still-camera
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Rumor: Chinese manufacturers building cases (with cameras) for new iPod touch, nano
Here's a story that, strangely, makes sense. Cult of Mac is saying that these cases above are already being made by Chinese manufacturers, in advance of what they call the "worst-kept secret in China": that Apple will be announcing new versions of the iPod touch and the iPod nano in September, complete with cameras on both. These aren't cases comissioned by Apple, they're Chinese companies that have supposedly heard about the dimensions and feature placement of Apple's next products, and are making third-party accessories to match, even before the official announcement here in the US.Apparently these guys heard about the dimensions back in May, and they're so certain of the information that they're shipping samples and taking orders from US retailers. True or not? We have no idea -- certainly there's enough photos of the new cases on Cult of Mac's site to be convinced, and that Apple would release new versions of popular iPods right before back to school and the holidays isn't just believable, it's business as usual.But the camera on there is the interesting move -- is it a video or still camera? Why is the iPod touch's camera centered instead of offset like every other iPhone camera? Will there be new software capabilities for taking and sharing pictures on these devices? That's all still up in the air. We guess we'll find out in a few months.[via Silicon Alley Insider]
Samsung touts six still cameras, to be released this spring
Samsung's been pretty busy as of late, releasing everything from a new RFID fridge to the new i760 slider. But don't think that it was skimping on the digital camera side of things, no sir. Good ol' Sammie's got a sextet of shooters slated for release this spring (sans pricing on all of 'em, sadly) -- so let's get started. First up at the top of the heap is the S1050 (pictured), a point-and-shoot weighing in at 10.1 megapixels, 5x optical zoom lens, 3-inch screen, SD slot, 1600 ISO and a shutter speed that gets all the way up to 1/2000th of a second. It can also shoot video anywhere from 160 x 128 to 800 x 600 at 20fps. Moving along, we've got the S850, which packs its 8.1 megapixel lens and a 5x optical zoom and the same maximum ISO and shutter speed as its older bro. It'll also do video, as expected, from 320 x 240 to 800 x 592 at 30fps, except the highest setting forces a drop down to 20 fps. Third of six is the S730, a seven megapixel shooter with a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, 1600 ISO and 1/2000th of a second shutter speed. But don't think that just 'cause this model has a smaller number that Samsung is lowering the video features on this bad boy -- you'll get a respectable 640 x 480 resolution at 30fps. Fourth on our list is the L700: it's an awful lot like the S730 as far as specs go (they're identical), however, from what we can tell the L700 has a little bit more of a compact design. Also in the L line is the L73, a "sleek and pocket-sized" cam that comes with a seven megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 1600 ISO and that same shutter speed that we've seen so far. This one also offers Sammie's "Face Recognition Technology" which will adjust for optimal image quality in portraits. Bringing up the rear is the S630, a six megapixel camera with a 2.5-inch screen and two video settings in 320 x 240 and 640 x 480 at 30fps. Want more details? Sorry, we suppose we'll have to just wait until spring to suss out supplementary specifics. While you're waiting, be sure to peep some snaps of the cams, respectively, on the next page. Read - S1050Read - S850Read - S730Read - L700Read - L73Read - S630
