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Casio trots out world's slimmest shock-resistant digicam: EX-G1 (video)
Generally speaking, having something "ruggedized" ruins the aesthetic appeal. You trade style for function, and that's been perfectly acceptable until today. The EX-G1, which becomes the first camera in the new EXILIM G line, takes a few cues from Casio's G-SHOCK line while being the planet's thinnest shock-resistant camera. Furthermore, this thing is freezeproof, waterproof and dustproof, and at just 0.78-inches thick, you'll hardly notice it shoved in your left rear pocket. As for specs, you're looking at a 12.1 megapixel sensor, intelligent AF, a dedicated movie mode (848 x 480), 35.7MB of inbuilt memory (yeah, we know), a microSD / microSDHC expansion slot, 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch rear LCD with a 960 x 240 resolution. We're told that the rechargeable battery should last for around 300 shots on a full charge, and the Interval Shooting function enables the camera to automatically fire at fixed points when shooting action sports. If you're foaming at the mouth right now, your cure can be found this December in black or red for $299.99. The full release and a promo video is just past the break. %Gallery-77625%
Pentax's waterproof Optio W80 reviewed: tough as nails, 'so-so' image quality
We've always heard that life was full of compromises, and evidently Pentax made a few when it decided to build its toughest, most rugged point-and-shoot camera of all time. On paper, the Optio W80 looked mighty promising, but in practice, the all-important image quality was found to fall short. Over at PhotographyBLOG, critics found that the camera could withstand "virtually anything" within reason, and while the 5x optical zoom and HD movie mode were both appreciated, most everything else was at least somewhat disappointing. The anti-shake system was found to simply slow the camera down, and the image quality was hamstrung by excessive noise at all ISO levels -- even 100. Feel free to peek the full review down in the read link, but make sure to keep your expectations in check.
Hitachi intros two new portable HDDs, SimpleNET NAS adapter
If you'll recall, Hitachi GST snapped up Fabrik in February, and with that acquisition came the latter company's highly-regarded SimpleTech line. Today, Hitachi is introducing its first consumer products since the pickup, and while you'll notice a hint of 'Simple' in the titles, the branding is all Hitachi. First up is the water-resistant and shock-proof SimpleTOUGH portable USB drive (250/320/500GB for $99.99/$119.99/$149.99), which can survive a 3-meter fall and boasts a twistable USB cable that's permanently affixed to the enclosure. Next, there's the SimpleDRIVE Mini, which is a stylish, colorful portable HDD that is now shipping in red wine (250GB; $89.99), blue dusk (320GB; $109.99) and carbon fiber black (500GB; $139.99). Finally, there's Hitachi's alternative to the Pogoplug: the SimpleNET USB/NAS adapter. Put simply, this $79 device enables up to two USB HDDs to be placed on a network, though Hitachi makes clear that this is a convenience device, not a performance device. The 10/100 Ethernet jack is evidence of that, but hey, if you need a quick-and-dirty way to get your hard drive (regardless of format, by the way) on the web, this will certainly do it. Full release is after the break.
Pentax's Optio W80 point-and-shoot shrugs off water, haters
While Canon's PowerShot D10 has been hogging the spotlight in the waterproof point-and-shoot arena, Pentax is dropping in a formidable opponent this evening with the Optio W80. Said shooter measures in at just one inch thick and features a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a 5x internal optical zoom, a wide-angle 28mm lens and a SuperProtect coating that helps repel water, grime and finger marks from the len's crystal cover. The chassis is built to handle submersion in water up to 16 feet deep, not to mention extreme cold, dust and drops of one meter or less. There's also a 2.5-inch rear LCD, a 720p movie mode, face detection and shake reduction. It's slated to ship next month for $299.95; now you've just got to decide between Cardinal Red, Azure Blue and Gunmetal Gray. Tough call, right? The full release is just past the break.
Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F
Not that we're far removed from Stealth's last fanless mini PC, but hey, there's no harm in having options, right? The company's latest, dubbed the LPC-625F, is a 7.9- x 7.9- x 2.4-inch machine that somehow houses a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch HDD or SSD, integrated Intel graphics, gigabit Ethernet and a surprisingly plentiful array of ports including HDMI, eight USB 2.0, RS-232 and DVI. The stock configuration sits at $1,595, but it doesn't take too many tweaks to cross the two large mark.
The titles you may have missed
Cheap-Ass Gamer made an important observation: the DS just had far too many AAA titles in 2006 for its own good. Amongst the chaos and personal financial destruction of games like New Super Mario Bros, Metroid Prime: Hunters, Final Fantasy III, and Brain Age, it was quite easy to miss some of the gems hidden in the rough. Thus, CAG has made a list of games you might want to go back and visit as the holiday game rush ends (though not really ... Phoenix Wright 2 comes out this month and is certainly your first priority). Check it out, and discover the lost.
