Last month we reported that Olympus had shown off its Tough TG-320 rugged camera. Designed for the budget conscience consumer this one still was loaded with some great features. But apparently Olympus wasn’t done, and the company has also introduced two other lines – the Tough TG-820 and Tough TG-620, which will hit stores in Japan beginning later this month.
Both series will feature iHS technology with 12megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, and advanced features including Magic Filters and Beauty mode/Beauty make. There is even a “Pet Mode” that automatically detects the face of a cat or dog and focuses before shooting the photo. Both the TG-820 and TG-620 lines can capture 3D photos, and feature 5x optical zoom, along with Full HD movie (1,920×1,080) video recording with encoding in MOV/H.264 format. More photos and press release after the jump
What camera company isn’t releasing a rugged digital camera? This week Canon announced its upcoming PowerShot D20, which is much more than just an update of the D10 – in fact in a way it is more because it is less. While the D10 was a large and bulky point and shoot, the D20 is a sleeker model, but still features a robust and sporty design.
A different type of tag is coming to the playground – not the game where kids chase each other – but rather Microsoft Tag Technology. Playworld Systems announced this week the launch of PlayPod, an innovative service that employs Microsoft Tag to provide 24/7 mobile access to useful information for both those maintaining the playground equipment and those using it.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group formed the Sports and Fitness Working Group with the goal of participating companies to “work together to enhance interoperability between Bluetooth enabled sports and fitness sensor products and training computers (Bluetooth Smart devices) and hub devices such as smartphones, PCs, TVs (Bluetooth Smart Ready devices), gym equipment, watches and more to allow a new generation of functionality.”
A shirt can arguably “look smart” but now a team of engineering and graphic design students from Northeastern University has used their collective brain power to develop a truly smart shirt. The SQUID is in essence a wired shirt that can track and monitor muscle output and efficiency during workouts.
The Jabra Sport is the first Bluetooth headset to unshackle runners from the constraints of their wired headphones. But can Jabra – a company who’s known for making Bluetooth headsets for the home and office – make a smooth transition into the sports world? In a word; yes. The Jabra Sport is comfortable, reliable, and as rugged as any other pair of sports headphones we’ve seen. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid first attempt at a wireless headset for runners.
There is no arguing that Apple is a very competitive company, and hardcore Apple users could be considered also a bit competitive, so it is no surprise that last week it was reported that Apple is developing a new fitness technology that could be the biggest thing in competitive workouts since the first time some guy yelled “bring it.”
While not exactly brand new, this week Sennheiser let it be known that ultrarunner Karl Meltzer tones up and tunes out with the Sennheiser/adidas PMX 680 Sport headphones. There are a lot of audio choices out there, but Sennheiser has a point. If Meltzer, who regularly runs 100-mile ultra-marathons, uses the headphones then they probably are something the rest of us might consider.
Heat is often the side effect of powered device. Engines give off heat, even light bulbs give off heat – most of the time this is a side effect that results in what is wasted energy. On the other hand heat from fire is another form of lost energy because besides providing warmth the heat does little else.
Today’s smartphones pack built-in GPS capabilities that have all but demolished the need for a standalone GPS unit. But what if there was an app for outdoors enthusiasts that turned your smartphone into the digital equivalent of Bear Grylls? That’s essentially what you can expect from ViewRanger, a powerful outdoor GPS app that’s been available internationally, but is just now launching in the U.S.
We missed Zeal Optics at the Outdoor Retailers Show but fortunately they caught our eye anyway with the iON Goggles, which the company is showing at this week’s SIA Snow Show. The Boulder-based companies is offering a look at the iON, which features an embed high-definition camera to capture video and photos.