Panasonic has introduced a new consumer digital camera, with the world’s first 12.2 Megapixel resolution.  It’s called the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX100.  Besides being the first camera to incorporate all those megapixels into one compact camera, it is also capable of shooting 16 x 9 high definition video with 1280 x 720 frames per second of motion, plus still frames of 1920 x 1080 in high definition. Perfect for displaying them on HDTV’s.  Sounds like a nice combo to me.   Panasonic says the digital camera will be available in July, but Amazon.com has it up for pre-order with a release date of August 15th.  Price tag, just under $400.

Bang & Olufsen’s newest line is a beauty! The BeoVision 7  "home theater in a box" includes the 40-inch HDTV, 7.1 surround sound speakers, amplifier and a DVD player. It sits atop a motorized floor stand that will adjust the display to keep the viewers happy in all locations. And like many B&O designs, it includes an electronic curtain glide — because pressing a button to eject a DVD is just too much work. Yes, it is pricey at $13,500 but it will come in a variety of colors!

Oh good Lord.  I’m having enough trouble deciding which HDTV to sink several entire paychecks into. Now, I’m warned maybe I should wait for the next development:  OLED, or organic light-emitting diode.  Sony had a prototype at this year’s CES, and may have a small one on the market by year’s end.

Source:  CNET reviews

File in the "why didn’t I think of that?" category:  An opportunistic Taiwanese company has released a shield designed to protect your TV by deflecting airborne Wii remotes.  As Wii-related hardware destruction approaches epidemic levels, enter Lcdarm and their Protective Filter product.

The filter is made from something called "PMMA" (molecular half-life not given), and promises years of exciting Wii play "without fear."  The website, filled with humorous English translation, includes pictures and videos punctuating the danger of unprotected Wii.

Sony has begun shipping out their newest blu-ray disk player to major electronic retailers. The BDP-S300, now at an affordable rate, is expected to "broaden the high-definition disc player market." As a product of Sony, the player is not without its tricks. It hypes an output of 1920 x 1080/24p high-definition video, which is the highest resolution high-definition signal available through an HDMI connection. And speaking of HDMI, it could be used to create a multi-channel linear PCM digital audio output for excellent surround sound. Any owner of an entertainment system would be sure to love this feature. The player can also support various video formats, including MPEG2, MPEG4-AVC and VC1.

The new BD player is compatible with most standard DVDs, as well as the added bonus of 1080p upscaling through HDMI to 1080p capable HDTVs. It supports BD-ROM, AVC-HD Media, DVD video and DVD playback from DVD/DVD+R/+RW encoded discs, CD playback, as well as MP3 audio files and JPEG images stored on DVD recording media.

The player will be available in the near future at Sony online stores and other retailers nationwide at the price of $499.