PhotoViewer
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Facebook updates photo viewer with high-res images and full-screen mode
No more than 24 hours after introducing you to Acquaintances, Facebook is rolling out a couple of new features for its photo viewer. The social network's fresh bits will let you get a resolutionary look at all those images shared by your friends, displaying shots "up to four times" bigger than before and at the highest resolution possible. Additionally, now you'll be able to check out those hi-res photos in full-screen mode, though you'll need to be on the most recent version of Firefox or Chrome to do so (sorry, Safari). Best of all, there's some extra Face-uh-oh-book goodies waiting for you after the break.
Sanho crams 640GB of memories into your pocket with HyperDrive Album photo viewer
Photo viewers have been around for centuries (give or take a few score), but few have offered the capacity and speed found on the HyperDrive Album. Produced by none other than Sanho -- the same dudes and dudettes responsible for those spectacular HyperMac batteries -- this here device is essentially a 640GB pocket hard drive meant to suck down photos from your SD or CF card (it plays nice with both formats) as you shoot; it can either lighten the load on your memory card or act as on-site backup, and it's reportedly capable of downloading 2GB per minute with full data verification. Better still, it's capable of decoding and displaying RAW images on the 4.8-inch display (800 x 480 resolution), and the internal battery will last through 200GB worth of transfers. It's available now for $599.99 (or less if you opt for a smaller / empty model), but don't even bother if you're looking for SDXC compatibility.
Epson adds tethering, remote shutter release to P-6000 and P-7000 photo viewers
Epson's P-6000 ($599.99) and P-7000 ($799.99) Multimedia Viewers were always a bit too rich for our blood, but those hemming and hawing might just have the final bit of motivation they need to pull the trigger. A forthcoming firmware update for the 80GB and 160GB (respectively) photo viewers brings along a hotly-anticipated new feature: tethering. Put simply, pro shooters (and novices, we guess) can now connect select Nikon and Canon DSLRs to their photo viewer via USB, and in real time shots will be simultaneously captured to the camera's memory card and the viewer's hard drive. Moreover, the update includes a remote shutter release function for added convenience, though we're sad to say that the retail pricing of these buggers hasn't budged. If you're a proud owner already, keep your eyes glued to Epson's support site -- the download should go live in "late-October." [Via Slashgear]
Sharp's AQUOS photo player prints / displays images on your HDTV
Now here's an interesting combination. Sharp has decided to liberally splash its AQUOS labeling on an all new photo player, which pulls double duty as a photo printer and a photo, um, display-er. So far as we can tell, users can load up images via a variety of memory card slots, Bluetooth, Infrared and even the local network (HN-PP150 only), and from there, they can either print for showing to grandma or output the content through HDMI. For those who connect it to an AQUOS LCD TV, they can also utilize the music playback functionality that's baked in. The non-DLNA-compatible HN-PP100 (pictured) will go for ¥20,000 ($207) starting December 5th in Japan, while the network-friendly HN-PP150 tacks on another ¥5,000 ($52) and ships in January 2009.
Epson's P-7000 and P-6000 photo viewers include speed and screen improvements
If you're the type of person looking to drop $600 to $800 on a photo viewer, you've probably got some pretty specialized needs for the thing, and Epson aims to please. A followup to its P-3000 and P-5000 photo viewers, the new P-6000 and P-7000 from Epson sport 640 x 480 4-inch LCDs, which have been newly enhanced with "Photo Fine Premia" tech to handle 94% of the Adobe RGB color space. The 6000 and 7000 models sport 80GB and 160GB of storage, respectively, and download shots up to 35% faster than before. The interface naturally allows you to browse through, sort and zoom in on your beautimous photography, supporting both JPEG and RAW files, and there's even a bit of PMP functionality for when you're bored of all that. They should be out in September for the aforementioned $600 and $800 price points.
Hama PhotoPlayer 1080i digital picture viewer
Hey there Ansel Adams -- we know you're shooting all your news pictures in an ultra-detailed, millions-of-megapixels format. Unfortunately for you, it's hard to show off your breathtaking work to friends and family. Well, a company called Hama hopes to change all that with its PhotoPlayer 1080i, a curious device that serves one basic function: it allows you to view your photos on an HD television. Basically, the little contraption is a 35-in-1 card reader which also outputs images (via component hookups) to your favorite 1080i-equipped display. The PhotoPlayer comes with a tiny remote for flipping through your majestic vision, and also includes a USB jack (for hard drives and the like), so you can go for a really, really long haul during your presentations. We can hear the "oohs" and "ahhs" already. Available now, no word on price.[Via PhotographyBLOG]
Aska intros Tripper V photo viewer / PMP
Japanese manufacturer Aska is beefing up its line of Tripper portable storage aimed at photographers, increasing the size and screen real estate with its new Tripper V model. Available in 40, 80, 120, and 160GB varieties, each comes equipped with SD and CompactFlash card slots for transfers direct from your digital camera, and a pack a sizable 4.3-inch 800 x 480 LCD to view all those photos on. Of course, you don't have to save all that space for photos if you don't want to, with the device also able to function as a PMP, supporting MPEG-4 video and MP3 and AAC audio. Look for the 80, 120 and 160GB models to be available first on March 12th, with the 40GB unit following in April, retailing for between $340 and $680 depending on the model -- all available in Japan only, of course.[Via Akihabara News]
Jobo intros new photo storage, GPS devices
Jobo looks to be branching out from its trademark Giga Vu line of photo viewer/storage devices, today announcing the Spectator mobile storage device and photoGPS accessory for digital cameras. While the company seems to holding out on most of the details until the official debut at the PMA 07 trade show in Vegas next month, the Spectator appears to be slightly less of an all-purpose device than the company's various Giga Vu offerings, with no mention of PMP features and a considerably smaller screen. It will, however, hold plenty of photos -- available in 40, 80, and 120GB versions for €249, €299, and €379, respectively (or about $330, $390, and $500). Taking a cue from some earlier, less discreet devices, the photoGPS promises to let you tag all your photos with GPS data as you take 'em, conveniently adding the location information to the photo's EXIF file. From the sound of it, the device (pictured after the break) will also apparently work with any digital camera, although that'll undoubtedly be cleared up at PMA 07 as well. What is clear now is the price, with the photoGPS set to demand €149 (or just under $200) when it's released this summer.
Aigo's P706 photo and video viewer for photographers
Looking every bit the competitor to Epson's P-5000 or Canon's M80 portable storage solutions for photogs, is this, Aigo's UH-P706. Instead of maxing out at 80GB like the others, Aigo slams up to 160GB of disk in their version of the video / picture viewer. They do however, skimp on the screen a bit at just 3.6-inches and 16 millions colors but then make a mends with support for RAW and TIFF, AVI and MPEG4, and slots for SD, MMC, Memory Stick, and CF card formats. Oddly, no audio codecs are listed in the press release, not even the ubiquitous MP3. For the moment, these are only available in Aigo's home country of China for about 9,977 Chinese yuan or a whopping $1,248.[Via c|net Asia, thanks Imish]
Epson releasing P-3000 and P-5000 photo viewers
Epson's about to let loose a couple of bumps to its line of portable photo viewers / media players, tossing the P-2000 and P-4000 to the curb in favor of the numerically-enhanced P-3000 and P-5000. Both models retain the same 40GB and 80GB hard drives of their predecessors as well as SD and CompactFlash slots (other formats'll need an adapter-- so sorry, dear xD), with each getting a slight boost in screen size to a full four inches (up from 3.8 inches). The biggest benefit, however, seems to be an increase in operating speed -- a mighty 250% faster, according to Epson. The units also continue to blur the line between photo viewers and portable media players, boasting a hefty line-up of video support (including DivX) as well as MP3 and AAC audio support. Look for these to hit stores before the end of the year for $499 and $699, respectively.
Digital Foci's Picture Porter Elite photo viewer / PMP
Hot on the heels of MediaGear's HD2GO is yet another photo viewer / PMP, but with 40GB or 80GB hard drive options, the Picture Porter Elite is more akin to Epson's P-4000 line of capcious convergence devices. Manufactured by Digital Foci, the USB 2.0-enabled PPE-360 features a 3.6-inch screen (only QVGA, though -- Epson gives you VGA on its models), line-in recording, PictBridge printing support, and video out for displaying your pics and vids on a regular TV. Supported memory card formats include Compact Flash I / II, MicroDrive, SD / MMC, and Memory Stick (xD, miniSD, and MS Duo cards work with an adapter), while the compatible file types include JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and RAW (image), MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV (audio), and MPEG-1/4, AVI, MOV, and WMV9 (video). The Picture Porter Elite will begin shipping on the 7th, starting at $450.[Via Digital Media Thoughts]
Creative reveals Zen V and V Plus flash-based DAPs
So it looks like Creative's made good with the "mystery MP3 player" they promised us in that rather uninspiring teaser campaign: meet the Zen V. Available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities, the V's smallish size and 1.5-inch, photo-capable OLED clearly indicate that Creative's got the slightly-smaller nano squarely in its sights, with the V Plus (offered in the same capacities) going for the knockout punch by throwing in video playback and an FM tuner in the usual hope that adding more and more features will somehow make iPod owners realize what iChimps they've been. Both models come in several combinations of black or white highlighted by either green, orange, or blue accents, feature a line-in jack for direct-from-disc recording, support PlaysForSure subscription services, and offer a claimed 15 hours of battery life before recharging becomes an issue. The V will be available in July for $120, $150, or $200, depending on capacity, while the V Plus will be coming in August and priced at $130, $170, and $230 for the 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB versions, respectively.Read- Zen VRead- Zen V Plus
