Sony shows off GPS packing 1080p camcorders

Following an annual tradition, Sony has loosed several new HDR-series camcorders. Stop carrying that silly GPS dongle, as the HDR-XR520V (240GB of storage), HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR200V (both 120GB) pack one onboard along with NAVTEQ maps to geotag photos and videos alike, automatically detect time zone, highlight current map location and possibly save your life during an extended walk through the woods. The 520 and 500 are Sony's first with back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, providing twice the low light performance of previous models. Smile Shutter, Dolby Digital 5.1 sound recording and 3.2-inch touch panel LCDs are standard across the line, including the low end HDR-XR100 (80GB) model. They start shipping in March for between $1,500 and $750 along with three new SD cams but -- c'mon.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 1080p, camcorders, ces, ces 2009, Ces2009, gdr-xr500v, gps, hdr-xr100, hdr-xr200v, hdr-xr520v, sony ]

RCA takes EZ300HD Small Wonder camcorder to 720p

We won't front -- we weren't, how do you say, blown away with RCA's Small Wonder trio announced earlier this year, but we'll give this one a fighting chance. The EZ300HD can capture clips at 720p on the 2GB of internal storage or on any spare SD card you've laying around. You'll also find a 2.4-inch LCD, a low-res YouTube recording mode and a sure-to-be-awesome 4x digital zoom. Operation is supposedly dead-simple, and there's a USB port and video output just in case you feel like blowin' it up on the big screen. Grab it real soon for $159.99.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: camcorder, crapcorder, EZ300HD, hd camcorder, HdCamcorder, pocket camcorder, PocketCamcorder, rca, small wonder, SmallWonder, youtube ]

Kodak's $180 Zi6 HD pocket video camera up for pre-order

There's still a great chance that this thing will completely underwhelm, but those willing to give it a shot without reading so much as a single review can now secure their place in line. For $179.95, to-be owners can pre-order Kodak's Zi6 HD pocket video camera in either pink or black, but there's no mention of how soon it'll ship. Anyone taking the plunge (and willing to admit it)?

[Via: Gadling ]
[Tag: available,camcorder,hd camcorder,HdCamcorder,Kodak,now available,NowAvailable,order,pocket camcorder,PocketCamcorder,pre order,pre-order,PreOrder,Zi6 ]

Canon gets official with VIXIA HD camcorders, HF11 gets reviewed

Thanks to an early jump in Japan, we already knew that Canon's VIXIA line was getting a refresh, but now we can rest easy knowing they'll be coming to America. The HF11 Dual Flash camcorder (32GB in addition to an SDHC slot) and HG20 (60GB) / HG21 (120GB) HDD camcorders all boast 1,920 x 1,080 capture modes, Instant AutoFocus, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization and 24Mbps recording to the AVCHD format. The whole lot is expected to ship next month for $1,199, $949 and $1,299 in order of mention, and the increasingly intriguing HF11 has already spent some quality time on Camcorder Info's review bench. Check out the in-depth writeup below before pulling that trigger in the heat of the moment.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: camcorder,canon,dual flash,DualFlash,hd camcorder,HD11,HdCamcorder,hdd camcorder,HddCamcorder,HG20,HG21,review,reviewed,sdhc,VIXIA ]

Kodak Theatre HD Player: at last, a reason to sit on your ass and stare at the TV

Many have tried to be that other box that sits under your TV. You know, the DVD player, the cable box, the TiVo, the consoles are all well and good, but somebody somehow needs to solve they mystery of getting web and PC content onto your TV, and Kodak might be on the cusp of cracking it. Kodak's new Kodak Theatre HD Player is a simple, slick little box with multiple flash card slots, a USB port, and all the requisite home theater outputs like HDMI, component and all that. The unit can naturally shuffle through photos like there's no tomorrow, and includes wireless access to pull stuff off of Flickr feeds or your PC's hard drive, but there's also 720p video playback, online radio and what have you. The real clincher is that you won't be interacting with all this via a clunky d-pad remote, but instead there's an amazingly great gyroscopic mouse that makes the whole thing a joy to use. The $300 price tag might turn some people off when this lands in September, especially with no built-in storage, but we still think Kodak might have a winner on its hands.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: hd,kodak,theatre hd player,TheatreHdPlayer ]

AOC's 22-inch 2230Fm HD3 display includes integrated media player

AOC's 2230Fh LCD was fine and dandy, but if you're looking for something similar to pull triple duty as a media player and digital photo frame (its words, not ours), you'll need to refocus on the 2230Fm. Said display is apparently the first from the firm to boast HD³ technology, which alludes to its abilities to function as more than just an HDTV. The unit includes a proprietary menu and remote to play back clips loaded onto memory cards (there's a 4-in-1 reader), not to mention a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, USB 2.0 socket, DVI / HDMI inputs, integrated speakers, 2-millisecond response time and a piano black finish. All that for $399.99. Full release posted after the jump.
AOC Introduces HD3 Technology with the Launch of their 2230Fm Display; a New Breed of Multi-functional High-definition Display Technology

A 22" HD Monitor, HD TV, Digital Picture Frame and Multi-media Player with NO PC REQUIRED
Fremont, CA., July 10, 2008 – AOC has launched HD3 Display technology with their 2230Fm; a multi-functional high definition platform that provides powerful performance and the ultimate in digital flexibility. The 2230Fm is a true HD monitor, HD TV, digital picture frame and Multi-media player all rolled into a light, sleek 22" frame.
HD3 defines a new category in high definition displays with its built-in media player, allowing consumers, for the first time, to view movies without the use of an external DVD player or PC. With the 2230Fm, simply load a film onto a memory device, plug it into the display and use AOC's proprietary, user-friendly menu and remote control to enjoy a movie PC-free. AOC's first HD3 Display is the 2230Fm, a combination of multi-functional high-definition video capabilities and stylish, 360Лљ design that provides a stunning array of features all developed to cater to the digital needs of today's consumers.
"While consumers are using cell phones for MP3 players, internet browsers, TVs, navigation devices, and phones, AOC determined that consumers deserved a display that would act as more than just an HD monitor or TV, so we developed HD3," said Robert Velez, Marketing Manager of AOC. "We're very excited to be the first to bring HD3 technology to the market with the 2230Fm. AOC has taken over 40 years of display manufacturing experience to create this new way for consumers to enjoy a wide array of video options with a built in media player, and top-level performance regardless of whether it's being used as an HD TV, monitor or Digital picture frame," added Velez.
The 2230Fm boasts an astounding 20,000 to 1 contrast ratio, 2ms. ultra-fast response time for extreme gamers and is compatible with a 4-in-1 memory card reader and USB 2.0 port all supporting jpg, bmp, png, gif, and tiff files.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 2230Fm,all-in-one,AOC,digiframe,digital photo frame,DigitalPhotoFrame,hd monitor,HD3,HdMonitor,hdtv,lcd,media player,media streamer,MediaPlayer,MediaStreamer,streaming ]

Engadget HD goes hands-on with JVC's Everio HD40 camcorder

Engadget HD managed to acquire one of JVC's Everio HD40 camcorders -- you know, that HD shooter with 120GB of onboard storage. If you're interested in seeing it get unboxed and manhandled (along with comparison shots with Samsung's delightful SC-HMX20C), click on over and enjoy. For those wanting some serious impressions, keep a check on this space -- we'll be forming some opinions and penning a review here shortly.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: camcorder,everio,hands-on,hd camcorder,HD40,HdCamcorder,jvc,unbox,unboxed,unboxing ]

JVC Everio HD10, HD30 and HD40 hands-on

We got a quick look at JVC's new AVCHD camcorders today, the GD-HD40, GZ-HD30 and GZ-HD10. Of note, the HD40 comes complete with a dock for extra hookups like FireWire, and the HD40 and HD30 can shoot video in MPEG-2 for higher quality and easier editing. JVC has done some serious work on noise reduction on all of the cameras, but from the samples shown, it comes at the cost of detail -- some of the vids we saw looked more like watercolors or 3D renders than true video. Hopefully that's something you'll be able to configure to your liking, and we're glad JVC is leaving MPEG-2 on here to avoid compression that might exacerbate the problem further. That said, most users are going to be very pleased with the kind of color and low noise they can get at night or in badly-lit rooms. The cameras are certainly small for their feature sets, but at about a pound apiece they feel pretty heavy for their size. Otherwise the build is standard JVC fare -- not too fancy, not too plain. We also got a chance to peep some over JVC's other new consumer gear, so check it out in the gallery below.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: avchd,camcorder,features,gd-hd40,gz-hd10,gz-hd30,hands-on,jvc ]

Samsung SC-HMX20C HD camcorder gets reviewed

If you were even the slightest bit intrigued by our hands-on with Samsung's SC-HMX20C HD camcorder, you may be interested in seeing what we thought about it after a good bit of shooting. That's right, the full review is ready and waiting over at Engadget HD. So, it's a date?

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: camcorder,features,flash camcorder,FlashCamcorder,hd camcorder,HdCamcorder,review,reviewed,samsung,SC-HMX20C,sdhc ]

Sony TG3E: world's smallest 1080i camcorder unboxed, sized-up with 720p champ

Get a load of what just arrived at the doorstep of our European HQ -- the world's smallest 1080i camcorder, Sony's TG3E. Otherwise known as the TG1 in the US, this pup is small and sturdy and definitely looks the part of a Full HD (as it's defined for camcorders) 1080i shooter. Hell, Sony somehow managed to turn that boxy design into something sexy to hold. However, Sanyo's 720p Xacti DMX-HD700 (in red) still trumps the TG3E in size and weight. Unfortunately, it gives up significant lines of resolution in the process and uses inferior materials to boot. We'll be back later with a full review of this pup as soon as we find a nice, tropical island which can pamper this beast in the luxury a $900 camcorder deserves. So until then, check the gallery and call out in the comments with any questions you'd like us to tackle.

Gallery: Sony's world's smallest TG3E 1080i camcorder unboxed, sized-up with 720p champ

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[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: camcorder, features, hands-on, hd camcorder, hd-tg3e, HdCamcorder, hdr-tg1, smallest, sony, tg1, tg3e, unboxing ]