Japan's CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) reported Japanese companies' digital camera shipments for June 2007 reached 7.5743 million units, up 38.9% from the same period a year ago, which is worth of 164.11677 billion yen ($1.377165 billion), up 33% year-on-year. Among these, the unit volume of exports surged by 39.6% to 6.707653 million units, giving a market value of 142.3377 billion yen ($1.1944 billion). By pixel pitches, 6-8 megapixel models comprised the bulk by registering shipments of 4.972071 million units.

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KTF (Korea Telecom Freetel) announced on Thursday that it will offer a mobile traffic service enabling subscribers to view the traffic situation across Seoul and all national highways on their cell phones. Video will come from CCTVs placed on 127 roads in Seoul and 93 highways by the Korea Highway Corporation and Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corporation. The service will include traffic speed and other information.

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Nissan Japan has revealed a new concept car featuring multiple preventative features designed to help reduce drunk driving. Presently integrated on-board a production model Fuga sedan, the various technologies are designed to detect the driver's state of sobriety and to activate a range of preventive measures including immobilization of the vehicle.

A hi-sensitivity alcohol odor sensor is built into the transmission shift knob, which is able to detect the presence of alcohol in the perspiration of the driver's palm as he or she attempts to start driving. When the alcohol-level detected is above the pre-determined threshold, the system automatically locks the transmission, immobilizing the car. A “drunk driving” voice alert is also issued via the car navigation system. Additional alcohol odor sensors are also incorporated into the driver’s and passenger seats to detect the presence of alcohol in the air inside the vehicle cabin. When alcohol is detected, the system issues both a voice alert and a message alert on the navigation system monitor.

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ATC2K from Oregon Scientific is the ultimate waterproof self-contained action cam. ATC2K works seamlessly with most video editing software. Expandable up to 2GB, ATC2K mounts easily on helmets, handlebars, and other sports equipment. The water proof video camera with 32MB built in memory comes with all mounting hardware and can be used up to a depth of 3m (10 feet) for under water shooting. This hands-free action cam delivers full color digital video in 640 X 480 VGA at 30 frames per second. With 2 GB SD card video recording up to 1 hr is possible.

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Using novel light-scattering techniques, team of engineers from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and physicians from Evanston-Northwestern Healthcare have found the first evidence that early stage pancreatic cancer causes subtle changes in part of the small intestine. The easily monitored marker may ultimately allow early detection for a disease notorious for having few obvious symptoms, the primary reason pancreatic cancer killed more than 33,000 Americans last year. The new detection techniques, developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), produce an optic fingerprint from the altered tissue and then enhance the data for a clearer diagnosis. The researchers scanned tissue samples from 19 people already diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 32 without the disease.

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The BenQ E1000 features a bright 3-inch LTPS LCD display, a 10 mega pixels image sensor, 3X optical zoom in both static and moving recording mode, automatic face-tracking function and a high ISO of up to 1600. The E1000 supports ISO of up to 1600 to facilitate shooting and ensures clear photos in darkly-lit environments if the use of flash is not desirable. The Shake-Free hotkey located right next to the shutter button allows instant access to activate the Shake-Free function anytime. Capturing moving objects in a darkly-lit environment can now be achieved easily with BenQ's enhanced image stabilizer – the Super Shake Free function, which adjusts ISO and shutter speed according to the environment where the image is taken. The BenQ E1000 offers amateurs and professionals an easy way to adjust aperture and shutting according their liking by incorporating the P/Av/Tv/M mode.

With Face-Tracking function, the BenQ E1000 is able to detect up to nine faces within a scene to ensure that the faces are perfectly presented in terms of color, contrast and clearness in the photos. The camera boosts 24 shooting modes, including Composed Scene Mode, Oil Painting Scene Mode and Sketch Scene Mode.

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The latest Transcend MP3 Player T.sonic 840 with a mirrored surface and metal body comes with a high resolution (176 x 220 pixels) 1.8-inch color TFT-LCD screen which delivers the best image quality. As a portable multimedia center, the T.sonic 840 supports audio and video formats such as MTV, JPG, BMP, MP3, WMA, WMA-DRM10, and WAV. In addition, you can read e-books with the T.sonic 840. It features a lyrics display, and is equipped with 7 equalizer effects that include a customizable USER EQ mode for you to create your own music style. With a fully charged battery, the T.sonic 840 supports up to 30 hours of continuous playback. The versatile T.sonic 840 provides many useful functions such as digital voice recorder, FM radio, FM recorder, real time clock to display world times, and has a 13-language interface.

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Transcend revealed its new line of tiny multicolored USB flash drives – JetFlash V35. These attractive little drives come in a variety of fun translucent colors. The JetFlash V35 supports Windows 2000/Me/XP/Vista, Mac OS 9.0. The JetFlash V35 slides easily into your shirt pocket or tight-fitting stacked USB ports on your desktop or notebook computer. Whether storing important documents, transporting pictures and video clips, or just sharing pictures with friends, the V35 makes it easy and fun.

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Corsair today unveiled the environmentally friendly Corsair VX Series of power supplies. Designed and engineered for mainstream computer users, both the VX450W and VX550W supplies support the Energy Star 2007 Standard and feature the industry's most efficient power-management and ultra-quiet design available. The Corsair VX Series incorporates a single +12V power rail that delivers continuous power under heavy loads. This conservative design ensures reliable operation in today's most demanding system configurations and adds compatibility for future platforms.

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The new Iogear 4-Port Automatic HDMI Switch allows consumers to simultaneously control and connect up to four High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices to television sets. Iogear’s patented HDAS (High-Definition Automatic Switch) technology instantly locks and transfers the active audio and video content to the connected HD display. Users can now maintain a single Universal Remote to control a home entertainment center by simply powering on the desired device, and alternate between sources from the comfort of their couches. A single HDMI cable connects an HDTV with the Switch, which links up to four devices, such as Apple TV, DVD players, video game consoles and media servers. This significantly reduces the amount of wires plugged directly into a television set, making it an ideal solution for modern wall-mount set-ups and eliminating manual switching of A/V inputs.

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Tannoy is extending its popular in-ceiling range of loudspeakers with four new compact high performance models. All models use ‘in-house’ driver technology in the form of Dual Concentric and ICT (Inductive Coupling Technology) units. The CMS 501 and 601 make use of 5” and 6.5” ICT drivers’ respectively. The ICT driver is a true point source, phase coherent design offering excellent vocal articulation and musical fidelity. Famed for its robustness, the ICT driver’s HF section is electro-magnetically and not electrically driven, and so the tweeter cannot burn out. Utilizing a newly engineered, small but powerful 5” Dual Concentric, the CMS 501DC offers all the inherent benefits of this world-renowned driver design in a very neat unit. Offering an enhanced bass dynamic and higher SPL, a larger, 6.5” Dual Concentric is used in the 601DC.

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Hitachi Japan will be introducing world’s first Blu-ray, high-definition camcorder models in Japan on August 30.Model DZ-BD70 will record on Blu-ray discs while hybrid model DZ-BD7H in addition to recording to Blu-ray discs, allows users to record high-definition content onto the integrated 30 GB hard disk drive.The single-drive DZ-BD70A comes equipped with a 5.3 MP CMOS sensor, and 10x zoom, and has a graduated ND (neutral density) filter. You can record up to one-hour of 1,920 x 1,080 content to an 8cm single-sided Blu-ray disc (BD-R and BD-RE), or two hours in 1,440 x 1,080 resolution. Standard definition video can also be recorded onto “regular” DVD discs (DVD-R/-RW/-RAM). You can also snap digital still photos at 4.32 MP resolution, which are saved to an SD memory card.

In addition to recording to Blu-ray discs, the hybrid model DZ-BD7HA allows users to record high-definition content onto the integrated 30 GB hard disk drive. This equates to about four hours of 1,920 x 1,080 video in HX mode; or up to eight hours of 1,440 x 1,080 video in HS mode. By simply depressing a button, users can copy recorded video from the HDD to a Blu-ray disc without the use of a computer or external device.

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Beginning August 9, more than 600 owners and fans of the 1932 Ford, -- lovingly called The Deuce--will meet in Dearborn, Mich. for a 75th anniversary celebration to honor the vehicle that most historians agree inspired every hot rod and muscle car that followed. The three day celebration will include a concours d' elegance, cruises, specialty vehicle displays, a drive-in date night, a gathering at Greenfield Village, and visits to the Henry Ford Fairlane estate and the Grosse Pointe Shores estate of Edsel Ford. With the world's first affordable V-8 Flathead engine, inspired by Henry Ford himself, and an innovative design from his son Edsel, it wasn't long before the Deuce was a favorite of the earliest hot rodders.

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Canon Japan has launched compact photo printer Selphy CP520 for Japanese market. Operation of the printer is very simple- install the paper loaded Cassette and Ink Cassette in the printer and connect the printer with PictBridge compatible devices or a computer with a USB cable. The printer support PictBridge compatible devices or a computer with a USB cable and Wireless connection (Bluetooth, Wireless LAN). The printer uses Dye-sublimation thermal transfer (approx. 16.77 million colors per pixel) technology to create a fine gradation look of a film-based photograph. Besides, Protective Coating prevents uv exposure, water, spills and sticky fingers.

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Toto Japan launched the Neorest Hybrid Series of toilets that flush using a record-low 5.5 liters of water in Japan. Neorest Hybrid Series of toilets is the ultimate combination of simple-shaped beauty and inspired technology, incorporating an integrated Washlet feature in an all-in-one unit.

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