[CES 2009] This is the entry level model from the new Samsung H-series camcorders, unlike the other 3 models it does not have an internal SSD but requires a SD/SDHC card. Thanks to the H.264 compression, users can record up to six hours of full HD video on a 32 GB SDHC card, since on average people record only 30 min of video each time, this less expensive model is a good choice for the regular users.

The Schneider Kreuznach lens features a 10x optical zoom with the new Samsung Optical Image Stabilizer and offers a 37 mm wide-angle focal unlike most of the camcorders available on the market (typically 40-50 mm). Other features include HDMI connections to watch full HD video on a HDTV, a 2.7" swiveling TFT LCD screen and a HD time lapse recording mode, that allows to record each image with a pre-selected time interval.

Now this is one mindless solar-powered toy that we would love to have at the office - the Solar Monkey. Equipped with a small solar panel no bigger than its back that pops up whenever you want to juice up this primate, it will start to climb up a string, hand over hand to keep children (and bored adults at the office) entertained to no end. The Solar Monkey will retail for $20 a pop and requires some bit of assembly, but the fact that you don't need batteries to power this mindless gizmo is refreshing. At least you don't have to feed it bananas or clean up after this origami-looking monkey.

Attendees at Macworld from tomorrow onwards are privy to the NEC MultiSync LCD2690WUXi² display that is based on the current LCD2690WUXi model. This new monitor will of course bring updated revisions to the hardware, including a wider color gamut panel that covers 97.8% of the Adobe RGB color spectrum while delivering superior blue coverage and brightness uniformity. Other features of the 2690WUXi² include :-

• 16:10 aspect ratio
• Certified for Specifications for Web Offset Publications (SWOP) software
• IPS active matrix LCD with 1,920 x 1,200 native resolution
• 1,000:1 contrast ratio
• 320cd/m² brightness
• DVI-I, DVI-D and VGA connectivity
• Internal programmable 12-bit lookup tables
• Supports NEC's SpectraView color calibration software
• Built-in ambient light sensor

[CES 2009] Samsung has just launched its H-Series of digital, full HD camcorders. It features a Schneider Kreuznach Varioplan lens with an optical stabilizer, a 10X optical zoom, and use flash memory (solid state drive) as the recording medium. The H106 top of the line model features 64GB of storage. SSD is a key asset when it comes to size reduction. Gaining more volume can ultimately lead to using a larger lens, which directly affects the image quality. In a camcorder, SSDs can also affect battery life dramatically. unlike laptops which have power-hungry components such as a CPU and a GPU, a hard drive can likely represent an important percentage of the power utilization.

With these camcorders, Samsung has the ability to leverage its semi-conductor strengths: flash memory, optical sensors, LCD display. the lens is the last component that's not from Samsung. More info in the full post.

[CES 2009] Sakar International will be parading a range of Vivitar products at CES 2009, and among them include the $129.95 Vivitar V8400P underwater digital camera that features 8.1 megapixels' worth of goodness. Perfect for those who love snapping images when underwater, as it is able to stay waterproof as long as you don't go beyond its 30 feet limit. Other features of the V8400P include :-

• 8x digital zoom
• 2.4" LCD display
• 32MB internal memory
• SDHC memory card slot (up to 8GB)
• Shockproof

$589.00, Gold Gym Treadmill & iPod Touch 8GB Bundle
$10.99, Netgear Wall-Plugged WGX102
$58.90, CORSAIR Flash Voyager 32GB Pen Drive
$9.99, AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Skt939 CPU
$14.75, 8GB micro SDHC card class 6

Best Deals at www.UberBargain.com

[CES 2009] So we covered a whiff of Samsung's slimmest Blu-ray player in the world at just 39mm in thickness, and here is a long awaited image of the said player. This slim wonder is no MacBook Air, but it will definitely look good in your living room (so does the model, much to the chagrin of your other half, of course). Good luck negotiating bringing either one home in these economically challenging times.

Check out this brilliant Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 lens cap mod by Malaysian Ian Ho - he decided to rely on the Ricoh LC1 self-retaining lens cap instead which was originally meant for the Ricoh GX100 and GX200, but by merging some springs and hinges, the three flaps will offer protection for the lens whenever the camera is not in use, and these can be pushed open easily by the optics whenever it extends. It will require a fair amount of force to push the LC1 onto the LX3 or the Leica equivalent.

SeeFile rolled out their press release, touting support of a new Mac mini server with 1TB of storage space - and we all know such a Mac mini does not exist at this point in time, at least not at your local Apple Store. According to a SeeFile spokesperson, the storage is internal, lending more weight to the current rumor going around that the new Mac mini will feature a build-to-order option for dual hard drives, placing it in a favorable position for enterprise servers. Ah well, guess we'll have to wait for Macworld to fully kick off before such rumors can be confirmed (or dispelled).

Have a rather large front lawn but do not have time to mow it or keep a cow? Well there is the SmarMow automatic lawn mower by RoboLabs, moving around your lawn in a circular pattern within an installed perimeter wire while munching on those extra long grass. In order to prevent thieves from profiting by picking yours up when you're not around, the SmartMower must be activated by a security key (in your possession, naturally) before it can get to work. This lithium-ion battery powered device is able to cover approximately 3,230 square feet within 3 hours, but will take up to four hours to be fully charged up. It is able to tackle slops and not only flat gound, as long as they are no steeper than 30 degrees. You will need to do your part though, cleaning the yard of sticks or debris before setting the SmartMow loose. Place a pre-order today in time for its March shipping date and you get 25% off its $999.99 price.

For those who have played Final Fantasy III might think twice about gutting their precious relic from the past, but apparently this guy has no second thoughts about ripping up his copy since he never played the game and got immersed in it. What makes this cartridge so special? Well, he has merged it with a Sony point-and-shoot digital camera, where the innards of the camera has been retro-fitted into the hollowed out cartridge perfectly. It is a pretty good looking project, I must admit, but do this only if you have already voided the warranty on your camera and use this as a spare instead of your primary shooter.

[CES 2009] The MSI booth will certainly be abuzz with activity this CES, economic downturn or not. The company will be parading a range of netbooks and computers for us to drool over, and among them will be the recently covered U115 Hybrid, which lays claim to being the first netbook in the world that runs on SSD and HDD simultaneously. More details on the other available MSI products on the CES showfloor right after the jump.

Quickoffice has just made available its MobileFiles Pro application for the iPhone and iPod touch, touting it to be the first editable office application built for both devices from Apple. This new software will feature enhanced editing and saving options for Microsoft Office Excel documents in the .xls format, and you get to transfer files from the device itself to a Mac or PC via Wi-Fi connectivity. In addition, users are able to access Apple MobileMe accounts and synchronize files with them. MobileFiles Pro is now available on a trial basis, but folks who want to dive right in can fork out $9.99 for it.

The LaCie Hard Disk Max contains two drives that can be setup to RAID0 for performance, or RAID1 for failure protection - at the switch of a button. The drive itself can be attached to yet another USB drive, for backup purposes. Because this doesn't protect you from stuff like your home going up in smoke, LaCie has included a 1-year unlimited online backup service. Beyond that I guess that you'll just have to pay for the remote storage. This could be a very cool companion for Apple’s Time Machine.

We do like the industrial design -a lot- and we wonder if it would be stackable, if one had a few of these. $270 (2TB).