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Pure Digital's creepy-looking Bug Too DAB radio
We're not sure how many adults are into insect-inspired audio gear, but if you live in the UK and you're looking to get your kids hooked on the wonders of DAB radio, then the Bug Too from Pure Digital (not to be confused with the identically-named manufacturer of those disposable digital cameras) may be just the ticket. Sporting the same telescoping display, SD card slot, and of course weird design as the original Bug, this new model adds both an electronic program guide and MP3 playback capability into the mix, and wraps it all up a "stylish" titanium silver finish. You can also pause and rewind live broadcasts, set up to twenty alarms to wake you with live or recorded content (up to 15 hours on a 1GB card), and output the audio via an S/PDIF jack if those bug-eye speakers aren't doing it for you. Developed in collaboration with supposedly renowned designed Wayne Hemingway, the Bug Too is available right now for around $185.[Via T3]
Switched On: With flash camcorder, Pure Digital shoots and scores
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about the future of technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:When Pure Digital released its disposable camcorder last year, I praised its size, simplicity, and services integration. My two main quibbles with the product were price (particularly since you needed to order an expensive DVD to get your video out of it) and especially quality. Putting its QVGA output on a DVD was like waxing a floor that needs to be sanded – it won't do anything to fix the rough spots. There was a large price and value gap between the disposable camcorder and even low-end offerings from Canon, Sony and the like. Now Pure Digital has aimed squarely at the center of that gap with the Point and Shoot Camcorder aimed at "everyday video." While the PureDigital one will initially be sold exculsively at Target for about $130, Thomson Consumer Electronics will also release a version under an RCA brand needing to appear more forward-focused while not alienating its mainstream customer base. The Point and Shoot Camcorder looks very similar to its disposable predecessor and retains most of its predecessor's simple interface. There is still no menu button, for example. The most noteworthy hardware difference is a spring-loaded "pop-out" USB port that snaps from flush with the unit's side to a 90-degree angle after you push on a sliding switch. It's a playful gimmick that complements the product's casual appeal, but I wonder about its durability.
RCA releases EZ101 point-and-shoot digital camcorder
Despite our initial skepticism of the disposable digital cameras and camcorders from Pure Digital, RCA likes what it sees in at least one of the company's products, as they've just released their own version of the Point & Shoot Video Camcorder. Like the P&SVC, RCA's EZ101 will also retail for $150, and features the same 30-minute recording capacity of 30fps, AVI-encoded video. You also get the same 1.5-inch LCD display that serves as viewfinder and preview screen, a USB port for direct file transfer to a PC -- no installation CD necessary -- and an A/V cable for TV playback. Even those without a PC can get in on the fun, as the EZ101 can be turned in for processing at any of Pure Digital's partner's 8,000 retail locations, where they'll dump your footage onto a DVD in under an hour.
Pure Digital's Point & Shoot Video Camera
If you're not sure you want to spend $30 for one of those single-use video cameras -- with the prospect of spending another $13 for a 20 minute DVD of your footage -- but still would like to do some video on the cheap, Pure Digital is releasing a standalone version of their video camera for a mere $130. The new Point & Shoot Video Camcorder bumps video storage to 30 minutes, and includes a USB connector to offload video to your PC using included software that can email clips to friends and relatives. There's also a TV connector cable to watch clips straight off the camera, or you can always drop off the camera to have a DVD made, the difference being that you get the camera back this time. Now available at Target, the camera still isn't going to do much more than a decent digital camera or phone can pull off these days, but it doesn't seem a bad option for the tech-phobic or in risky situations you wouldn't want to stick your $1000 camera into.
