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Leica M9 microsite and brochure leaked, new X1 details in tow
At cursory glance there's nothing new here on the Leica M9 that we haven't already seen in the numerous other leaks, but if you're jonesing for more on the upcoming M9 -- and a dash of the CMOS-equipped X1 while you're at it -- Leica Rumors has managed to dig up the screencaptures of the M9 microsite and the M9 brochure. Getting excited for new professional-grade cameras this Wednesday? It's not like you had anything else to look forward to, right? Read - Leica brochure Read - Screenshots of M9 microsite
Leica M9 and X1 leak out ahead of schedule
Wondering what Leica has up its sleeve for that destined-to-be-overshadowed event on the 9th? Well, wonder no more: these pics of the long-rumored M9 and something called the X1 just leaked out, along with some specs. We're told the M9 will sport a full-frame 18.2 megapixel sensor and improved low-light performance, but the real surprise is the X1, pictured above, which'll supposedly have a 12 megapixel APS-C sensor, a fixed 24mm lens and that funky grip handle, by which we're oddly fascinated. Maybe Leica's got some surprises left for the 9th after all -- pic of the M9 after the break.
Magazine hints at Olympus E-P2 before year's end, Leica M9 for September
There's not exactly much in the way of specifics on either of these just yet, but the usually-reliable French magazine, Chasseur d'Image, has seemingly revealed in its latest issue that Olympus will be rolling out its E-P1 followup, the E-P2, before the end of the year, and that Leica will be releasing its M8 successor, the M9, as soon as September. The real kicker is that the E-P2 is said to be bringing with it an oft-desired viewfinder, while the M9 will reportedly be a full-frame camera, and presumably cost more than a small car. Of course, neither are anywhere close to being official, but it may not be the worst idea to stick with your current gear a little while longer to see how things shake out.Read - Photo Rumors, "Chasseur d'Image magazine: Leica M9 in September"Read - Leica rumors, "Olympus EP-2: released before the end of the year, with a viewfinder"[Thanks, Tony]
Meizu releasing upgraded M8 versions with 3G and big cams?
As decent as the M8's software might be, the one consensus area where everyone's favorite iPhone rip is clearly lacking is in the radio silicon; the current model's strictly 2G, and what's worse, the shipping units frequently come without WiFi. What's a Meizu fan to do? The company's ever-colorful CEO Jack Wong is now saying that there are a couple new versions of the M8 in the works -- which may launch in place of the previously-mentioned M9 variants -- and should include both GPS and a healthy 5 megapixel cam. An "M8 3G" would be rocking TD-SCDMA for domestic Chinese high-speed service, while a second "M8w" model would do some form of WCDMA, presumably equipped for 3G service both in and out of the country. No release dates are mentioned -- but considering the M8's seemingly perpetual delay, we wouldn't hold our breath for a 2009 outing.[Via Meizu Me, thanks nice2know]
Meizu M9 won't be that different than the M8 -- it uses the same firmware
Meizu M8 owners know that the firmware still needs to bake for a while longer before it'll be ready for human consumption, but there's a problem: the M8's hardware is done, leaving a bunch of engineers without work. It seems that this little conundrum was the impetus Meizu needed to undertake its M9 project, because CEO Jack Wong has indicated on the company's forums that the new model will be strictly a hardware change from the M8 -- the software platform will be essentially the same. As he's mentioned before, the M9 will come in CDMA and TD-SCDMA flavors whereas the current M8 is strictly GSM, so that radio swap is where the real hardware re-engineering comes into play, it seems. There's still no word on how long this surgery might take, but we're sure data-hungry Chinese on TD-SCDMA spectrum are going to be putting on the full-court press to get it done sooner rather than later.[Via Meizu Me]
Meizu looking to CDMA and China-centric 3G with M8 successor
We've barely had time to digest the fact that real, actual, honest-to-goodness Meizu M8s are now available at the odd retail outlet around the globe, and Meizu's famously colorful CEO is already spouting off about a successor. Talk about a buzzkill, eh? Jack Wong made an off-the-cuff remark in a forum post today about the M9 in two flavors -- M9c for CDMA networks and M9t for China's 3G TD-SCDMA networks -- but beyond that, he's said nothing about specs or availability. Odds are, we can expect a good 18-24 months of teasers, missed launches, and brushes with vaporware status before either model actually launches, so if you had your heart set on an M8, seriously, don't feel bad about taking the plunge.[Via Meizu Me]
Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple
Meizu's been on a tear since our last M8 update. Sitting atop a new 0.9.0.1 firmware release complete with working copy and paste, Outlook calendar synchronization, and a "full backup system," the M8 is now supported by a published SDK and licensed to ride the Chinese airwaves for what looks to be a March, mainland China release. With all the passion it could muster, Meizu posted the following announcement to its English website: Let's bear witness together, to the great moment of MEIZU formally entering the big stage of mobile phone industry!Currently, the M8 handset with its iPhone roots (but a WinCE core) is only available to an abiding Chinese press and die-hard Meizu fanatics -- a population said to rival the intensity of Apple's own sheeple elite. Having watched the M8 make the transition from art to part over the last few years, we're mighty stoked at the prospective launch to say the least. And while Meizu has clearly trumped Apple's spec sheet (not user experience) in terms of software (copy paste, background task management, video recording, and plenty more) and hardware (720 x 480 pixel display and beefier silicon), we'll bet there's still enough "inspiration" to get Tim Cook and Apple's legal counsel whipped up into a frenzy of Intellectual Property defense. Latest video after the break.Read -- Mobile license approval Read -- SDK release Read -- firmware 0.9 release
Toshiba's Tecra M9 laptop to get HSDPA?
Granted, nothing looks to be set in stone just yet, but if FCC documentation leads to results, Toshiba's Tecra M9 could be getting HSDPA. Apparently, the FCC has tested a version of the lappie with a WWAN module built right in, and more specifically, the test reports show that a module manufactured by Tyco Electronics is the culprit. The "CDMA Cell-PCS Module" reportedly supports GSM 850/1900, GPRS, EGPRS, WCDMA 850/1900, and WCDMA+HSDPA, and while we've no idea when these newly-equipped machines will be launching, it ought not be long now.[Via PCJoint]
Toshiba intros Tecra A9, M9, and Qosmio G45, updates Satellite P205, A205
While it may pale in comparison to the slew of laptops that HP just dropped on us, Toshiba's batch of just-announced systems is certainly respectable enough, including a pair of new Tecras, some updated Satellites, and the desktop-replacin' Qosmio G45. Up first, the Tecra A9 and M9 are aimed squarely at the business set, with each boasting similar unassuming designs and both based on Intel's Centrino Pro platform (otherwise known as Santa Rosa). Opting for the A9 will get you a 15.4-inch widescreen display, along with a T7100 Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, a DVD super multi drive, built-in Bluetooth, and integrated 802.11a/b/g WiFi. The M9, on the other hand, packs a slightly smaller 14.1-inch display but ups the processor to a T7500, along with the same 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, NVIDIA Quadro NVS 130 graphics, and built-in 802.11a/g/n WiFi. Look for it to set you back $1,799, while the A9's somewhat lighter on your bank account, demanding just $1,159. While they're pretty light on details, Toshiba has also announced that its updating its Satellite P205 and A205 to the Centrino Duo platform, and it's teasing us with its do-it-all Qosmio G45 laptop, which we expect won't be too different from already-announced Q40. There's no word on pricing or availability for any of those, unfortunately, although Toshiba is promising to say more about that in the third quarter of this year.Read - Tecra A9Read - Tecra M9Read - Satellite P205, A205, Qosmio G45
