Nikon tonight had its second round of camera news in as many weeks with two new lenses for both its DX- and FX-mount DSLRs. The 24mm f1.4G ED provides an even wider angle than many of Nikon's other primes and has an extremely wide aperture that both takes in a large amount of light and focuses quickly. It lacks image stabilization but uses Nikon's extra-low dispersion optics to minimize chromatic effects.
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Bunkspeed has announced that its upcoming SHOT software will integrate Iray rendering technology developed by Mental Images. The new system will allow the software to process renders using a combination of CPU and GPU resources, including NVIDIA's CUDA-equipped graphics cards. Offloading the rendering tasks to various components is said to significantly reduce processing times.
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A possibly last-minute slip hints that Apple may be close to updating the MacBook Pro line. One Best Buy employee notes that all MacBook Pro models have been deleted from the company's inventory system, preventing them from ordering new models. The systems can still be found but are listed as "deleted."
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ZoomMediaPlus has introduced the ZoomIt memory card reader for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new dock-connecting accessory works with the company’s ZoomIt application that provides access to content stored on SD cards. Support is offered for all file types recognized by iPhone OS 3.0, ranging from photos and videos to PowerPoint documents. The accessory allows users to upload all stored media for use at a later time, or share files with other users via e-mail, Facebook or Flickr.
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Google tonight confirmed talk of a significant product update by sending an invitation to a special event on Tuesday at the company's Mountain View, California campus. The company is short on details but promises "some new product innovations" at the gathering.
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Apple is reportedly distributing a survey to iPhone developers, with a variety of questions covering the App Store program. Respondents are asked to rate their level of satisfaction in different areas such as enrollment, feedback, app submission, the review process, and the length of time it takes to get updates onto the App Store.
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7 hours ago | Posted in: industry, Apple
(Updated with Netflix commentary) Netflix will try to claim an edge in its media service by offering streaming full HD, a rumor maintains this afternoon. The company will supposedly roll out 1080p streams with 5.1-channel surround sound at some point later this year. It currently offers 720p to just a handful of devices, most notably the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 but also Roku's Internet Player.
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AT&T has released an update to its iPhone navigation app, AT&T Navigator. Version 1.5i offers an improved interface which now includes a speed limit display, with visual and audio alerts to notify the user when the limit is exceeded. A new option in the Recent Places menu allows users to easily navigate back to the origin of their last trip, while a "Shake-to-Go" feature automatically sets the route to go home when the iPhone is shaken.
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Google on Monday quietly dropped the cost of the controversial Equipment Recovery Fee for the Nexus One to $150. The company's updated Terms of Sale now list a price less than half the $350 it had charged originally. The fee still takes effect within 120 days and stacks on top of T-Mobile's own $200 early termination fee.
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Still better known for its power supplies and memory, Corsair has recently introduced two new lines of solid state drives, naming them Nova and Reactor. The 2.5-inch Nova drives are available in 64 and 128GB capacities, while the Reactor can be had in 60 and 120GB versions. The Reactors are faster, with a 128MB cache and read speeds of 250MBps as well as 110MBps write speeds for the 60GB model. The 120GB Reactor musters respective 250Mbps and 170MBps speeds. Reactors also have a mini USB interface in addition to the SATA 3.0Gbps connection.
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nova media has released a new sync application for the Mac, FoneSync for LG phones. The utility syncs Address Book and iCal information with a variety of LG devices. Support is currently present for just the HB620T, KF750 and KU990, but more models should be added in the future. In hopes of speeding up the the process a free tool has been released that checks if a phone can be added. FoneSync for LG phones is available online for $20, and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.1, plus a Bluetooth-enabled Mac.
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Wisair on Monday introduced a Wireless USB DisplayDock Set, allowing users to wirelessly connect their MacBooks to a desktop-like setup that include a monitor, speakers, a keyboard and mouse. The device connects to a USB port on any MacBook with Mac OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard. Wisair claims there are no delays in sending the keyboard or mouse commands due to the nature of the ultra wideband radio.
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The iPhone 3.1.3 firmware has introduced problems for some people even as it has fixed them for others, say complaints on Apple's support forums. Most critical is an issue with battery life, which can suddenly become erratic. A phone's battery meter may potentially swing wildly, for instance going from 25 to 7 to 10 percent, then jumping back up to 24 percent.
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Apple has clawed back US smartphone market share from RIM's BlackBerry this past holiday, comScore found in a new study. Between September and December, the iPhone's share grew over a percent to 25.3 percent while the BlackBerry dropped by nearly an identical amount to 41.6 percent.
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10 hours ago | Posted in: iPod, software
RealNetworks on Monday released a beta version of its RealPlayer SP software for Mac. The utility, which builds upon the features of RealPlayer 11, provides tools for downloading and converting videos into formats compatible with a variety of cellphones and other devices such as iPods and Apple TV. Users can download online videos, from sites such as YouTube, and convert the content or share links via Facebook, Twitter or MySpace.
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Apple's fourth-generation iPhone could mark the first significant change in the screen area if a part obtained by repair outfit iResQ is evidence. What's claimed to be the front glass is about a quarter-inch taller than the existing platform and may have a slightly different screen as a result. It also appears to move the proximity sensor to above the top speaker and glues the touchscreen layer to the LCD where the iPhone 3G and 3GS are separate.
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