Casio Develops Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch

Just yesterday, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced that it has developed a watch equipped with Bluetooth® Low Energy Wireless Technology,*1 a new technology for short-range communication. A prototype of the watch will be exhibited at Casio’s Booth (#11006) at the International Consumer Electronics Show to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 6, 2011.

Casio has been transforming the definition of the wristwatch for years by applying the latest technologies. Now, Casio’s prototype Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch is poised to create new possibilities for the way people use their watches yet again.

Taking advantage of the low power consumption of the new Bluetooth® technology, the new watch powers Bluetooth® wireless communication functions with its single button-cell battery, the same kind used in small devices and watches. And it does this without losing any battery life*2 compared to conventional wristwatches. This makes the new Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch highly useful because users can wear it everyday just like they expect of a wristwatch, without the bother of the recharging required by typical mobile devices.
Casio’s new prototype can communicate with smart phones equipped with Bluetooth® Low Energy Wireless Technology, which will be available in the near future and be able to connect to networks of various kinds of devices. The new prototype demonstrates how Casio hopes to expand the ways people use their watches, unlike anything ever seen before, as new applications are developed for smart phones to enable communication between watches through smart phones.
Main features:
•  Wireless communication is powered by the button-cell battery used in small devices and watches
•  Battery life with the communication functions is the same as previously released watches
•  The size of the watch case is a comfortable 53.4 (D) x 44.4 (W) x 12.8 (T) millimeters
Main functions:
•  Accurate time information can be transmitted from a smart phone to the watch to ensure correct time
•  The watch includes an alert signal to notify of incoming calls and e-mail messages sent to the user’s smart phone
•  A smart phone’s ring alerts and vibration can be stopped by tapping the watch
•  Alarm and vibration functions of a smart phone can be activated using a watch button.
 
Casio aims to produce its first Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch in 2011. Meanwhile, Casio will call for partner companies to develop applications compatible with smart phones and other household devices in such areas as sports, health, home entertainment, security, and communication with family members and friends. Casio expects its new watches to offer people around the world a wide range of new lifestyle options.

 

*1: Designed in accordance with new Bluetooth® Core Specification Version 4.0 standards, Bluetooth® Low Energy is a new technology that enables wireless communications with very low power consumption. Casio participated in determining the standards for Bluetooth® Low Energy as a member of the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group (SIG), an association of companies that decides on Bluetooth® standards and authorizes certification.

*2: The battery life is estimated at approximately two years based on the prototype model, assuming that the Bluetooth® wireless communication function is used for 12 hours per day.

Olympus launch new PEN & other juicy cameras

CES 2011 sees Olympus, the leading manufacturer of pioneering cameras, launch eight new cameras. The new cameras include the newest edition to the successful PEN series, the E-PL2, the Olympus XZ-1, a high-end compact that will challenge the future designs of compact cameras and the ultra powerful SP-610Z with 22x optical zoom for incredible close ups and group shots. 

The popular Olympus TOUGH cameras are now even tougher, thanks to a sliding double lock mechanism, which protects the battery, card slots and ports and an additional lens barrier that safeguards the optical zoom lens for taking pictures underwater. Olympus is also launching two new great value compact ranges, VG and VR, which comprise superb image quality, great zooms and stylish designs. 
Building on the success of the Olympus Pen, the new lightweight and compact Olympus PEN E-PL2, around £500 allows beginners to capture photos and movies in professional SLR quality. The contemporary styled camera is also perfect for camera enthusiasts who can choose from a vast array of lenses, 16 dedicated Micro Four Thirds lenses plus three new conversion lenses, including Macro, Fish Eye and Wide. 
Following the Olympus PEN revolution in the Micro Four Thirds camera category, Olympus is launching the new Olympus XZ-1, £399, which aims to set a new benchmark for pocket-sized compact cameras. In addition to Olympus’ trademark stunning design, the XZ-1 delivers uniformly clear pictures even in low light to SLR standards, making it the ideal camera for enthusiastic beginners and professional photographers looking for a second camera. 
The new Olympus SP-610Z, £170 joins the powerful and versatile ultra zoom compacts of the SP series. This sophisticated camera is packed full of the latest technologies, allowing you to take close up and group shots with an incredible optical zoom of 22x (28mm-616mm*) perfect for holidays and sports matches. The compact Olympus SP-610Z is also Eye-Fi card compatible, which will automatically upload your pictures and movies wirelessly to your computer or website. 
Waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof, the new Olympus TOUGH TG-610, £250 and TG-310, £200 allow you to take outstanding stills and shoot HD movies in any environment, worry free. Both cameras offer a host of cutting-edge features that deliver excellent image quality, usability and connectivity in any situation. Users can shoot 14 Megapixel still photos with the dramatic realism of 3D and thanks to Eye-Fi card compatibility the cameras will automatically upload your pictures and movies wirelessly to your computer or website. For extra convenience the cameras can also be charged through USB. 
The new super slim and lightweight Olympus VR-310, £130 delivers exceptionally high quality pictures and movies at an affordable price. At just 19.3mm deep the stylish VR-310 benefits from an incredible 10x super wide powerful optical zoom (24-240mm*), allowing users to take superb group shots or capture distant objects in great detail. The 14 Megapixel camera also benefits from seven creative Magic Filters and 720p HD Movie Capabilities. 
Available in an array of colours, the new Olympus VG-130, £99.99 compacts offers great value, good looks and is packed full of the latest technology for high quality, crisp and clear images and movies.

FinePix F550 EXR – the perfect compact, anywhere in the world

CES 2011 saw Fuji announce their F550 EXR… Packed with features and loaded with some of the latest technological innovations, the new Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR is set to take the premium compact camera market by storm. 

Following in the footsteps of the award-winning FinePix F200 EXR and F300 EXR models, this latest recruit to the range is the ideal camera for discerning point-and-shoot photographers or SLR users who want to travel light but don't want to compromise image quality and picture-taking versatility. Superb results are assured with exciting new features including an innovative 16 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor, advanced GPS functions, high speed shooting capabilities, a 15x wide-angle zoom lens, Full HD video functionality and an improved user interface. With a stylish design and pocketable dimensions, the FinePix F550 EXR is set to become the must-have compact in 2011.

Perfect pictures in every situation

Thanks to a brand new hybrid sensor, the FinePix F550 EXR delivers extra fast, high quality results in a wide range of lighting conditions. The 16 megapixel sensor developed by Fujifilm is a clever combination of Back Side Illuminated CMOS (BSI-CMOS) and EXR technologies, which delivers superior results to a conventional sensor; particularly in low light conditions, and also offers high-speed shooting facilities and Full HD movie capture.

Light falling on ordinary sensors has to pass through a layer of wiring before it hits the light-sensitive photo diodes. This layer of wiring reduces light transmission. On the EXR BSI-CMOS sensor, however, the wiring layer is positioned behind the photo diodes so light sensitivity is vastly improved. Add to this the triple-layer EXR technology pioneered by Fujifilm in the F200 EXR and the result is a sensor that is capable of outstanding results, time after time.

Users can still select from the usual three different EXR shooting modes, or simply leave the FinePix F550 EXR to choose the best option itself by selecting Auto EXR. Those preferring to take control can pick from:

• High Resolution mode where the sensor utilises the full 16 megapixel resolution for high quality results that can be printed out at A3-size without the need for any re-sizing using software.

• Dynamic Range mode where the camera employs dual capture technology to provide a range up to 1600% to provide a much improved Dynamic range. Two images are captured and then merged together to produce superb results on high contrast scenes.

• Signal to Noise mode utilises Pixel Fusion, doubling pixels up to increase sensitivity. Coupled with the BSI technology, this mode delivers superb images in low lighting conditions.

Read the full press release here.