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AccentSoft Team announces the release of version 2.50 of SnapTouch, a valuable tool for every digital camera owner. It is used to quickly perform a series of usual photo tasks and is especially convenient for editing large numbers of images. The tool is a simple way to keep your constantly growing photo collection in a perfect condition.

Having made some shots, we usually rush to see them on PC and often place images without following a certain order. However, in a long-term perspective, we get a chaotic photo archive with differently-sized images lacking proper names and dates. Repeated attempts to recall what, when and how things happened in certain photos can prevent you from enjoying the whole viewing. Wouldn’t it be great to get all pictures named, marked and shaped right with minimal efforts? That’s one of the top reasons why you need SnapTouch. It will be a perfect choice for everyone willing to have their photos processed and stored properly.

You can use SnapTouch even before you store photos on your PC, as the tool can import images directly from your camera or card reader. With a smart file import and renaming feature, you can save all new photos as well as rename present ones the way you want it in seconds. Also you can set the program to stamp the date and time on photos, and add comments to pictures to make them more informative. Moreover, the tool reads all metadata your camera can provide with shots, allowing you to know all details about taken pictures.

With SnapTouch you will make editing lots of photos a breeze. To make your pictures look refined in every way, you can resize, crop, rotate and mirror images. You can also use a handy red-eye reduction tool where necessary along with adjusting brightness and contrast. It is very convenient that you can edit and manage any number of images at once. SnapTouch can easily deal with large batches of images and create photo collections on the fly. Use SnapTouch to turn your library of digital images into an eye-candy.

SnapTouch will quickly handle all the needs a camera owner may have. It is ideal for maintaining photo collections in proper order and quick editing of many images. It is delivered in a visually pleasing multi-skin interface and works well as an image-viewer. Please, visit http://www.snaptouch.com to see the full list of features and try out a free trial.

Product page: http://www.snaptouch.com
Direct download link: http://snaptouch.com/download.shtm
Company web-site: http://accentsoft.com
E-mail: info@accentsoft.com

The AgfaPhoto DC-8330i digital camera with face tracking and picture stabilizer is presented at PMA.

Las Vegas (USA) / Uhingen (Germany). January 31, 2008. The German manufacturer plawa presents the AgfaPhoto DC-8330i digital camera at PMA in Las Vegas from 01/31 to 02/02/08.

The AgfaPhoto DC-8330i has an 8-megapixel resolution CCD sensor and comes with a 3″ TFT LCD display offering 230,000 pixel for picture preview and playback. The face-tracking function auto-detects up to three faces and sets the suitable exposure automatically. A digital picture stabilizer reduces any natural shaking.

Thanks to the versatile 3x zoom lens the subject can be zoomed into easily. This is equivalent to 37.5 to 112.5 for 35mm cameras. The built-in ASM function allows experienced photographers to set aperture and shutter speed manually. With a maximum sensibility of ISO 1600, pictures are properly exposed even under bad lighting conditions. The histogram display indicates the brightness distribution of the image and gives ambitious photographers notice of possible incorrect exposure.

This camera can be expanded to up to four Gigabyte of memory by using an SDHC memory card. 21 preset programs and ten picture frames improve creative freedom. It also supports jolt-free VGA videoclip recording with up to 30 fps.

The AgfaPhoto DC-8330i comes in a solid, silver compact housing and is highly flexible to use thanks to its two AA-size batteries, as weak batteries can always be replaced by common batteries available at any shop or supermarket.

The package contents include a pouch, strap, USB and AV cable for transferring the pictures to PC or TV plus a software CD.

DCS-860 and USB Pen Drives to come in Pearl White, Indigo Blue, Petal Pink, and Metallic Graphite

Las Vegas, NV - PMA Booth# G-251 — January 29, 2008 — XIAS (pronounced: kí-as) announces a family of new Spring colors at the 2008 PMA show with the addition of stylish DCS-860 digital cameras and USB pen drives in pearl white, indigo blue, petal pink, and metallic graphite. Also on display will be the 7MP DCS-760 and 12MP DCS-1260 digital cameras. An award winning international product design firm creates all XIAS™ product designs.
“Consumers are not only looking for a great feature set and exceptional value, they are looking to personalize their portable digital devices to reflect their individual style,” stated Rick Stans, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Norcent, an authorized licensee of XIAS™ products. “By making the XIAS™ 8MP digital camera and 4GB and 8GB pen drives available in a variety of colors we’re giving consumers options to personalize their accessories to reflect who they are. This builds on the XIAS™ product tradition of providing consumers with style, functionality and design at a great value.”

Colorful XIASTM DCS-860 8-Megapixel Digital Cameras
For the consumer who is looking to make a statement with their digital camera, the new DCS-860 8MP digital camera will be available in pearl white, indigo blue, petal pink, and metallic graphite in Q2 2008.

Packed with useful features, the DCS-860 is an outstanding consumer value. Features include Face Tracking capability and Anti-Shake technology; ability to capture exceptional, high-resolution images of up to 3264X2448 pixels; 15 picture-taking modes; built-in flash and a 2.5-inch scratch-resistant color LCD display. It also has both a 3X optical and 4X digital zoom; a variety of white balance settings; the capability to take MPEG-4 video clips with audio; 16MB internal memory and external SD/MMC flash storage compatibility. A Lithium Ion rechargeable battery (included) eliminates the need for AA batteries.

Colorful XIASTM Pen Drives
The colorful and distinctive XIAS™ Pen Drives will be easy for consumers to keep track of and identify. Later this Spring XIAS™ pen drives will be available in pearl white, indigo blue, petal pink, and metallic graphite. Offering true plug-and-play convenience, no external power or battery is needed as the USB port on compatible desktop or laptop computers powers the XIAS™ Drive. The pen drive is compliant with USB 2.0 with a fast full-speed transfer rate of up to 480Mbps. With no moving parts, the pen drives are resistant to temperature changes, shock and vibration. The XIAS™ pen drives will be available in 4 GB and 8 GB capacities.

XIASTM DCS-1260 12-Megapixel Digital Camera
Capturing high-resolution images of up to 4000X3000 and featuring Face-Tracking and Anti-Shake technology, the XIAS™ DCS-1260 camera offers superior image clarity. The unit has a large 3-inch, scratch resistant display and both 3X optical and 4X digital zoom capabilities for capturing those long-distance shots. Movie mode captures AVI or MPEG-4 video clips with up to 30-seconds of audio. 21 picture-taking modes, built-in flash with six flash modes and six modes of white balance settings are included allowing users to capture the perfect picture under virtually any conditions. The DCS-1260 offers a large 32MB of internal memory, an external Secure Digital flash slot ensuring ample image and/or video-clip storage and a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery (included) eliminates the need for AA batteries.

XIASTM DCS-760 7-Megapixel Digital Camera
The 2.5-inch, scratch-resistant LCD color display offers a clear view of your photos. The unit has both 3X optical and 4X digital zoom capabilities for close-ups. Movie mode captures AVI or MPEG-4 video clips with up to 30-seconds of audio. Playback is in either NTSC or PAL formats. Features include 15 picture-taking modes, built-in flash with six flash modes, six-mode white balance, an external Secure Digital flash slot, 16MB of internal memory and a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery (included).

Pricing and Availability
All four colors of the XIAS™ DCS-860 8-megapixel digital camera have an estimated street price of $149.99. The metallic graphite model is currently available with the new colors coming in Q2 2008. The XIAS™ DCS-1260 12-megapixel digital camera has an estimated street price of $249.99 and will be available for shipping in Q2 2008. The XIAS™ DCS-760 is currently available in smoked chrome with an estimated street price of $129.99.

The XIAS™ Pen Drive is now offered in jet black and chrome at an estimated street price of 42.99 for the 4GB model and $83.99 for the 8GB version. The pen drive colors will be available for purchase in Q2 2008.

XIAS™ Digital Products from Norcent
XIAS (pronounced: kí-as) brings style, enhanced features and value to consumers looking for upscale portable digital products and new ways to acquire their digital content. The stylish Norcent Technology, Inc. licensed line-up of XIAS™ products includes digital cameras, digital photo frames, MP3 Players with video playback capability and USB storage. All XIAS™ products are exclusively designed by an award-winning international product design firm.

For more press information please visit http://www.antarra.com/xias/

GE cameras score big features: smile and blink detection, better optics, HDTV, GPS, and more

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 31, 2008) – General Imaging, the worldwide exclusive licensee for GE digital cameras, announced the next generation of GE digital cameras for 2008. Nine all-new models will offer an exciting assortment of additional features, including smile detection, blink detection, upgraded lenses, and LCD screens that adjust to changes in ambient light. One new model, the E1050, makes photography even more fun, adding HDTV, touch-screen and GPS capability.

The 2008 GE models are among the first cameras on the market to offer smile detection and blink detection, two separate functions that allow users to capture their subjects at exactly the right moment.

Unveiled at the 2008 PMA trade show, the new offerings bring to 15 the total number of cameras in the GE-branded digital camera line. Last year’s most popular features – panorama stitching, face detection, in-camera red-eye removal – are all back for 2008, combined with slimmer camera bodies. Setting a new standard for the term “feature-rich” is the new E1050, which boasts a number of innovative attributes, including:

High-definition movie recording
HDTV playback capability for both movies and stills
User-friendly touch-screen controls to access more features with fewer buttons
GPS receiver that allows busy photographers to keep track of exactly where they were when they shot their favorite scenes Such features are usually found only in higher-priced SLR cameras or camcorders rather than a point-and- shoot digicam like the E1050. And unlike most cameras with HDTV capability, the E1050 does not require an additional “cradle” to support it.
Considering that it also has a 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens, the 10-megapixel, 5x zoom E1050 has everything today’s digital camera enthusiast could want – for only $249.99 MSRP.

“For our second year we have retained all the most popular features from the first year, added a long list of exciting new ones, and enhanced overall performance,” said Hiroshi “Hugh” Komiya, chairman and CEO of General Imaging.

The new models span the entry-level A series, the ultra-compact G series with folded optics (non-protruding lens), and the mid-priced E series. Many of the new models will begin reaching store shelves by early spring.

All 2008 models will include smile detection and blink detection (two separate functions). The smile detection feature automatically detects when subjects are smiling and captures the photo at that point. The blink detection feature alerts the user if the subjects are blinking, immediately after the photo is captured, allowing the photo to be retaken.

New cameras in the E and G series will also include aspheric, all-glass lenses for sharper images and truer color reproduction, along with auto-adjust LCD screens that adapt to changing light conditions. Many of the new GE cameras are slimmer than their 2007 counterparts, with the G2 and G3 each measuring a mere 18mm thick (just under 3?4 of an inch). In some cases, the flash was moved so it would be out of the way of the user’s shooting fingers. These changes came in response to consumer feedback to the 2007 models.

“We have said from the beginning that we would be a nimble company that responds to consumer needs, and our new cameras reflect that philosophy,” said Rene Buhay, General Imaging’s senior vice president for marketing and sales in the Americas. “We think people are going to like what they see.”

General Imaging was formed in 2006 when Komiya, who had retired as president of Olympus Imaging Corporation a year earlier, recruited a group of industry veterans to start a new camera company. Komiya first recruited Buhay, whose experience in electronics included work for Ricoh and ArcSoft. He also enlisted the services of a highly respected design team to create a sophisticated camera line loaded with all the best features in the industry.

At the same time, General Electric, which Fortune magazine consistently ranks as the most admired company in the world, was considering entry into the digital camera market and looking for the right licensee to carry the GE brand. General Imaging’s vision for developing a high-quality, distinctively designed and technologically advanced line of cameras was a great fit for GE’s goals, and a licensing agreement was signed in September 2006.

The first GE digital cameras went on sale on HSN on May 1, with Sears, Kmart and Radio Shack quickly following suit. Numerous other retailers (both online and on land) and distributors have signed on since then. GE digital cameras are now available throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia. “We have come quite far in a year, that is for certain,” Komiya said. “But this is only the beginning for GE digital cameras. We are here for the long term.”

The options standing before you are ridiculous and almost depressing as you have absolutely no clue what it is you are looking for or looking at. When it comes to understanding the ins and outs of digital music players it is much like the first time that you went to purchase a computer and all of the terms in front of you were brand new. Now, it is time for you to be able to make a choice. Do you want a player with flash drive memory or had drive memory … better yet … do you even know what this stuff means?

If you are in the market for a digital music player that can store your entire music or audio library without so much as a question then you need to get a hard drive player. Flash drive players will bring in less that 1GB of memory in most places, while hard drive players will rack up anywhere from that same 1GB up to close to 100GB in some different instances. The question you must ask yourself is what exactly it is that you want out of your hard drive music player?

Let’s consider you a part of the crowd that has books and books of CDs credited to your music library and you just want to be able to bring it together in one swift movement. While the swift movement may be a judgment call, the fact that you can put it all in one place certainly is not. Consider that you can get somewhere around 500 songs per 1GB, meaning that if you have around 20,000 songs you can get them all on a hard drive that sports about 20GB.

If watching video is extremely important to you on your hard drive digital player then you need a player with larger capacity, around 20GB at least. Unless, that is, you want to store one movie at a time on your player and then remove it when you get tired of it. With 30GB or more you could store several movies and take a trip cross country without so much as wasting time changing discs or tapes!

The options standing before you are ridiculous and almost depressing as you have absolutely no clue what it is you are looking for or looking at. When it comes to understanding the ins and outs of digital music players it is much like the first time that you went to purchase a computer and all of the terms in front of you were brand new. Now, it is time for you to be able to make a choice. Do you want a player with flash drive memory or had drive memory … better yet … do you even know what this stuff means?

Right off of the bat understand this, whenever you see the words “flash drive” just assume that you are getting something without very much space to store songs. In essence, “flash drive” is about the same thing as storing files on a floppy disc in comparison to storing files on a compact disc, the storage space is immensely different. You aren’t getting the same amount of space, but you are getting a much cheaper player. You ask other than saving a few dollars, is there a benefit to having a flash drive music player?

The first, and most common, reason for someone to want a flash drive player instead of a hard drive player is that it is a lot less bulky, meaning that it is a lot less likely to break during a mid-morning jog. While Apple has the iPod Video and other massive iPod hard drive options, they also see the need to be here with versions like the Nano, Mini, or Shuffle. Many people like a player to use while they jog and that player must be durable as all flash drive players tend to be.

Next, most flash drive players have added benefits like a stopwatch or FM tuner included with the player. These things may not be needed when you have a hard drive player that you listen to in the comfort of your car or home, but can be a great benefit to the jogger or runner in you or in your life! With these extra benefits the price starts to look really good as most flash drive players come in for around $90 to $120 cheaper than their hard drive counterparts!

Now that you have gone out and purchased the digital music player of your choice it is time for you to take advantage of your entire music library and begin ripping your CDs to your computer. Sure, you can go and purchase songs online one-by-one and spend a veritable fortune to get the same songs you already have on CD, but why not spend a few hours to get the most out of those dollars you already spent? Here are a few things to consider before ripping your CDs to your music library:

? There are horror stories that could go on all night long from those who have ripped their entire music library to their computer only to realize they did it in the wrong format. To avoid this problem, don’t start ripping your CDs until you decide the player you will purchase or actually purchase the product.

? To avoid mass confusion once you start playing songs on your digital music player make sure that your computer is connected to the internet during the ripping process. If you are connected you will get all of the song-titles and so forth, but if you aren’t connected you will be stuck with about 50 “Track 04” songs while trying to jog.

? Don’t waste time trying to do certain genres or artists at the same time or in a specific order, your digital music player will do this all by its lonesome when the time comes. Remember, we live in a world where the customer comes first, don’t do any of the work that “they” are prepared to do!

? If you don’t mind that you could chase some Nelly with a little bit of Willie Nelson then you don’t need to worry about having play lists! If this kind of thing really chaps your behind then make sure you make play lists before syncing with your player.

? Make sure that you take full advantage of this opportunity and put every last song that you like in your home collection on your player. You have all of that space for a reason and it makes no sense to waste space without filling it with a few choice songs.

While your allegiance to Metallica may have been tested during the trials to determine the validity and responsibility of file-sharing websites, purchasing music online is still a viable option for those who are interested. Those who are well aware of the fight know that paying for music online can be a great bargain; you just have to know who has the best offer. Here are a few services that charge reasonable amounts and are respectable names.

? AOL Music Now- The power of America Online is beyond reproach, especially with over 1.5 million songs in their library at the disposal of their members. You can try AOL’s service on a free trial then download per song for $0.99.

? F.Y.E. - A leader in downloadable music, F.Y.E. provides 1.2 million songs to choose from for a flat $1 per download after a free trial period.

? MSN Music- THE name in computers and computer-related products, Microsoft makes songs available for $0.99 per download. MSN does not offer a free trial period.

? MusicMatch- MusicMatch lives up to its name by making specific recommendations to those who sign up for membership while charging $0.99 per download for the music of your choice. MusicMatch does not offer a free trial period.

? Napster- Though they are no longer a free name in the music business, the Napster name still holds water in music download circles. Napster offers downloads for $9.95 a month on up to three computers with around one million songs in their database. Napster offers a seven day free trial.

? PassAlong- PassAlong gets its name from offering its members the opportunity to gain points towards future purchases by passing along new members. Get your friends to sign up and reap the benefits! PassAlong starts at $0.99 per download and does not offer a free trial.

? Wal-Mart- Nobody offers a better name in the realm of saving a few dollars in the name of saving a few dollars than Wal-Mart. While offering around 400,000 songs at the time, much like PassAlong, Wal-Mart is growing and will continue to grow! Wal-Mart does not offer a free trial.

In every line of business there is the leader in the industry and then there is everybody else, this is no different in the world of digital music players. For the few years that these products have captured the attention of the American consumer there has been a clear cut leader, Apple’s iPod. However, now there is a new kid on the block from one of the bigger houses down the street as Microsoft has released a new kid from its front door, the Microsoft Zune. Consider a few facts about the Zune:

? Microsoft has really hit Apple where it hurts by making the Zune screen about one-half inch bigger than the iPod. While that sounds like very little, it actually makes quite a big difference on such a small product. Not to mention, the Zune can be watched in portrait OR landscape mode, depending on how you like to watch!

? While Microsoft has come in at a nice price by offering the Zune for around $250 for 30GB of memory, they do not offer the same selection as iPod. With only one player with one set amount of memory, Microsoft is not competing based on selection, they are competing based on the amount of features they offer in a feature player.

? Another area where the Zune takes a step up from the iPod is the ability to listen to FM radio when you get tired of your music selection. Don’t waste time cycling trying to find something worth listening to as you jog or walk on the treadmill, just flip over to the FM dial and tune in to your favorite radio station!

? Microsoft is much more prepared to update your player with their background in personal media than the good folks at Apple are with the iPod. The Zune is set to update every time it connects to the internet, meaning you always have the best Zune that you can possibly have, regardless of how lazy you are!

? With the Zune you don’t have to log on to the internet at home to purchase tracks and then sync them with your player, you can purchase straight from your Zune! How is that for convenience?

We all have our favorite morning radio shows, whether they make money from their slap-stick personalities or ridiculous games these shows can keep you laughing during those stressful morning drives. However, there are times when we all just want to get lost in a few tunes on the way to work or dropping the kids off at school and they just continue to talk! Now, you have a way out since you recently purchased your digital music player from the local electronics retailer. Take up one of the following options and play your player over your car stereo!

• Do you still have one of those cars that are old enough to have used the same driving style as Fred Flintstone? You know the one that still has that ancient … cough … cassette player in the front dash of the car? Guess what? You can now plug in an adaptor to your car that will plug in to your digital music player and take full advantage of all of the tunes in your library. Imagine still being able to use something as old as that cassette player!

• If you don’t have a cassette deck in your car then you need to invest in an FM transmitter to play your player through an FM frequency on your car stereo. The difficulty here is that a lot of frequencies will be taken, especially if you live in a metro area. In this instance, make sure you purchase a transmitter that allows you to use any frequency, not just those frequencies that reside between the 88 and 89 range on your radio dial.

• If you still aren’t happy with either of these choices and plan on using your digital music player a lot during your time on the road, consider having a factory adaptor installed in your car. While these certainly aren’t cheap, they are definitely the best route to go for those wanting a crystal clear transmission over their car stereo. Expect this to cost at least a hundred or two dollars, in addition to having it professionally installed, you don’t want to have to do this installation on your own.