The Olympus OM-D, the digital remastering of a classic SLR camera, has now been announced by Olympus following weeks of leaks and rumours. So now the Olympus OM-D, or E-M5 as it is marked, is official, let's run down what you get.

Adopting the Micro Four Thirds system, the OM element of this new camera appears to be mostly about positioning and external styling. To use OM lenses from the original 35mm SLR cameras, you'd need an MF-2 OM Adapter ring (£160).

However, it is compatible with Olympus's existing MFT selection, and will come with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm lens (24-100mm in 35mm terms) as a kit. You'll also get a weather-proofed body, so it's less prone to damage from brief dust or damp exposure.

However, there are a number of modern headline features of the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera, including five-axis stabilisation and lightning-fast autofocus, to help you get sharp 16-megapixel images out of the Live MOS sensor. 

Of more interest, however, might be the integrated electronic viewfinder. The lack of a viewfinder, or having to use an external accessory, has been a criticism of compact system cameras since their inception. Some Panasonic Lumix models, Sony's NEX-7 and more recently the Fujifilm X-Pro1 have all addressed the viewfinder issue in various ways.

The OM-D features a 1440k-dot electronic viewfinder. It's beautifully integrated in retro fashion into the top of the camera. We've used Olympus's accessory viewfinders in the past and the quality is very good on those, so we have high expectations of it here too.

Interesting accessories include a battery grip, which sort of defies the original raison d'être of a compact system camera. But, with some just wanting a retro-style camera, with familiar and sophisticated digital performance, the Olympus OM-D might be just the ticket.

As such you'll get ISO up to 25600, a wide selection of creative Art Filters, Full HD video capture, and a 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen OLED display, making this retro wonder quite the modern superstar. 

But as retro as it looks and sophisticated as it sounds, at £1149.99 it costs as much as a mid-range DSLR, which might be a stumbling block for some.

The Olympus OM-D will be available in April 2012, as we've already seen it, so be sure to check-out our photos of it in the flesh.

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Olympus Micro Four Thirds Olympus OM-D

Olympus OM-D brings retro style to your Micro Four Thirds life originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Pentax has announced a brace of new tough cameras, the Pentax Optio WG2 and the Optio WG2-GPS, which pack in a host of features for those that like to abuse their pocket camera.

Not only does the WG2 look like it has been designed for Batman, but it is waterproof (12 metres, IPX8), dustproof (IPX6), happy in the cold (down to -10C) and crush proof (100kgf). In our books, that makes the Optio WG2 something of a badass camera. 

Of course, all that protection is no good if the features are lacking. Fortunately you have a 16-megapixel back-illuminated sensor, offering a top ISO of 6400, along with a "night snap" mode that will take four images and compile them together with the aim of creating one good image.

There is a 5x zoom lens built in, offering 28mm at the wide end and 140mm at full zoom. An ultra-wide mode can also be deployed, giving you a 21mm effect by stitching two images together.

You get Full HD video capture and a slow motion option if you accept a drop in resolution. An HDMI will let you hook-up to the big screen to share your snaps and movies.

On the rear of the camera you get a 3-inch 16:9 display, offering a typical 460k-dot resolution and an anti-glare coating to aid viewing on the beach or slopes in bright conditions.

On the front of the camera you'll also find six LED lights in a ring around the lens for macro illumination in the "digital microscope" mode. They can also be used for self-portraits and as a torch in the dark, again adding to this camera's rugged repertoire.

If you want the GPS version, you'll have to accept a £50 premium on the price, but you'll then be able to tag your photos as you shoot.

The Pentax Option WG2 will cost you £299.99 and the Pentax Optio WG2-GPS is £349.99. Both will be available from March 2012.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Pentax Pentax Optio WG2 Pentax Optio WG2-GPS 16 megapixels

Pentax Optio WG2-GPS: The adventure proof camera originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

We played Kinect Star Wars back at E3 in 2011 and now LucasArts and Microsoft have given us a launch date and lined up what you can expect from the latest Star Wars game.

Launching on 3 April 2012, Kinect Star Wars will cost you £39.99 and give you five gaming modes - Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate.

Jedi Destiny gives you the storyline to follow, pitching you against enemies, racing Speeder Bikes and battling iconic opponents like Darth Vadar on your quest to become a Jedi.

Podracing and Rancor Rampage sound pretty much cut and dry, and judging by the screens we have from Microsoft, it all looks like good, wholesome Kinect fun. Rancor Rampage sees you in the streets of Mos Eisley (or some other wretched hive of scum and villainy) and Podracing recreates those scenes from Phantom Menace.

We don't know too much about Duels of Fate, but it appears to be lightsaber battle action, which claims to "sharpen your Jedi skills".

Finally, you have the Galactic Dance Off. Sure, we know Dance Central has been a great hit for Kinect - but with a Star Wars theme? Oh go on then. Hopefully you can bust a groove to that catchy tune performed by Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes in the Mos Eisley Cantina. 

However, if you are lucky enough to have the Star Wars Special Edition Xbox 360 console, you'll get an exclusive C-3PO unlockable for the Dance Off, pictured above. Be sure to check-out our hands-on with the ultimate customised Star Wars console. 

No word on whether you'll get the chance to don Leia's gold bikini and dance for Jabba, but here's hoping...

Of course, we'll bring you a full review of Kinect Star Wars once we have our hands on it.

Tags: Gaming Star Wars Kinect Star Wars LucasArts Microsoft Xbox 360

Kinect Star Wars detailed, coming in April originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:08:00 +0000

When it comes of Special Edition Xbox 360 consoles, the Star Wars version has to sit at the top of the tree. Gears of War and Call of Duty have pretty much passed into gaming folklore, but Star Wars is a different beast altogether.

The Star Wars Xbox 360 Limited Edition console arrives in celebration of Kinect Star Wars and naturally, this is a Kinect version of the Xbox, with a 320GB hard drive. 

The artwork on the Xbox itself reflects some of the detailing from R2-D2's paint job in blue and white. It's instantly recognisable and looks great sitting in your lounge. The white matching Kinect with black panels in the underside looks every inch like an Imperial Stormtrooper. 

There is a small hidden detail too. Press the eject button to open the disc tray - accompanied by R2-D2 sound effects - and you'll find Star Wars' perhaps most iconic line inscribed inside: "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

The sound effects add a touch of difference too. As we've seen in other Special Edition Xbox consoles, both the power and the eject buttons emit noises when touched, although not when you use the controller or UI to switch the power off or eject the disc.

Finally you have the controller. It's finished in gold to reflect, literally, C-3PO's highly polished gold plating. Running around the back you'll find coloured wiring to look like the droid's exposed midriff.

If we've one negative comment about the controller, it's that the gold finish is glossy and therefore doesn't give you the same surface grip as the regular controller. You'll also have to polish those grubby fingerprints off it, but neither is too much to ask and the underside is regular textured black, so feels like the normal controllers do.

Of course, if you're getting the Star Wars Xbox 360 console you'll get your hands on Kinect Star Wars too, and for that you won't need the C-3PO controller, so it can sit, polished, where everyone can gaze at its brilliance.

To round out the kit you get a black headset and all the normal cables and connections, making this quite a package for Star Wars fans young and old. Of course, we couldn't help snapping it from every side and shooting a quick video, so be sure to check both out. 

The Kinect Star War Xbox 360 Limited Edition will be landing on 3 April 2012 and will cost you £349.99. If you can't stretch to a whole new console, you'll be able to get the Kinect Star Wars game for £39.99.

The Kinect Star Wars bundle is available at all participating retailers.

Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 Star Wars Photos Video Kinect Star Wars

Kinect Star Wars Xbox 360 Limited Edition pictures, video and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:02:00 +0000

RIM has demoed some of the updates coming to PlayBook 2.0, which is scheduled to arrive on your PlayBook in February, at the BlackBerry DevCon Europe event in Amsterdam.

Along with headline features like Runtime for Android, which will see the easy porting of Android apps on to the tablet, you'll also get an update to BlackBerry Bridge 2.0.

BlackBerry Bridge is the software that links your PlayBook to your BlackBerry smartphone and today RIM demoed the new features in action.

Bridge 2.0 will let you remote control your PlayBook, so you not only get full navigation from your device, but you'll also be able to use your smartphone keyboard to enter text on your PlayBook. 

This means you'll be able to use your PlayBook as a display, while sticking with your familiar Bold keyboard to bash out those emails. The remote control function also mean you'll be able to easily demo or share apps on your PlayBook, using the touchscreen on your handset as a controller.

RIM also touched on the updated calendar and contacts views on PlayBook 2.0, showing the integrated social networks, so you can view a meeting and see those people that you'll be hooking-up with. You'll also find that the date number grows depending on how busy you are.

BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 should be landing on your device this month.

Tags: Tablets BlackBerry BlackBerry PlayBook RIM

BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 demoed, Bridge 2.0 gives remote control originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:21:00 +0000

Nikon has actually launched two DLSR cameras today. The first is the Nikon D800, the second is the D800E, "the ultimate alternative", the "special edition", as Nikon refers to it.

The D800E is based on the D800. Actually, it's the same camera, with all the same features, except for one major difference. The Nikon D800E has had the optical filter modified to remove the anti-aliasing characteristics. 

The anti-aliasing filter, sometimes known as the optical low-pass filter, removes unwanted interference, such as moiré patterning, that can occur on particular subjects, especially common on textures such as meshes or patterned surfaces - clothes, brick walls or netting, for example. 

In digital imaging, this often happens because the grid of the sensor and the grid of the pattern have different alignment or the resolution of the sensor isn't high enough to accurately sample patterning in the scene, or both. Anti-aliasing filters are generally included in all digital cameras in some form, with medium format cameras being the notable exception.

The trade-off for avoiding the interference in images is a slight reduction in sharpness and often brightness. For most users, it's an acceptable compromise, but for those few that want the best possible results from the 36.3-megapixel sensor, then the Nikon D800E might be of interest.

To demonstrate the sort of difference you can expect, Nikon used the image below, which is a crop from a snowy mountain scene (resized here, but you can still see the difference).

While you won't have to pay the same sort of prices as you would to get an AA filter-free camera of the PhaseOne or Hasselblad variety, there is a small premium. The Nikon D800E will cost you £2689.99.

When asked what proportion of buyers would opt for the D800E over the D800, Jeremy Gilbert, group marketing manager of Nikon UK, said he thought it would be "around 10 per cent". Nikon D800E availability will be through selected retailers, in particular those who can better service the needs of advanced photographers, from 12 April 2012.

You can see all our Nikon D800 photos here, and read more about the Nikon D800 specs here, as apart from that AA filter and the price, the cameras are the same.

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 Nikon D800E 36 megapixels

What is the Nikon D800E? originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:05:00 +0000

The Nikon D800 is a new enthusiast or semi-professional full-frame model. Pocket-lint was on hand to grab the new camera as soon as it was announced, to have a quick play and show you what the camera looks like in the flesh.

It has evolved out of the popular Nikon D700, but incorporates some of the features we saw in the recent D4 launch. Importantly it doesn't replace the D700; Nikon sees the D800 very much as a camera that a D700 user might step-up to, or a D300s user might move over to, but both the D800 and D700 will be available moving forward.

As a full-frame DSLR it is fairly weighty at 1kg (without a lens), but this is close to the weight of the D700 and to be expected from this type of camera. Fortunately the body is large enough to give a nice natural grip, so it sits nicely in the hands.

The layout of controls reflects the D700 forebear, but with some adjustments. The angle of the shutter button has been altered, as it was in the D4, to give a more natural position. Elsewhere you have controls for video, specifically the video capture button just behind the shutter button.

You also have specific live-view modes for video or stills, selected using the switch on the back. Nikon is taking video seriously with the D800, looking to steal some of the limelight from the Canon EOS 5D Mk II, which has been quite the box office hit. The normal complement of Full HD 1920 x 1080 capture at 30/25/24p is present, as well as 60/50p if you step down to 1280 x 720 resolution, resulting in a MOV file.

You'll find the connections you'd expect hiding under the flap on the left-hand side. The HDMI will offer an uncompressed video output aimed at professional use and you get audio monitoring via the mic and headphone sockets. You also get USB 3.0, meaning faster data transfer for moving all those huge files off - with a typical NEF RAW file being 76MB, you can understand the need.

There are four controls sitting atop the release mode dial on the left, a new bracketing button makes an appearance, designed to make things like HDR shooting more straight forward. As a "compact" full-frame camera there is a pop-up flash, meaning you don't need accessories if you don't want them.

The viewfinder offers a 100 per cent field of view and the 3.2-inch display on the back features a light sensor like the D4, so the display will adjust to suit the conditions as best it can. The viewfinder was bright and full of rich information from the AF system and the display looked to be nice and vibrant from the time we spent with the camera.

The sloped shoulders of the Nikon D800, incorporating the new rake of the shutter button, gives the new model a slightly softer look over the D700 which looks boxy by comparison. This means the name sits sort of awkwardly, not that anyone will care too much.

But despite all the expected updates, we suspect the talking point for many will be the large 35.9 x 24mm CMOS sensor (Nikon FX format), with 36.3 effective megapixels. The sensor partners much of the redesigned architecture we saw in the Nikon D4, including the Expeed 3 processor, but the fastest frame rate you'll get is 4fps at maximum resolution, or 5fps on DX crop, so this probably isn't one for photographers who need to catch that fleeting sporting moment.

In operation the Nikon D800 felt assured and serious. It was fast to focus, a no-nonsense camera, but unfortunately we weren't able to take away any of the shots we took for closer examination. To judge the quality of that new 36-megapixel sensor, we'll have to wait for the verdict of our Nikon D800 review.

The Nikon D800 will be available from 22 March and will cost you £2399.99. The MB-D12 grip also pictured will cost you £379.99.

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 36 megapixels Photos

Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:01:00 +0000

The Nikon D800 is a new full-frame DSLR in Nikon's professional line of cameras, sitting on a new 36-megapixel CMOS sensor. The model borrows much of the styling of the D700, mixing in technology from the Nikon D4.

Top of the bill is that new 36-megapixel FX sensor. As a full-frame model it has a large sensor, but this number of megapixels is also new to "consumer" DSLR cameras. Nikon boasts that the level of detail it offers is unprecedented, while managing low-light noise as effectively as the D700.

The new Nikon D800 sits on the same architecture as the flagship Nikon D4, so you have the same AF module and Expeed 3 processor, but much more data to process from that sensor. 

The model tweaks the styling of the D700, bringing in controls for the newly added video modes. Again keeping pace with the Nikon D4, you get Full HD video capture, as well as slow-motion 50/60fps options in 720p, looking to rival the likes of the Canon EOS 5D Mk II.

An HDMI fires uncompressed video out, ideal for professional production purposes and headphone and mic sockets will support your audio capture. Other connections include a USB 3.0, the first for a Nikon DSLR, meaning fast data transfer to get all those images off. At 76MB for a NEF RAW file, you'll need it. Internally you'll find slots for CF and SD cards which can be used in combination.

Around the back of the new DSLR camera is a 3.2-inch 921k-dot LCD display with an ambient light meter, so it will adapt the display properties according to the environment. Above it sits the 100 per cent field of view viewfinder, which will display the 51 AF points.

The metal body of the Nikon D800 offers the same level of weatherproofing as the D700, so it's a camera that is designed to survive daily abuse and will offer 900 shots from the battery. You'll get a normal ISO range of 100-6400, with options to step down to ISO 50 or up to ISO 25600. You'll have options to shoot in different crop modes, from the native FX mode, to DX (APS-C equivalent), as well as 5:4 and 1.2x.

The Nikon D800 is a hefty camera at around 1kg (with battery but no lens) but offers a full range of capture options for the serious photographer or videographer. It also comes in at a serious price, launching at £2399.99. It will be available from 22 March 2012. 

Now why not look at our Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on or see how the D800 compares to the D700?

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Nikon Nikon D800 Nikon D800E 36 megapixels

Nikon D800: full frame, full HD, full of 36 megapixels originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Any chapter in the Mass Effect story has a responsibility to shoulder. In a time when so many games are over in a 6-hour flash and rely heavily on multiplayer for any sort of longevity, Mass Effect 3 has to deliver the thick storytelling that practically all contemporary titles lack.

We played through the first 90-minutes odd of the game at a preview event to get a feel for what Mass Effect 3 is going to offer when the game launches in March. Talking to a spokesperson from BioWare, we got confirmation that this instalment will be similar in length to Mass Effect 2, so that's about 60 hours of gaming, with plenty of replay value based on how you approach the game.

You get to pick your game style at the outset. You can play it as an action game, with the dialogue section playing as cutscenes rather than user triggered section. Many, if not most, will elect for the traditional RPG approach, or you could play in story mode, which cuts down the difficulty of the combat. 

There is plenty of scene-setting as the game opens and some stunning graphics too. There will be some spoilers in what we cover here, but nothing that should ruin your game experience, given the length and variety it offers. If you've seen the trailers, you've been given a good taster on what is to come anyway.

Mass Effect 3 is similar in look and feel to Mass Effect 2, although there has been some obvious tweaking to character modelling in cutscenes. We thought things looked a little too shiny in ME3, but it was smooth and detailed, with masses of attention in faces that reflect tension and stress, which is important to building the central story.

Our man from BioWare told us that the preview portion we were playing was almost finished, so aside from the occasional pause in animation, there was very little to complain about. 

The opening is rather cinematic, and like Mass Effect 2, there is plenty of rich storytelling to get you going. Nothing happens without reason and there is context to everything. Starting out in Mass Effect 3, the context comes from the previous games. 

As such, if you're a newcomer to the game, some of those familiar faces, who nod in recognition or surprise, will be lost on you. But you're not left high and dry: there is enough here to set you off on the right path, and even if you're not totally conversant with Mass Effect lore, you get eased in gently enough. 

Returning as Commander Shepard, Mass Effect 3 sees you battling to save the Earth from the invasion of the Reapers. The action opens with the huge Reaper ships dropping from the sky to tear your world apart. This is where the first playable prologue section begins too, which will quickly outline the main controls as you fight your way to extraction on the Normandy.

With the Reapers ripping the place up, you take Shepard through the smashed city, up and down ladders, jumping gaps and vaulting walls, outlining the skills you'll need in the game to come. The controls are very much as they were previously, although the menus have been redesigned slightly to power-up various skills, but not drastically so.

If anything, you might find that there is a little too much dependency on the A button when it comes to control. It opens doors, it puts you in cover, vaults cover, it makes you sprint. That means you're juggling different actions through the same control based on the game situation. We were cut down several times trying to sprint to cover and duck, but instead vaulting over that cover, into the line of fire.

But this is partly due to the complexity that Mass Effect 3 brings with it. It's not just shooting from the hip, it's a whole range of other actions and skills too, all of which have to be mapped on to a console controller. At least it's easy enough to assign powers to buttons to get things running the way you want. 

You'll finally make your way on to the Normandy, but not before Mass Effect 3 throws down one of its emotional story hooks. A boy sheltering in air ducts (invoking memories of Newt from Aliens) that you tried to rescue, makes his way on to a transport ship, only to be annihilated by the Reapers. Mass Effect isn't scared to tell its story and it's delivered with more skill and maturity than the brutal shock value of something like Homefront.

Having made your escape from Earth, you're off to a colony on Mars on an information gathering mission, the first proper level of Mass Effect 3. The destination is the Prothean Archives, but this isn't simply the case of waltzing in. Almost as soon as you've set foot on the red dust of Mars' surface, you'll find things aren't going to be that simple. 

You'll get to put your gunplay to the test here as well as find, swap and upgrade weapons as you roam around. Now that you have the semblance of a team forming, you'll also be able to command your teammates and start to get to grips with the various powers you have at your disposal. In this section you'll be reunited with Liara and have to put her skills into play. Even in these early sections, it becomes apparent just how much you can come to depend on your allies.

Even playing in action mode, you can't just shoot your way through. You'll need to use everything at your disposal - there isn't enough ammunition for sustained gunfights, after all. And yes, we did find ourselves faced with an empty clip and multiple skirmishing enemies on several occasions. As you proceed through this level on Mars the plot thickens. As with the opening levels of Mass Effect 2, you're fed information in tiny amounts as the plot twists and squirms, throwing out surprises as it reveals itself.

We leave this intense, but satisfying, re-introduction to the world of Mass Effect with a thirst for more. To us Mass Effect 3 already feels like it will be an unmissable title for 2012 and as we've seen with Mass Effect 2, it's likely to deliver that deep satisfaction that many games currently lack.

Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 PS3 PC games mass effect 3 BioWare EA

Mass Effect 3 hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:57:00 +0000

At the top end of Nikon's Style range of compact cameras you find the newly announced Nikon Coolpix S6300, Coolpix S9200 and S9300. They offer a wider range of features, controls and larger lenses than cameras at the bottom end of the range.

We managed to get our hands on all the new models at the UK launch, so here we'll talk you through what you get at the top end of Nikon's S range. We've bundled all the photos together in the gallery at the bottom - check the captions so you know which model you're looking at.

Nikon Coolpix S6300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S6300 is the brother camera of the S6200 launched last year. It is bulkier than those models lower down the range, so it nestles into the hand better, although there isn't a huge amount to grip on to.

The S6300 measures 93.6 x 57.7 x 26mm and weighs 160g and like all the new Nikon cameras it feels solidly built. 

The controls are logically and typically placed, reflecting the layout on almost all other Nikon Coolpix cameras. The S6300 is primarily designed as a point and shoot, so there isn't much in the way of control on offer. 

The biggest difference is the step-up in lens range. It gives you a 10x zoom in that fairly compact body, giving you 25-250mm (in 35mm terms). We found the lens zoomed smoothly and quickly.

On the back you have a 2.7-inch display, although at 230k-dots it isn't the highest resolution, so it feels a little small. What you do get, however, is that lens range at a price of £179.99, which isn't bad.

The Nikon Coolpix S6300 will be available in black, red and blue, from 16 February 2012. 

Nikon Coolpix S9200 and Coolpix S9300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S9200 and Coolpix S9300 are essentially the same camera, the difference being that the latter model features built-in GPS to tag your photo locations on the move. Otherwise the specifications are identical. 

As the top guns of the S range, they have the largest body and there's even a little rubber thumb patch for a more secure grip, along with a bar at the front for your fingers. The S9300 measures 108.7 x 62.3 x 30.6mm and weighs 215g; the S9200 is fractionally smaller and lighter once you've sliced the GPS bump off.

We like the contouring of the body around the base of the lens. Of course the lens is one of the stars here, packing in an impressive 18x optical zoom, with a 25-450mm range (in 35mm terms). That means you can easily get in on the action on your travels. 

A 16-megapixel sensor sits at the heart of these cameras, which also offers Full HD 1080p video capture. A top-mounted mode dial gives you instant access to some shooting features, but it doesn't go as far as offering you manual controls, for which you'd have to look to the Coolpix P310.

Around the back you have a nice detailed 921k-dot display and more controls, so if you're looking for a little more out of your camera, but without getting too complicated, then this might be of interest. 

Like the other S range cameras from Nikon, it feels well constructed. Available from the middle of March, you can get the Nikon Coolpix S9300 in black, red, blue and silver for £299.99. We don't have a price for the S9200, but it will be slightly less. 

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S6300 Nikon Coolpix S9200 Nikon Coolpix S9300 Photos

Nikon Coolpix S6300, S9200, S9300 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Pentax fans rejoice! You now have a compact system camera in your armoury. Actually, you can strike the "compact" part straight away, because this mirrorless camera, designed by Marc Newson, is anything but compact.

When asked why there was no inclusion of a viewfinder - which would have essentially made this a DSLR - Marc Newson responding that Pentax hadn't asked for it in the brief. So what we have in the Pentax K-01 is a design-led hybrid camera of sorts. The innards and the bulk of a DSLR, but without the mirror box.

In the hand the bulk is surprising. Even compared to the Canon EOS 600D we used to photograph it, the Pentax K-01 camera is big, so it’s unlikely to appeal to those looking to slim down their photography gear. It does feel extremely solid though, but we’re not entirely convinced by the rubber flaps on the ends, which may, with time, fall off.

Marc Newson's involvement with the Pentax K-01 extends to the exterior design only, so you can rest assured that the innards are quality components from a company with plenty of photography pedigree.

The system sits on a 16-megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and features the K-mount, so is compatible with existing Pentax lenses for that system. Pentax said there were 214 K-mount lenses out there, but we haven't counted them ourselves.

The top controls are the most interesting. The power switch is big and chunky, the mode dial ridiculously so. The Pentax green button is present, as is a red button, which defaulted to instant video capture. It's conventional in so much as you know what everything does, but it looks and feels a bit like a toy camera.

However, once you get around the fact that this camera looks different, you'll find it doesn't behave differently. The menus are conventional, the placement of controls on the rear of the camera is fairly standard so the design won't directly inhibit your photographic aims.

We found it easy to get to grips with the controls quickly and being able to change modes in a flash, as well as access major settings through the buttons on the back, makes it an easy camera to use.

It may even help you put some muscles on your upper body as you heft the 560g body up in front of you at arms' length to take a shot. The lack of viewfinder means you can't press it against your face for extra support when taking photos.

And this is an interesting point: With the 40mm XS pancake lens in place, sure, the Pentax K-01 is perfectly portable. But strap on another, larger, lens and you're left wondering how to hold the thing. A hand underneath, cup and saucer style? Reach around to grip the barrel of the lens as you would on a DSLR?

That 40mm XS lens is the equivalent of 61mm in 35mm terms and we found it to be fast to focus, very fast. There is also a convenient switch on the body of the camera to move to manual focusing and it was smooth in operation when we did so. 

Given the respectable sensor and quality of Pentax lenses, we're sure that the K-01 will produce excellent, high quality shots. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take any sample shots away from the launch event in London today, so we'll have to wait until we review the Pentax K-01 to make a definitive judgement. 

It comes in three colours: black and black, black and silver, and black and yellow. Marc Newson's favourite is the black and black, saying that this colour was "the best example in terms of expressing the design in its purest form". 

We'd go for the black and yellow because, as we see it, if you're buying a weird camera you might as well get a weird colour.

The Pentax K-01 will be available from the end of March 2012, from £629.99 (body only) or £679.99 with the 40mm DA XS lens.

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Pentax Pentax K-01 16 megapixels Photos

Pentax K-01 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:44:00 +0000

Nikon has updated its S range (S for style), bringing a host of new affordable compact cameras to the table. On offer are the Nikon Coolpix S2600, Coolpix S3300 and Coolpix S4300.

All the new models are compact and colourful, offer loads of shooting features and were launched today, when we were able to get our hands on them and have a quick play. We've bundled all the images into the gallery at the bottom of the page, so check the captions to see what's what.

Nikon Coolpix S2600 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix is an Argos exclusive in the UK, but will be available through other retailers internationally. It's an affordable £69.99 and is already available through the Argos website. 

The slim body measures 93.8 x 58.4 x 19.5mm and although it sits at the bottom of the Coolpix lines, it still feels relatively well made. At 121g, it's light enough and small enough to slip into any pocket or bag.

Controls are simple but it doesn’t throw up any problems in use; 14-megapixel snaps are offered along with 720p HD video capture via the instant record button on the back.

A 5x zoom lens offers a range of 26-130mm (in 35mm terms) and a 2.5-inch display on the back isn't the highest resolution at 230k-dot, but that's to be expected at this price.

It's available in black, red and an interesting patterned purple.

Nikon Coolpix S3300 hands-on 

The Nikon Coolpix S3300 steps up the compact camera range, offering 16-megpixel snaps and 6x zoom lens, giving you 26-156mm (in 35mm terms).

The body is still slim and compact, measuring 94.8 x 57.8 x 19.5mm, and weighing only 128g. The Coolpix S3300 still feels like a good quality camera in the hand and the curves of the edges giving it an attractive design, although there isn't much to grip on to.

It offers 720p HD video capture and a 2.7-inch 230k-dot display, which is a little on the small side, but that can be expected on such a compact camera.

But don't let the price or the features fool you: Nikon tells us that the S3000 was the best-selling camera in Europe in 2010, the S3100 the best-selling in 2011, so maybe you'll be seeing these at every wedding you go to in 2012.

It's reasonably affordable at £129.99 and will be available from 23 February 2012 in (deep breath) black, blue, pink, green, purple, red and silver.

Nikon Coolpix S4300 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix S4300 is a Jessops exclusive model in the UK, but we're sure you'll be able to get it through other retailers internationally. We don't have an exact price yet, but it will be affordable and hitting stores at the end of February. 

Like the other models in the S range, the Coolpix S4300 is compact and well built, measuring 95.5 x 58.9 x 20.8mm and weighing 139g. You get a 6x zoom lens, offering 26-156mm (in 35mm terms).

It gives you 16-megapixel snaps and 720p HD video, but now you get a 3-inch display around the back, with a higher 460k-dot resolution, so it looks better when taking and viewing photos.

Aside from those small changes, like the other S range cameras it's very much all about point-and-shoot photography and designed for those who just want to take pictures without having to worry about buttons, settings and fiddling around.

The S4300 will be available in black, white, red and silver, although we think the silver looks a little bit gold.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S2600 Nikon Coolpix S3300 Nikon Coolpix S4300 Photos

Nikon Coolpix S2600, S3300, S4300 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:29:00 +0000

Nikon has announced a trio of superzoom cameras, one falling into the P (performance) series and two in the L (life) series. Although Nikon makes this division, it makes sense to look at all the superzoom models together, if that's the type of camera you're after.

There is, however, a divide in terms of functions and price, but the design of the Coolpix P510, Coolpix L810 and Coolpix L310 is essentially the same, offering a pronounced right-hand grip on a body built around a large lens barrel.

We've put all the pictures in the gallery below and as they look the same, be sure to check the captions to determine which camera you're looking at. So, without further adieu, let's start at the top.

Nikon Coolpix P510 hands-on

The Coolpix P510 comes from Nikon's performance range, so is the most advanced of the superzooms that the company offers. The P510 feels and looks more sophisticated than the other models. You get a 16-megapixel 1/2.3 sensor, typical for this type of camera.

The first thing you'll notice is that the P510 has an articulated 3-inch 921k-dot display on the back. Although it doesn't articulate as dramatically as some, it does make low or high angle shots easier to compose.

The other thing you'll notice about the P510 is the 42x printed on the barrel of the lens. This gives it a massive, and we really mean massive, 24-1000mm (in 35mm terms) range.

Of course, this type of lens does come with compromises and we won't know what the performance will be like at the far end until we get the camera in for a full review. It offers f/3 maximum aperture, which isn't especially fast, but that's true of superzooms in general.

Interesting features of the P510 include that zoom toggle on the barrel, making it easy to zoom whilst supporting the camera. Other controls fall easily under the fingers and thumbs, with dials to alter the shooting settings and the top mode dial letting you jump over to manual shooting easily.

You also get a GPS on this model, to tag your shots on your travels, and you get full HD video capture with stereo audio. It measures 119.8 x 82.9 x 102.2mm and weighs 555g.

Unfortunately the model we saw didn't have a battery, so there was plenty we didn't get to play with, and plenty more to explore when we get the camera back in for a full review. The Nikon Coolpix P510 will cost you £399.99, available from 22 March 2012.

It replaces the Coolpix P500 and you can read our full review of that model here.

Nikon Coolpix L810 hands-on

The Nikon Coolpix L810 comes from the "life" series of Coolpix cameras, so noticeably steps down in its offering from the P510 above.

The 3-inch display the back is fixed, rather than articulated, but still offers an impressive 921k-dot resolution. There are fewer controls, most noticeably the lack of any sort of mode dial. No, the L810 is a superzoom that's designed to be used in full auto.

On the front you get a 26x zoom lens, offering a 22.5-585mm (in 35mm terms) range, which is relatively wide angle. Again, this isn't a fast lens, with a max aperture of f/3.1 on offer, but you do get that zoom toggle on the lens barrel, for smooth zooming with the camera well supported.

Inside you get a 16-megapixel 1/2.3 sensor and a range of smart shooting features. Video capture comes in at 720p on this model, but you do get stereo audio with that. There is also an HDMI to connect to your TV to view those pictures and video.

In the hand the L810 doesn't feel quite as exciting as the P510, but the deep grip makes it easy to keep stable. It measures 111.1 x 76.3 x 83.1mm and weighs 430g.

Unfortunately the sample we saw didn't have a battery, so there is still plenty to look at when we review the camera. It replaces the Nikon Coolpix L120.

It will set you back £229.99 and will be available from 22 March 2012.

Nikon Coolpix L310 hands-on

The final camera of the superzoom trio is the entry-level Coolpix L310. In the hand it feels very much like the higher-spec L810 detailed above, but there are a few key differences.

The lens steps down to 21x zoom, giving you 25-525mm (in 35mm terms) and the sensor is 14.1-megpixels on a 1/2.3 chip. In reality there might not be a huge difference in image quality over the L810 above, but we'd have to wait to fully review the camera before we could judge that.

However, there are a couple of other areas where cuts have been made. The rear display is a much lower resolution at 230k-dots and that zoom toggle on the lens barrel has been removed. Although it offers 720p video capture, there is no HDMI output.

The result is that the Coolpix L310 appears rather basic in its feature set and the 21x zoom isn't that spectacular in modern terms, especially as you'll find zooms nearing that in modern "travel zoom" cameras.

But what the Coolpix L310 does offer is simple operation and wide focal range, in a body which offers much more grip than a smaller compact does. It will appeal to those who find they need a little more to hang on to on a camera, but don't want to pay a fortune for features they'll never use.

Again, the sample we saw didn't have a battery, so there were a host of features we didn't get to see, so be sure to check back for our full review.

The L310 measures 109.9 x 76.5 x 78.4mm and weighs 435g. It will be available from 15 March 2012 for £199.99.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix p510 Nikon Coolpix L810 Nikon Coolpix L310 Photos

Nikon Coolpix P510, L810, L310 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:25:00 +0000

The Nikon Coolpix P310 is an incremental upgrade of the Coolpix P300 launched in 2011. It is a compact that offers more than it's fair share of controls, pitched to photographers who know what they want from their camera.

In the hand the compact metal body feels solid and the matte black finish looks understated and utilitarian. We like the design a lot, because it feels like a serious camera, which it is.

It sits below the much more fully featured and much larger Nikon Coolpix P7100, but this is a model you can easily slip into your pocket, and despite the range of manual controls it offers, is easy enough for beginners to use in the auto mode, with 19 scene modes on offer.

A flip of the top mode dial takes you to the manual controls, from program through to shutter, aperture, manual and user defined settings, with a final night shooting position.

This is much more convenient than a menu-style system, as you'll be able to dive straight into the mode you want and get down to the business of selecting the appropriate settings for the shot you're after.

Changing those settings is easy too, thanks to the thumb dial on the top and the rear-mounted dial. Both get indicators on the 3-inch display on the back so you know what you're changing.

Although the P310 offers a 1/2.3 inch sensor, we're certain the results will be more than acceptable. We've used the predecessor, the P300 extensively and found the performance to be very good. Like the previous edition, the P310 offers a 4.2x zoom Nikkor lens, with a range of 24-100mm (in 35mm terms). It has a max aperture of f/1.8 at the widest angle, so offers plenty of shooting potential.

Of course, there are high-end compacts out there, like the Canon Powershot S100, the aging Panasonic Lumix LX5 or Olympus XZ-1, which all offer larger sensors and potentially better image quality, but they all cost more too. As such, the Coolpix P310 is a great second camera for those with a DSLR, or just a serious compact for those without.

The sample we got our hands on was a pre-production model, hence the missing camera name on the top of the flash, and sadly it didn't have a battery, so we weren't able to test the new 99-point manual focus or how well the front function button can be put to task.

Naturally we'll be looking at all these things in our Nikon Coolpix P310 review, once we get a sample in the office.

The Nikon Coolpix P310 will cost you £299.99 and will be available from 22 March 2012 in either black or white.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix P310 16 megapixels Photos

Nikon Coolpix P310 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:49:19 +0000

With the Nikon Coolpix S30, Nikon have stepped into a new category of camera, and it's all about family. This is a camera you can put into the hands of your children without worrying about how much damage they'll do to it.

Built like a plastic tank, the Coolpix offers a distinct advantage in avoiding some of the dainty controls you'll find elsewhere in Nikon's compact range. There are three buttons on the top of the camera: a central power button, a big video button and a big shutter button.

On the back you'll find four buttons down the left-hand side of the screen - unmarked because their function changes depending on what you're doing - and a four-way controller on the right, which also operates the zoom.

The design has been considered by Nikon. Although this is a chunky camera, it will withstand drops from 80cm - about the hand height of a 5-year-old - and you'll find the lens and flash in the centre of the face of the camera, meaning fingers are less likely to stray and cover them.

Children like to poke the end of a lens with sticky fingers and that's a fact. On any normal compact, that means you've then got to try and wipe the glass clean or your pictures all look milky. In the case of the S30, the lens is housed within the camera, so there are no external moving parts and it will be much, much, easier to wipe clean.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 is also waterproof (IPX8, hence the internal housing of the 3x zoom lens). With proofing down to 3m, it will survive a trip to the beach, being dunked in the dog bowl or dropped in a puddle.

It's also one of the only Nikon compacts that deviates from a text-based menu system. Using icons and colours, the menu isn't especially slick compared to some of the efforts of Samsung or Sony, but it’s easy enough to use.

In our quick play with the camera we found a number of fun features on offer. You can change the sounds, edit pictures and apply a number of photo effects.

Basic photo functions aren't omitted however, so you can capture 720p video and take 10 megapixel snaps. The sensor is a 1/3 type CCD, which is small, and ultimately this will effect the final quality of the results.

The S30 measures 101.9 x 64.8 x 39.4mm and weighs 214g. It will need an SD card for storage and requires 2x AA batteries for operation.

This is an interesting camera from Nikon and at £99, it's not too expensive for those looking for something that will survive a trip to the beach, especially if you want to save your slick P310 from the children.

Of course, we can't judge the quality of the results until we get the Coolpix S30 in for a review, but we'll be sure to let some kids loose with it when we do.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 will be available from 29 March 2012, will cost you £99.99 and comes in black, blue, white and pink.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S30 10 megapixels Dad Photos

Nikon Coolpix S30 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:11:01 +0000

The Nikon Coolpix P310 updates the excellent Coolpix P300 launched in 2011 and offers a relatively high-end, but not expensive, compact with plenty of creative controls for photographers who want a little more out of their pocketable camera.

Headlining the specs is the Nikkor 4.2x lens, offering 24mm at the widest angle along with an impressive f/1.8 maximum aperture for those dramatic portraits.

The backlit 16-megapixel CMOS 1/2.3 type sensor offers lens shift VR, which claims to offers stability with shutter speeds up to four stops slower, and supported by the new Expeed C2 image processor. The smaller sensor might not compete with the likes of the Canon Powershot S100 in terms of size, but accounts for the relative affordability of this model.

The top-mounted mode dial offers up regular Auto, but more importantly offers instant access to manual controls through program, aperture, shutter priorities and full manual shooting.

Cleverly, you're also offered a 99-point AF system, supporting the manual focusing option so you can wrestle control away from the automatic and get the shot you want.

There is a new function button on the front of the camera, which wasn't present on the P300 forebear. This, says Nikon, can be programmed to act as a shortcut to your favourite shooting settings, so you don't have to dig through the menus. There is also a new U (user) mode on the top dial, again, for instant access to your favourite settings. 

Other important controls include a top-mounted thumb dial in addition to a rear dial, giving you easy controls over shutter and aperture in manual shooting (for example).

On the back of the camera you also have a high resolution 3-inch 921k-dot LCD display, along with the video instant capture button, which will fire up the 1080p video, along with stereo audio, and fast and slow motion options are available too.

The left should sees a neat pop-up flash, which needs to be manually deployed, giving you a little more control over its use. An HDMI means you can simply and easily hook up to your TV to playback your video or share photos.

You also get a collection of clever features, including panoramic shooting, auto HDR and 3D stills. The Nikon Coolpix P310 will capture up to five shots at 6fps, or 30 shots at 1fps.

The rather utilitarian design has an elegant simplicity, but offers two body colours, black and white. It can be yours for £299 and will be available from 22 March 2012 and at that price might be tempting for those who want a second camera for the pocket when the DSLR is just to big to lug around.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix P310 16 megapixels

Nikon Coolpix P310: The affordable f/1.8 compact for photographers originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:04:57 +0000

The forthcoming HTC Ville has made a 3-minute video debut online, revealing a great deal about the incoming Android 4, Sense 4 handset.

Although the specs have previously been rumoured and we've seen images of the new Android handset, the video leaves little to the imagination.

First up you have the design. It looks a lot like the renderings previously released, although this being an HTC handset, there aren't too many surprises as the company tends to stick to the same designs. It certainly appears to be slim though, and using the typical unibody design with inserted panels top and bottom to ensure good reception and allow access to the internals.

All the connections appear to be in normal places, the standby and 3.5mm headphone jack on the top, volume on the right and Micro-USB on the left. Perhaps more interesting is the three touch controls across the bottom of the phone, losing the menu button, as per Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus.

This is a new version of HTC Sense too. The details from the software information later in the video reveal it to be HTC Sense 4.0 and Android 4.0.1, so it looks like HTC are making the right moves in software too.

HTC Sense 4.0 appears to have dealt with one of our biggest bugbears and that's the antiquated homescreen dock. Now you have two shortcuts either side of a central app tray button, very much like stock Android 4.

Diving into the settings, however, you get to see a nice panel effect rather than a straight list and the animation looks kind of cool. There are obvious differences in the app tray too, so it looks like HTC have run in some changes as you'd expect. Whether these are for better or worse, we'll have to wait until we can do an HTC Sense 4.0 review ourselves.

Fortunately we also get to see the hardware information page which reveals the HTC Ville to offer a 4.3-inch QHD (960 x 540) display, 1.5GHz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 8-megapixel main camera and VGA front camera and Bluetooth 4, all of which sounds like a respectable load-out.

We also catch a glimpse of Beats Audio settings in the menu, but there is no Beats branding on the back of the phone, we suspect because this is a pre-release sample. Indeed, the watermarking on the wallpaper reaffirms this, and also means that HTC can probably trace exactly who filmed and leaked the handset - they also reveal a phone number and the device IMEI too…

The HTC Ville is likely to be HTC's "mid-range" device launched at MWC 2012. If rumours are to be believed we will also be seeing a larger Android device, the HTC Edge/Endeavour, but we suspect it will offer a similar operating system to what is on display here.

We will be covering all the action from Mobile World Congress 2012 in February, so be sure to tune in for all the official announcements as they happen.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones HTC HTC Ville Android MWC2012 Video Rumours

HTC Ville shows its Android 4, Sense 4 face (video) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

We've all become accustomed to having integrated social networks in our mobile phone address books, especially Android or Windows Phone 7 users. But what if you want something similar on your Mac? Well, there's an app for that, and it's called Cobook.

Cobook, currently in beta, describes itself as a "smart address book". We've heard similar things before from the likes of Xobni, and whilst that company has brought their contacts indexing solution to Gmail, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and Outlook, the Xobni for Mac version remains elusive.

There are differences, of course. Cobook primarily takes three social networks - Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn - and lets you correlate and integrate that information with your native Mac Address Book.

Of course, for many users, that leaves the Big G on the outside. Cobook doesn't offer Google Contacts syncing, but the native Mac Address Book does, so it's something of a moot point: you just have to setup Google Contacts syncing elsewhere.

Cobook, rather than claiming another space on your dock, instead lives as an icon on the menu bar. As such it gives you instant access to your contacts, so you can search contacts directly, and you can assign a keyboard shortcut to make it even faster to access.  

Of course, Mac users will know that Spotlight already pulls out address cards from either Outlook or Address Book with a quick search. What Cobook offers by the way of differentiation, is the integration of those social networks, as well as a faster route to contact details. 

Using the Spotlight route is a little messy: Outlook cards take a while to open, you then have to hit the little mail icon; Address Book entries open the entire address book page, you then have to right click to send an email; with Cobook, you type the name, click the email address and you're writing an email in your default email client.

You also get images pulled from social networks, very much like your smartphone. You can edit, merge, delete contacts, as well as add notes, but as we found, the notes field isn't searchable. This is still in beta, so there are things that are still being smoothed out.

Now, a word of caution. Cobook offers destructive syncing, so you can opt to sync Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn contacts. This adds those entries to your Address Book, so once you say yes, in they go. If you also have Google syncing in place, you will find your social contacts are then sitting in your Google Contacts too. 

For Facebook this might not be such a problem (as you probably know your Facebook friends) but for something like Twitter, you could end up with 500 additional entries you didn't want. As with all syncing, especially if you have an extensive address book of "professional" contacts, be sure to backup first. 

But don’t worry - you can still connect those social accounts without syncing all the details, just so Cobook will pop-up the relevant details. 

Well worth a look for Mac users and we've found it faster and easier to control Address Book and it's currently free, check it out in their video below and on Cobookapp.com.

Oh, and there's a suggestion that the same system will be coming to iPhone and iPad in the future.

Tags: Apps Cobook Apple Mac software

Cobook: the ultimate social Address Book for Mac originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:19:33 +0000

There was a time when the Internet was full of new and exciting things and you’d roam around, getting lost in websites, trying URLs, because you knew something was out there. There was a time when people used to talk about "surfing the net".

But the joy of discovery is too easily lost when you fall into that routine of search and find, with Google instantly churning out exactly what you're looking for, in many different formats. That's what we like about today's App of the Day. We like it, because it rekindles some of the joy of exploration that we've been missing.

Fancy

Format

Android

Price

Free

Where

Android Market

The Fancy app is the companion of the thefancy.com website, which is a way of sharing the exciting things you find and basically compiling a collection of things you like. Not necessarily things you'll ever buy, but things you probably would buy, or places you would go, if you had the time or money. It gives itself the lofty pitch of "curators of style" or some such.  

While the website will let you easily add things to the collections presented on Fancy, the app is more of place for voyeurs (although you can add through the app too). You can absentmindedly flick your way through designer furniture, stunning supercars, boutique gifts, curious holiday locations or just the plain obscure. Where else will you find a vampire slaying kit for example? 

One of the greatest things about Fancy is the quality of the images used on it. Everything looks fabulous and it makes the Fancy app a nice place to spend a little time - without the worry of plugging in URLs, search boxes or loading pages.

But it isn't just about looking at pretty pictures. As we mentioned this is about creating a list of things you "fancy". You tap on a picture and it is added to your collection. You can comment on things, search and browse at your leisure as you get lead astray on a flight of fancy. You can also follow others and view their collections, so it becomes a sort of social experience, if you want to take it that far.

Each listing comes with a "where to buy this" option, which is a link to the source. In some cases you can buy it - and why wouldn’t you if it’s an interesting iPhone case - but in many circumstances, the things on Fancy are design concepts or projects that you'll never be able to buy. If nothing else, it's a great place to browse and buy unusual gifts for people.

It's this blend that makes Fancy appeal to us, because it's not about shopping, or gaming, or even being productive. It's just a pleasant way to while away a little of your day.

This doesn't have to be entirely self-indulgent experience either, as Fancy is all set up for sharing, so you can fire out those little discoveries on Facebook or Twitter to make sure everyone knows just how cool you are.

Tags: Apps Android apps App of the day

APP OF THE DAY: Fancy review (Android) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Sony has announced an update to its TX line of compact cameras: the Sony Cyber-shot TX200V.

The Cyber-shot TX200V replaces the TX100V, and is only 16mm thick, but still offers to be waterproof down to 5m and freezeproof down to -10 c, perfect for taking on the slopes with you. 

The TX200V features a reinforced glass design, making it slick and minimalistic from the front; around the back you'll find a 3-inch 921-k dot LCD touchscreen display.

A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens gives you a 5x zoom (26-130mm in 35mm terms depending on the photo aspect), all housed within the body. Driving the camera is Sony's Bionz processor and an 18-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, of the 1/2.3 variety. Optical SteadyShot is included to reduce the effects of handshake. 

A host of technologies are offered, including fast autofocusing, with 0.13 second daylight AF boasted, along with creative shooting modes, to achieve that blurred background or other picture effects, such as toy camera and miniature.

The TX200V also offers Full HD 1080/60p video capture, along with Sweep Panorama (including the 3D variety) and the likes of face detection and face recognition.

New to Sony's Cyber-shot cameras is an "Extra High Sensitivity" technology in the Bionz processor, which looks to combat the problem of noisy images being produced by small sensors crammed with pixels in low light (which might describe the TX200V's sensor).

It's not a new claim, as just about everyone else claims to have cracked the problem of noisy low light images. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we'd wait to see whether these claims can be substantiated before getting too excited. 

The Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is expected to be available towards the end of March and is available for pre-order at $499.99 on store.sony.com. No word in UK release as yet.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Sony Sony Cyber-shot TX200V 18 megapixels

Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is slim, stylish and waterproof originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:32:46 +0000

One of the new features coming to the Sony Xperia S is NFC. NFC is great where you have an infrastructure that supports it, but what if you have no use for NFC?

Well, Sony (née Sony Ericsson) have put NFC to use in automating tasks on your new Xperia S phone. The system works through a series of tags, conveniently known as Xperia SmartTags. 

The idea isn't essentially new, but it isn't one that we've seen so readily supported in smartphones in the past.

The Xperia SmartTag is literally a little tag you can place where you want - you can stick it the wall, next to your bed, in the car, anywhere. The Xperia S will then be able to detect these SmartTags and react accordingly. As the SmartTag needs no power, you can literally place them where you want. 

It looks like a simple system, from the time we've spent with it on the new Sony Xperia S. Some smartphones, such as HTC Android devices, will offer things dock modes that change the profile of the phone when you tell it to, or when slotted into the appropriate dock.

On the Xperia S, things are simpler. You simply place a SmartTag and then set the profile up using the menu on the phone. Then, using NFC to trigger the change, you simply have to touch the phone to the tag and that's it. 

So, for example, you could have a SmartTag in your car to turn on Bluetooth, turn off Wi-Fi, open Navigation, increase the brightness and so on. 

Other examples we've seen in action are to trigger music playback with a Bluetooth speaker and as a bedside clock, but as the set-up menu is fairly detailed, you can do what you like. It can't do everything, but as far as changing profiles - screen brightness, volume, opening applications - it can potentially save a lot of messing around.

For example, you could have a SmartTag by your front door so you can set your phone for when you go out running. You could have one at your desk at work to select silent and opening up Pocket-lint.com so you can follow all the gadget news.

Sony tells us that you'll be able to buy a pack of four SmartTags for around £10, but that O2 will be supplying them with the phone if you take it from them.

However, you'll only be able to use a maximum of four SmartTags from Sony, so buying extra kits won't expand the system, as each red tag is identified as the same, for example. 

So, whilst we're all waiting to start paying for coffee with our phones, at least you can get automating and it's nice to see NFC being put to some use.

The Sony Xperia S is expected to land at the beginning of March and we'll be bringing you a full review as soon as we can. If you're interested in the Sony Xperia S check-out our hands-on with all the details and our first impressions.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Sony Xperia S NFC

Sony Xperia S NFC Xperia SmartTags explained originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:15:28 +0000

Pentax has announced a new compact travel zoom camera with a twist. Or rather, it's a camera that likes a twist, as the new Pentax Optio VS20 offers two shutter buttons. 

A feature found on top-level professional DSLR cameras, the Pentax Optio VS20 offers shutter and zoom levers both in the conventional spot on the top of the camera, and also tucked down on the right-hand side. 

The idea is to give you better control when shooting in portrait, so you don’t have to stretch your hand around in an awkward grip to press the button. Admittedly, we've never really had a problem with this in the past, but it's certainly different.

You also get a vertical tripod mount, so you can have your camera any which way you like.

Elsewhere, the Optio VS20 packs in a 20x zoom lens, giving you a wide angle of 28mm and running out to an impressive 560mm optical zoom, but packed into a pocketable camera body. 

Inside you get a 16-megapixel CCD sensor, offering sensor-shift type shake reduction/vibration reduction/image stabilisation (or however you wish to term it), including a Movie SR mode; although this claims to crop the movie slightly.

Video capture offers you HD of the 720p variety, which is typical for a camera of this ilk, as is the range of auto scene detection and ISO range that runs up to 6400. 

The Pentax Optio VS20 will be available from the end of February and will set you back £199.99.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Pentax Pentax Optio VS20 16 megapixels

Pentax Optio VS20 comes with a twist originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Sony have confirmed that the Sony NEX-7 kit, which includes the black 18-55mm lens, will become available towards the end of February. The lens was reportedly delayed due to flooding in Thailand in 2011.

So far if you've wanted to buy an NEX-7 you could only get the body (£999), and Sony confirmed they'd shifted about 200 NEX-7 models so far, but as yet they hadn't had the matching lens in stock.

Although the NEX-7 is compatible with existing NEX E-mount lenses, this will be the first time you've been able to buy the kit together. 

The kit can be yours for £1129, and we've noticed that Amazon has a date of 16 March on the kit being available, along with a small discount.

If you're interested in squeezing the best quality out of your NEX-7, however, perhaps you'll opt for the Carl Zeiss E-mount 24mm F1.8 lens, which we also got our hands-on today. 

Priced at £839, however, this is one for those that really want the best from their camera. But it is also black too, so will match your NEX-7 perfectly. Naturally, we didn't get the chance to examine any shots from it, so we can't just how good the results are, but it feels extremely solid. 

Whilst waiting for stock to arrive, why not read our review of Sony's flagship NEX camera?

Tags: Cameras Compact system cameras Sony Sony NEX-7 Lenses Carl Zeiss

Sony NEX-7 18-55mm black kit coming at the end of February originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:50:40 +0000

Sony today told Pocket-lint that Canon and Panasonic have both expressed an interest in their latest format of memory card, the new XQD card that is compatible with the recently-launched Nikon D4. 

The high-end card uses PCI Express as the data interface, offering 125MBps write speeds, designed to support photographers shooting at high speed in RAW formats.

We asked if Sony would be incorporating the new format into their own NEX or Alpha line of cameras and, of course, Sony said that they couldn't speculate on whether they would or wouldn't.

Of course, expressing an interest in a new technology isn't confirmation that there is a new product on the way that supports it, but let's speculate that there might be.

Currently the only camera that supports the new format of card is Nikon's flagship pro DSLR, the D4, which hasn't yet shipped. With the recent announcement of the Canon EOS 1D X (which will accept two CompactFlash cards), it’s unlikely that the new card format would find its way into the very top-end of Canon's DSLR line, any time soon.

For Canon, of course, we've seen rumours of the Canon EOS 5D Mk III, including some interesting spy shots, which could potentially take this type of card. There have also been strong rumours surrounding the EOS 8D, a potential replacement for the 7D, another candidate camera.

As far as Panasonic are concerned, we would presumably looking at something in the G-series line of Micro Four Thirds cameras. 

We have contacted both Canon and Panasonic for comment, but we doubt we'll get any positive confirmation.

Tags: Cameras Sony Canon Panasonic Memory cards

Canon and Panasonic interested in XQD, says Sony originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:17:47 +0000

Well what do we have here? An brand new, soon to be released Canon EOS body? Could it be the Canon EOS 5D Mk III, or the EOS 8D? 

The story behind these shots is even better than excitement of a camera we haven't seen before. Photographer Steven Oachs took the shots of the camera in Kenya, in the hands of a Japanese chap who claimed to work for Canon.

Although the lens is new - 200-400mm, reported to be landing in March or April - the body of the camera also has a bit of tape over the brand. Anyone who has held any Canon DSLR will recognise it as a Canon instantly however.

There isn't too much that we can make out from the images, but you can see that there doesn't appear to be a pop-up flash, which the current 7D does offer. However, the placement of the power switch behind the mode dial is the same as the 7D, rather than down on the rear dial, like the 5D Mk II. 

So it looks like there has been some rearranging of buttons from on the body itself, including some new ones, as well as a matching joystick on the attached battery grip.

Both the Canon EOS 7D and the Canon EOS 5D Mk II are due to be updated and this leans towards the 5D Mk III. Rumours have been swirling about updates to both models and with the upcoming CP+ show in Japan in early February, perhaps we'll see confirmation sooner than expected. 

Of course we wanted to see what the guy was looking at on the display, so we tweaked the image a little to reveal … a giraffe's head?

There are more shots of the camera and lens to look at, link below.

Read

Tags: Cameras DSLR cameras Canon Canon EOS 5D Mk III

Canon EOS 5D Mk III spied on safari? originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:56:00 +0000