Pentax has launched its latest waterproof camera promising to let you “go boldly where none have gone before.”

Called the Pentax Optio W80, the update to the Optio W60 will be more adventure-proof than ever, according to Pentax, and be waterproof, dustproof, coldproof, and now shockproof enough to withstand impact from a fall of more than 3 feet (1 metre), as it plays catch up to Olympus’ successful tough series of cameras.

On the tough specs, the Pentax Optio W80’s waterproof design withstands depths of up to 5 metres, letting you shoot photos and video for up to 2 hours underwater. On dry land, the rugged, shockproof design protects against drops of up to 1m. That coldproof badge means the camera can to be used in sub-freezing temperatures of 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius).

On the camera specs you get 12.1 megapixels, a 5x internal optical zoom (equivalent to 28-140mm), a slim body and a wide angle 28mm lens. There’s also a 2.5-inch LCD screen and HD movie capture capabilities that record resolutions up to 1280 x 720 pixels at full-speed 30fps.

There is also fast face detection that sees up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds, with smile capture and blink detection, for perfect portrait shots.

Available in cardinal red, azure blue and gunmetal grey, the Pentax Optio W80 will be available in July 2009 for US $299.95 in the US with an expected UK price of around £170 and is available now for pre-order.

The Panasonic SDR-SW20 Waterproof Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom combines a rugged, compact body with waterproofing that allows use in water, including seawater, to a depth of five feet, shock-proofing that protects against drops from up to 4 feet, and a dust-proofing design that shuts out airborne dust particles that can lead to malfunction. With a design that protects it from water, dust, and impact, the SW20 is a versatile camcorder that can meet varying weather conditions and shooting environments.

For ease of shooting, the Panasonic SDR-SW20 Camcorder features 10x optical zoom, a 2.7-inch LCD screen and a new design for easy and comfortable shooting. It also has a grip designed so the user can stabilize the unit by bracing the elbow against the body as with conventional camcorders. In addition, a Sub Rec button on the front of the camera, makes it possible to shoot with a pistol-grip style.

The Panasonic SDR-SW20 records to SD or SDHC memory cards, which further contributes to its compact design and also provides extended recording capability. A 16GB SDHC memory card allows up to approximately 13 hours, 20 minutes of recording.

This model offers the High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode, which produces images that make for beautiful, dramatic viewing on a wide-screen TV. The image is processed on 16:9 area of the CCD. Because the image decoded has the same proportions as your wide-screen TV, there is virtually no picture quality degradation. You get beautiful images and all the excitement and dynamism on either a wide 16:9 screen TV or a conventional 4:3 TV. This model also features a wide 2.7-inch LCD, making it easier to frame shots when you’re shooting in 16:9 mode. You can enjoy shooting wide, and viewing wide.

Built with ease of operation in mind, the Panasonic SDR-SW20 Waterproof Camcorder features truly friendly video Editing and Networking.

Choices are multiple, if you have an MPEG2-compatible DIGA DVD recorder with an internal hard disk and SDHC/SD memory card slot, saving your images on the hard disk is as easy as inserting an SDHC/SD memory card into the slot. This saves space you’d otherwise need for storing the recording media, and makes playback easier. And once the data is on the hard disk, it’s easy to copy it to a DVD disc.

About easy DVD copying, simply connect the SW20 directly to a DVD burner via a USB cable. You can then copy recordings from the SDHC/SD Memory Card to a DVD disc with easy operation.
The disc you make can be played on DVD players, so playback is easy too.

The Panasonic SDR-SW20 includes Editing Software and USB 2.0.
USB 2.0 compatibility lets you upload a motion picture data to a PC at high speed over a single USB cable.

You never have to finalize an SDHC or SD Memory Card, so you can transfer data to a PC right after you shoot. Just slip the card into the slot on the PC, and you’re ready to upload and edit. The camera comes with MotionSD STUDIO software that lets you add music and words during editing or copy your recordings onto a DVD disc.

It’s now available for US $ 229.99 (and that’s a summer cool 42% off list price!)

Cyanics Portable Swing Speaker with Protective Case it’s a 2 in 1, portable swing speaker system with crystal clear protective case.
Compatible with iPod Nano 4th Generation (8 GB & 16 GB), the Cyanics Portable Swing Speaker and Case works with both vertical or wide-screen mode.

Operation couldn’t be easier: insert your iPod inside the case & swivel the speaker housing into upright position to turn on the speaker.
It’s so lightweight and designed so smart, you’ll be able to sync or charge your ipod without removing your ipod from case.
The Cyanics Portable Swing Speaker features a built-in rechargeable battery (Li-polymer) & plays up to 8 hours of music.

LED displays for charging and operation status and there’s a headphone jack and open port for synching, so in theory you should never need to remove the ipod from its new case with speakers.

Great for indoor and outdoor.
It’s small: 1.75(W) x 4(H) x 0.75(D) inch and weighs in at 2 oz (without iPod) and there’s a USB charging cable included.

Available now for just US$ 26.99!

The Dolphin WaterProof MP3 player 1GB Memory is a ultra light weight, ultra compact player that weighs only 25g with a dimension of 60 x 20 x 20mm.
Its cylindrical-shaped casing features a minimalist outlook with all control buttons located on one side, and the headphone jack on the other side.
The earphone attaches to the player via a special screw-in jack to keep the device water-tight.
Both the earphone and the Dolphin player were tested to comply with IPx7 international water resistant standard.
The earphone employs a special non-woven fabric membrane to keep the speaker vibration plate dry while maintaining a high quality sound output.

As for audio files, you can drag and drop media files to and from the Dolphin without a media manager in sight. It officially supports WMV and MP3 files, but it also plays back WAV files!

There’s no doubt: the Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 12 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) may be considered Bruce Willis camera of choice!

The Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 is a compact digital camera sporting 12 MP resolution along with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and great 2.7″ display.
There’s really only one word to describe the new shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof, crushproof and shakeproof Stylus Tough-8000 camera from Olympus: Tough.

Unbelievable?
Olympus says the Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 can survive a 6.6-foot drop, venture 33 feet underwater, withstand 220 pounds of crushing pressure, and laugh at freezing temperatures. Tap Control makes it easy for skiers, divers and snowmen makers to control key settings without removing their gloves.

Tech specs, for people in a hurry:

• 12-megapixel resolution for photo-quality, poster-size prints
• Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof and shakeproof
• 3.6x wide-angle optical dual image stabilized zoom
• 2.7-inch Advanced HyperCrystal III LCD screen
• Compatible with xD Picture Cards and microSD memory cards

Some of the features we like the most.

The new “OR” (Olympus Recommended) button makes it easy to activate Olympus’ unique features, including In-Camera Panorama, Shadow Adjustment and Perfect Shot Preview. Simply press the new OR button to easily access these commonly used features.

The new Beauty Mode: it enables you to soften shadows and smooth wrinkles or blemishes on your subject’s face–all in the camera and as you capture the image! Additionally, subtle edits can be made post-capture using the Beauty Fix mode. Choose “Clear Skin” to smooth a person’s complexion, “Dramatic Eye” to slightly emphasize the eyes, and “Sparkle Eye” to brighten and enhance the contrast of the iris and pupils. You can also apply all three edits at once. Have fun customizing your brilliant images without a PC and costly image editing software.

Tap Control: the Stylus Tough series cameras can be controlled with a simple tap on their top, back or sides, which is made possible thanks to their internal 3D accelerometer that detects the direction of the force on the camera’s body. To turn on the flash or Shadow Adjustment Technology, all that is required is a couple of taps on the camera’s sides and top. In adverse climates Tap Control ensures fast adjustment of settings even if you are fighting frostbite wearing large gloves that make pressing traditional buttons nearly impossible.

Wide-Angle Optical Zoom: the Stylus Tough-8000 features a 3.6x wide-angle optical zoom (28-102mm equivalent in 35mm photography, f3.5-5.0) so that even more of the subject makes it into each shot–perfect for underwater photography. The lens does not protrude from its body so it is further protected from harsh conditions.

Versatile Memory: all Olympus digital point-and-shoot cameras accept xD-Picture Card media, they now also accept microSD memory cards to capture images.

In-Camera Panorama: the places you can take Stylus Tough series cameras are locations where you want to capture as much of the scene as you can.
In-Camera Panorama mode makes it possible by capturing three images and stitching them together to create one amazing panoramic picture.
Simply press the shutter button and slowly pan across a panoramic scene.
The second and third images will be captured automatically and stitched together with the first image–resulting in one seamless panorama-size picture.
To create the ultimate panoramic picture, just use the Olympus Master Software 2 to stitch up to 10 images together.

The Memorex Mi8000BLK iFlip 8.4-Inch Portable Video System for iPod docks and charges your 5G iPod and plays video on a 7-inch LCD.
Your out-the-door price: $59.99, no rebate required.

The Memorex iFlip may look like a mini laptop, but underneath the lid sits a whole new world of video possibilities.
Open the Memorex iFlip cover and you’ll see a universal dock on the bottom that holds and charges select iPods, along with an 8.4-inch widescreen LCD display for video playback. The screen is ideal for watching stored iPod movies on planes or entertaining the kids on long car trips, plus it offers an easy way to share your favorite digital photos with friends without hooking up to a full-size TV. Add in an intuitive onscreen menu system and a host of connectivity options and you have the perfect portable video player for almost all on-the-go applications.
The video screen is crisp and versatile, with such features as a selectable aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3), a 480 x 234 native resolution in RGB mode, a 300 cd/m2 brightness rating, and a 350:1 contrast ratio. In addition, the 75-degree horizontal viewing angle and 70- degree vertical viewing angle lets fellow passengers see the screen without straining their necks. And don’t worry about the iFlip running out of juice on the first leg of your cross-country trip, as the integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery delivers roughly five hours of video playback per charge. To renew the battery, simply plug in the AC adapter and you’ll recharge both the Memorex iFlip and iPod simultaneously.

Finally, the Memorex iFlip isn’t restricted to iPod use only, as it connects to other video devices via the S-video output and line-in jacks.

Other details include dual headphone jacks for people who travel in pairs and adjustable brightness, color, hue, and contrast controls. The Memorex iFlip–which is compatible with the iPod nano (1G and 2G), iPod video (5G), iPod photo (regular and U2 model), iPod 4G with click wheel (regular and U2 model), and iPod mini–measures 8.7 by 1.8 by 6.7 inches (W x H x D) when closed.

Wanna save 75% off the list price for the SDI Technologies IH80B Speaker for iPod ?
It’s now or never!
Amazon has in stock these pretty cool speakers for iPod that feature remote control, iPod dock connector, battery or mains operated.

Live Life Outloud with this speaker system for your iPod. This contemporary cube design features Reson8 speaker technology for maximum performance that is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.

iPhone has just been announced but the hunt for accessories of the highly desirable iPod/phone/internet device hybrid has already begun!

SourceCrowd.com is always striving to bring you the latest and greatest, so here are but a few add-on you should consider worthwhile if you already (lucky one!) own an iPhone!

First of all, an accessory which should really be considered an essential: what’s better for such a cool and sleek device than a Wireless Bluetooth Headset for the Apple iPhone?

Of course, no data is still available about how much power-hungry the iPhone is in day to day use, but you’ll never run out of battery with stuff like the Powered Windshield Car / Auto Mount PDA Phone Holder for the Apple iPhone - Gomadic Brand, doubling as a charger and holder for your car (and proudly showing it!).

When not traveling in your car, whether running or commuting on the underground, such a glossy device deserves some protection and care: get yourself (and your iPhone) a iPhone Silicone Case w/ Screen Protector & Belt Clip - 5 Color Options! Another sleek and colorful option could be the iPhone silicone case i phone cover

BT (British Telecom) and Sony have teamed up to offer users of the electronics giant’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) a VoIP option that will enable them to place voice and video calls to other PSP owners and some BT phones. The service, which is then set to expand to allow calls to PCs, fixed lines and mobile phones, will use a new camera and microphone PSP accessory called Go Camera, to be released in the UK on 25 May.

BT is taking care of the software side of the deal, while also offering its 2000 UK hotspots infrastructure to which the initial service will be exclusive. BT said it expects to then sell the software to telecoms in another 100 countries

SANYO has introduced the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 6MP Waterproof MPEG4 Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom , a waterproof camcorder aimed at active families, vacationers and water sports enthusiasts. Encased in a colorful compact design, the E1 can record high-quality MPEG-4 video (using the H.264 standard) and doubles as a 6-megapixel stills camera under water to a depth of five feet for up to one hour at a time. The device records to a standard SD memory card or high-capacity SDHC card (up to 10 hours of 640 x 480 pixel, 30 fps video on a 8GB card). Moreover, the Xacti E1 sports a flip-out 2.5-inch LCD color display, 5x optical zoom and an anti-shake digital image stabilizer. It measures 2.8 x 4.4 x 1.6 (W x H x D, in inches) weighing in at 8.3 oz. SANYO does away with the need of a bulky underwater housing and is counting on the easy, one hand operation of the camcorder to allow users to take it everywhere all year round: the beach and the lake for snorkeling and water-skiing enthusiasts, and the snowy slopes for skiers and snowboarders. And of course it is handy for recording all the fun at parties, children’s school or sports events and family outings.

The SANYO Xacti E1 will be available in the U.S.A. in a choice of blue, yellow and white colors in mid-June 2007 at $499.99 MSRP.

More Tech-Summer stuff here.

The Haier Elegance is a “lipstick case-sized” luxury GSM mobile phone which boasts the “smallest GSM phone with integrated mp3 player” tag. It measures a mere 9.1 x 3.5 x 1.8cm (3.5 inches long), sporting a black pearl reflective finish, built-in mp3 player with up to 1.128GB of space (through optional microSD card adding to the 128MB of space included), FM Stereo tuner, Voice Recorder, Photo viewer, stereo BlueTooth transmitter and full color OLED display. The diminutive phone promises 3 hours of talktime and 11 hours of music playback, not bad for a gadget people will buy for its looks and sleek design more than its practicality.

It is available in US dual band technology or European tri-band to conform to the different GSM standards and is ready for purchase worldwide through Haier’s online shop.

“Where do we go now?”sang Axl Rose some years ago.

These days, GPS navigators have gone from being a fancy accessory to essential gadgets in every driver’s car, whether in portable form or integrated in the dashboard, helping people get to their chosen destination with minimum fuss.

Recently some new models have hit the market, together with updates to the software driving these smart devices, so SourceCrowd is presenting you with a small roundup of the latest developments: hopefully you’ll never lose your way again!

Without much fanfare, Palm has dropped the price of its newest GPS Navigator kit. The kit has seen a $50 price drop from the original $300 launch price to $250. Sweetening the deal even more is a $50 mail-in rebate that Palm is offering to customers who purchase the bundle from Palm.com. With an effective final price of just $200, this makes Palm’s self-branded GPS solution a surprisingly strong value in the fiercely competitive mobile GPS solution market.

The GPS Navigator 3 package is a relatively new offering from Palm, having been introduced in February 2007. The GPS Navigator 3 debuted at a $300 price but Palm has almost always offered a $50 mail-in rebate on their GPS kits.

The kit is compatible with the full range of Treos released over the pat few years—650, 680, 700p, 700w/wx, and 750. The latest 6.03 version of the superb TomTom Navigator 6 software is bundled in this package on a pre-loaded 1GB miniSD card with full size SD adapter.

TomTom announced the Tom Tom ONE XL Portable Extra-wide Screen GPS Navigation System with a 4.3-inch touch screen. According to TomTom, the large screen gives drivers a better overview of the road ahead by displaying more streets and information. The device provides turn-by-turn direction in 36 languages with 55 different voices to choose from. The TomTom ONE XL also offers a points-of-interest data base that includes hotels, restaurants, gas stations and museums.

The Tom Tom ONE XL Portable Extra-wide Screen GPS Navigation System has access to up to date traffic information using an RDS-TMC Trafic Receiver accessory or a subscription to TomTom Traffic. The TomTom One XL includes free QuickGPSfix software, which features the latest maps and fast route calculation. Drivers will also have access to all TomTom PLUS services including safety camera alerts, real-time traffic and weather reports, updates on road conditions and the TomTom Buddies feature.

TomTom HOME service is also served up with the ONE XL, which is a free software application that lets users manage, download, store and transfer content from their computer onto their TomTom GPS device. Drivers can use TomTom HOME to plan trip routes, download voices, obtain traffic reports and install maps to keep their TomTom up to date at anytime.

The TomTom One XL will be available in the U.S., Europe, Australia and South Africa by May 2007 and will retail for $400.

Last but not least, Mobilkom austria and Wayfinder announced the launch of the most powerful and easy to use Navigation solution, A1 NAVI, on the Nokia N95 Unlocked Quadband GSM HSDPA 5MP Camera Cell Phone with built-in GPS.

The latest version of A1 NAVI, which is based on Wayfinder Navigator 7 comes equipped with top of the line map 3D map experience, Wayfinder Power Search (patent pending technology) that enables the users to search in many databases simultaneously, night mode that adapts the color and light strength of the screen and other user friendly services that will greatly enhance the user experience.

The offering is bundled into a fixed price per month including unlimited usage of the attractively priced service.

“At Wayfinder we are excited about the introduction of phones with built-in GPS which will greatly simplify the user experience of phone based navigation. It is also becoming more common that operators choose to pre-install our services on phones with built-in GPS”, says Magnus Nilsson, CEO Wayfinder Systems AB.

A1 NAVI will be available on Nokia N95 in June 2007.

Wayfinder Navigator 7 will also be available on Nokia’s E90 phones with built-in GPS from the Communicator series.

The George Foreman iGrill (!) is the ultimate barbeque cooking machine for the iPod generation… or something like that. We don’t know what the launch campaign slogans will sound like, but we have just heard about this “gem” and couldn’t pass up the occasion to relay it to our readers. The iGrill is an indoor/outdoor electric barbeque grill with an impressive 200 sq. inches of nonstick coated cooking surface, adjustable temperature control probe and… is iPod ready with an integrated 10 watts speaker. So invite your friends around… no barbeque party will ever be the same again!

The The George Foreman iGrill is available now for a street price of $149.99.