturer be so proud of "Dynamic Dual-Tone Elegance," but there's decent stuff under the hood. Like most of the PMA-bound cameras we've spotted, these include Face Detection-based auto focus, auto exposure and red-eye correction. There's also the DIGIC III Image processor, and ISO as high as 1600, but everybody comes for the basics: 3x zoom, 7.1 megapixel CCD and a 2.5-inch LCD in each shooter. The $300 SD750 gets a bit fancy on form factor, but manages to be a mere 0.75-inches thick, while the 4.5 ounce SD1000 keeps the the classic ELPH look and also retails for $300. Both should be out in March, and include 32MB SD cards for good luck, though no mention is made of SDHC. Remember, it's fashion first for this line.

Well it'll have been over six months between the time we first heard about it and when it actually hits store shelves, but we finally have a solid release date for the somewhat-anticipated, Foveon-packing Sigma SD14 DSLR. If it's possible for you to remember back that far, you may recall that Sigma attempted to drum up some interest in this 14 megapixel shooter with a teaser campaign in late August of last year, just before it was officially announced at Photokina 2006. The disappointment came a few months later when Sigma pushed back the SD14's street launch to March, citing some hardware issue that the company wouldn't disclose. And according to a press release on Sigma's website, the problem has indeed been addressed, with the camera scheduled to ship starting on the 6th of next month. Keep in mind, though, that this model isn't for the thrifty -- it's gonna cost you over $2,000 to get in on this action.

Nikon is beefing up its L Series ("L" stands for life, dontchaknow) and while the specs pale in comparison to some of Nikon's other new offerings, there's plenty to love here for the point-and-shoot set. The L10, L11 and L12 sport 5, 6 and 7.1 megapixel CCDs respectively, with 3x Zoom-Nikkor lenses and a full quality movie mode. The L10 and L11 can muster a mere ISO 800, and the 2-inch LCD on the L10 is positively cro-magnon, but the L11 picks it up a bit with 2.4-inches. We wouldn't be caught dead with anything less than the L12, which adds in optical image stabilisation, a 2.5-inch LCD and ISO 1600, but the $120, $150 and $200 price tags make all of these compact shooters quite tempting to the low-frills, no-budget types. All three should be available near the beginning of March.

Although it's not exactly shocking to hear of yet another homeland security application that seems to border on Big Brother, Lockheed Martin's High Altitude Airship could keep an elevated eye on 600 miles of US countryside at any given time, and if all goes as planned, we'll have 11 of these things floating over our everyday activities by the end of the decade. The HAA prototype is a ginormous airship that measures 17-times larger than the Goodyear rendition we're all used to seeing above sporting events, and is designed to hover 12 miles above the earth in order to keep tabs on what's happening below. The airship is slated to be solar-powered and should stay in a geocentric orbit for "up to a year," and if equipped with high-resolution cameras, a single one could cover everything "between Toledo, Ohio and New York City." While Lockheed Martin is thrilled with the $40 million project they've been awarded, it's certainly understandable to get a little worried about how these blimps will actually be used, but a company spokesperson suggested then an entire fleet could actually be used for "border surveillance" -- and hey, we need a little help down there anyway, right?

[Via Fark]

It's been a few months since we saw the latest EXILIM, Casio's line of super-tiny shooters. But this is the time of year when nearly every product line is getting updated, and fortunately for us, Casio didn't disappoint. Enter the EX-V7 digicam, a 7.2 megapixel number with a 7x optical zoom (yes, you read that right -- this is a 38mm to 266mm equivalent in a tiny little ultracompact) kept nicely tucked inside the body. Furthermore, the EX-V7 apparently has new software that will lighten up aspects of a darkened photo, which is a feature that not every photographer will want to use -- but surely your non-techie grandmother might appreciate it. We're still waiting on the sticker price and the release date, so just sit tight for now.

While already popular in Clarks shoe stores across the UK, QinetiQ's 3D foot gauge is finally making its way across the pond. Unveiled in three Boston Stride Rite locations, these trials are slated to lead to a more widespread release across the chain's 450 American locations, giving shoe-wanting citizens "quick and accurate" measurements when sizing up. The contraption features six 3D digital cameras that scan the foot to provided "highly detailed length, girth, and shape data," essentially helping to ensure the best fit possible. Additionally, recorded 3D data can enable trend analysis, which would assist in designing future styles and improving stock control. The optical ranging technology used in the device was actually derived from work done on the "detection of unexploded ordnance" for the UK's Ministry of Defense. Although we're unsure how quickly these things will roll out nationwide, we're sure QinetiQ stands to make a hefty sum from its invention, as its current deal with Clarks yielded a whopping £4.6 million ($9.1 million) over in England.

[Via Gizmag]