Samsung TL100 - 12MP digital camera

Back again, with yet another product from Samsung, the TL100 digital camera, there haven't been too many around here on Tresh IT News. In fact, I believe this is the very best.

One of the most characteristics of this digital camera is of course the 12 MP (mega pixel). If you ask me, that's a little too much for a hobby camera and judging from the looks of it, it's more like a tourist's accessory. It's great if you want to take some pictures of you and the family on the holidays, but a 6 MP or 8 MP camera should work just fine for that. In my opinion, cameras above 8 MP should only be seen as professional, with all the options they should have. Let's face it, this doesn't have nearly as many options a professional photographer or even a quasi-professional photographer would want. But let's see what else it offers.

Specifications

• Image sensor Type: 1/2.33″ CCD
• Effective Pixel: approx. 12.2 megapixel
• Total Pixel: approx. 12.4 megapixel
• Focusing Type: TTL auto focus (Multi AF, center AF, Face Detection AF, Tracking AF)
• Shutter Speed: auto: 1 ~ 1/1,500 s; manual: 8 ~ 1/1,500 s; AEB, continuous: 1/4 ~ 1/1,500 s
• Exposure Compensation: ±2EV (1/3EV steps)
• ISO Equivalent: auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (at 3 M size)
• Flash Recharging Time: approx. 4 s
• Flash Modes: auto, auto & red-eye reduction, fill-in flash, slow sync, flash off, red eye fix
• Storage Media: internal memory: about 40 MB; external memory (optional): MMC plus (up to 2 GB guaranteed 4 bit 20 MHz); SD (up to 4 GB guaranteed); SDHC (up to 8 GB guaranteed)
• File Format: still image: JPEG (DCF), EXIF 2.21, DPOF 1.1, PictBridge 1.0; movie clip: AVI (MPEG-4); audio: WAV
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 3.7" x 2.19" x .65"
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.

Another down side to this camera is the small 3x optical zoom. The digital zoom just doesn't do it unless you hold the camera perfectly still, even with the DIS (Digital Image Stabilization). And that's a little troublesome. But anyway, it's small, compact, great for holidays and it also comes in red. Full specifications can be found here.

Apple released iTunes 8.1

Apple announced the release of the new version of iTunes, now at version 8.1, the free application for Mac and PC that plays all your digital music and video, syncs content to your iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV and it’s an entertainment superstore that stays open 24/7.

If you are interested in getting the latest features of this great software, here's a small list that is meant to ignite your appetite. The full article can be found here, along with screen shots and a lot more details. The download links as well, of course.

• Genius Playlists - Play a song, click the Genius button, and iTunes creates a playlist of other songs from your library that go great together. Genius playlists help you discover songs in your library you never knew you had — and rediscover forgotten favorites.
• Genius Sidebar - As you select songs in your library, the Genius sidebar displays songs from the iTunes Store that go great with it. The Genius sidebar won’t recommend songs already in your library, and you can preview and buy recommended songs directly from the sidebar.
• High-quality, DRM-free music. iTunes Plus is the new standard on iTunes. - you can choose from millions of iTunes Plus songs from all four major music labels and thousands of independents. With iTunes Plus, you get high-quality, 256-Kbps AAC encoding. All free of burn limits and digital rights management (DRM). So iTunes Plus music will play on iPod, Apple TV, all Mac and Windows computers, and many other digital music players. It’s also easy to upgrade your iTunes library to iTunes Plus. You don’t have to buy the song or album again. Just pay the 30¢ per song upgrade price. (Music video upgrades are 60¢ and entire albums can be upgraded for 30 percent of the album price.)
• HD TV Shows - Purchase select episodes of your favorite TV shows in high definition for just $2.99. Or get the whole season in HD with a Season Pass. And when you buy HD, iTunes doubles your viewing pleasure: You also get an iPod-ready version with a file size and resolution that's ideal for smaller screens.
• Enhanced Accessibility - Tunes 8 is now screen reader friendly on both Mac and PC. Manage your iTunes library using VoiceOver in Mac OS X Leopard or Window-Eyes for Windows XP and Windows Vista. Or use your screen reader to purchase or download content from the iTunes Store - including iTunes U.
• New Visualizer - Turn on the new Visualizer and lose yourself in a 3D-scape of spheres, ribbons, and lights that pulsate to the beat and tempo of the song you’re playing.
• and last but not least, Faster. Smarter. Better. - a lot of great improvements added to the new iTunes 8.1 along with a speed boost, make this a product worth having. And it's free too

For the full list of features in Apple iTunes 8.1, check out this address. To download iTunes, head on over to Apple.com, download section.

BD-P1600 - blu-ray disc player

Back after a loooong absence, here to bring a few things found on the web. Maybe this time I'll manage to keep things going, even if I've started a few projects in the meantime, that had the same faith.

But getting back to our little things, about the BD-P1600 blu-ray disc player. This is one of Samsungs' new models, a sleek and nice one if I may say so. Here are a few of the specifications of this blu-ray player:

• Playback Media: BD / DVD / CD
• Playback Formats: VC-1, MPEG2, H.264
• Netflix-Ready: Instantly stream from a selection of over 12,000 (and growing) movies and TV shows. The number of titles you can stream per month depends on which Netflix subscription plan you choose.
• Video A/V Quality: DVD Upconversion (up to 1080p)
• A/V Quality: Dolby Dital Decoder, DTS Decoder, Dolby Digital Plus Decoder, DTS HD Decoder, Dolby True HD Decoder
• Functional Features: BD Profile 2.0, Secondary audio support
• Connectivity: HDMI CEC, Composite Video Outputs, Component Video Outputs, S-Video Outputs, HDMI Outputs Version 1.3, Optical Digital Audio Outputs,
  Analog Audio Outputs 2ch, WiFi Ethernet
• Functional Features: PiP
• Dimension : 17” x 2.13” x 7.83”
  
• Weight: 4.85 lbs.

The full specs can be found on the Samsung website of course, at the products page, here.

A few things worth mentioning about this blu-ray player are:

• the full high definition 1080p resolution,
• the built-in wireless Ethernet connection - "BD profile 2.0 interactivity lets you download the latest firmware upgrades and more with just a click of a button. Making firmware upgrades simple and easy, you can continually upgrade the BD-P1600 with the latest features"
• Netflix instant streaming ready - "Are you a Netflix member? You no longer have to wait by the mailbox to satisfy your flix fix. Instantly stream from a selection of over 12,000 (and growing) movies and TV shows. The number of titles you can stream per month depends on which Netflix subscription plan you choose."
• BD-Live 2.0 Ready - "Get ready for the ultimate interactive film experience. The SAMSUNG BD-P1600 has lets you take full advantage of interactive features like downloadable video content, ringtones, games and more. Download additional content from the internet or even chat with friends when watching the same movie. Requires additional memory and an internet connection"

Again, for more information regarding the Samsung BD-P1600 blu-ray disc player, there should also be a trademark symbol somewhere in there, visit the product's page above.