Monday 2 March 2009

MAGIX launches Four Innovative Multimedia Freeware Applications

From easy multimedia slideshows to creative disc labels, new applications help users have fun and express themselves through music and photos

London – March 2nd, 2009 – MAGIX, a leader in multimedia software, releases a new set of freeware tools designed to help people express themselves by creating web-based slideshows, distorting their favourite pictures, creating labels for their discs, and uploading their own music to MySpace™.

The new freeware releases include:

“We’re commited to providing our customers and Internet users everywhere with innovative solutions that enhance the way they communicate, express themselves, and share personal moments with family, friends, and the world. These four new freeware releases address very specific multimedia needs,” said Markus Gunn, VP of North American Sales and Marketing for MAGIX.

MAGIX Music Maker for MySpaceTM – Your own music on the social network
With MAGIX Music Maker for MySpace™, you can select, arrange, and combine your own personal sounds and beats into your own song – and then directly upload it to MySpace™ to share with your network.

MAGIX Slideshow Maker – Awaken even your dull photos
Put an end to presenting your pictures unadorned on a camera display. With MAGIX Slideshow Maker, you can upload your slideshow to MAGIX Online Album or to YouTubeTM for free in order to share your images to friends and family.

MAGIX FunPix Maker – Bring fun to your photos
MAGIX FunPix Maker can transform any photo with the help of hilarious effects. Thanks to its intuitive user navigation, distorting, blowing up and shrinking image details becomes child's play.

MAGIX Xtreme Print Studio – Create interesting covers for your discs
Whether you need a self-designed cover for a mix CD, a movie cover for your blockbuster burned to DVD or the title page for a video or slideshow DVD, MAGIX Xtreme Print Studio lets you create personalized and professional labels for your discs in no time.

Since 1992, MAGIX has been delivering new multimedia products and technology to the market. MAGIX Music Maker for MySpaceTM, MAGIX Slideshow Maker, MAGIX FunPix Maker, and MAGIX Xtreme Print Studio are all available for free download at www.magix.com. Download them today and express your creativity.

For further information, review copies, or additional images please contact:

UK: Kathryn Lamb, KL Associates
Tel: 01327 844880
Fax: 01327 843308
Email: kathryn@klassociates.com

International PR: Tom Schwarzer
Tel.:+49(0)30-29 39 2-331
Fax: 49 (0)30- 29 39 2-400
Email: tschwarzer@magix.net

Edifier launches new Luna 5

An Elegant, All-in-One Audio System Offering Uncompromised Audio Quality.

Edifier is rapidly becoming known as one of the latest, innovative developers of quality audio solutions for the ever-changing Lifestyle, Home, Portable, IT and Multimedia markets. Now the company has announced the launch of the latest addition to its lifestyle audio range, the Luna 5.

The Edifier Luna 5 is a statement of design excellence.
Enjoy music to its fullest on this eye-catching, audio system with multiple inputs including iPod, iPhone, MP3 and FM tuner. The simplicity of use, design and audio quality of the Luna 5 makes for an outstanding visual and audio experience.

The Luna 5 maintains the Edifier design philosophy to offer elegant solutions for the home with superb sound quality at an affordable price.

Working closely with Phil Jones who worked as Production Manager at Wharfdale and was instrumental in founding Acoustic Energy, Edifier develops high quality audio no matter what the application. The company continues to expand with offices around the globe and is on course to meet its goal of becoming a world-class, internationally-recognised company specialising in high quality audio solutions for a variety of markets.

The Luna 5 features a three-way, fiver driver speaker system and delivers a total power output of 55W. Six touch-sensitive buttons and a full function remote allow easy iPod navigation and control.

Luna 5 Features
  • All-in-One audio system for iPod, iPhone and MP3 players.
  • Five driver speaker system incorporates unique vibration and resonance control technologies coupled with low frequency porting and mid-range tuned cavities for smoother, cleaner audio.
  • Magnetically shielded 5.75-inch woofer, two 2.75-inch midrange drivers and two 2.5-inch tweeters.
  • Digital FM radio.
  • Top mounted iPod/iPhone dock with universal docking system is compatible with all iPod and iPhone models.
  • Aux input allows MP3 players and MP3 enabled cellular phones to be connected and played.
  • Remote control with full function iPod and iPhone control and navigation.
  • Full range 100-240V 50/60Hz “universal” switch-mode power supply.
  • Price and Availability:

The Luna 5 is available now from Micro Direct and in February from Play.com and Dabs at SRP £199.99 inc.

About Edifier
Established in Beijing, China, in May 1996, the Edifier Group quickly expanded overseas, and in 1998 developed into a transnational group company. Edifier is one of China’s first specialized manufacturers producing genuine wood enclosure speaker systems, and one of the first groups of loudspeaker manufacturers who have successfully developed an exclusive international market.

The company has the envious position of occupying first place in the whole country in terms of output and sales volume, with over 6 million systems being sold in 2004. The Company operates two production bases in Beijing, and Shenzhen in China respectively, with full product R&D, plastic injection, machining, painting, silk-screen printing, and assembly. The R&D team is composed of dedicated acoustical engineers from Beijing, and North America. The Group has more than 2,500 employees, and manufacturing facilities covering an area of 1,000,000 square feet. The Company's head offices are in Vancouver, Canada, being mainly responsible for group strategy sales, product planning, and product R&D. http://www.edifier.com

Media Contact UK
Kathryn Lamb
KL Associates
Telephone: 01327 844880
Fax: 01327 843308
Email: Kathryn@klassociates.com

Thursday 19 February 2009

Ricoh announces the CXI

New Smooth Imaging Engine IV+CMOS sensor

Tokyo, Japan, February 19, 2009—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the release of the CX1. The CX1 features the highly evolved image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine IV together with a CMOS sensor that enables high-speed image processing. For maximum enhancement of image beauty, the CX1 has the imaging power to brilliantly isolate one instant in time, and for high-sensitivity shooting it achieves sharp resolution and noise reduction without compromising colour reproduction. The CX1's expanded dynamic range of 12 EV equivalent makes it possible to capture high-contrast scenes in a way not possible with earlier models.

With the new image processing engine Smooth Imagine Engine IV and a new high-speed image processing CMOS sensor installed, the CX1 achieves greater image quality while at the same time expanding dynamic range with its Dynamic Range Double Shot Mode that shoots two still images with different exposures, and then records an image that combines the properly exposed portions of each image. With the new enhanced continuous shooting function, the CX1 shoots at 120 images (120 frames/sec.)

In addition, functions such as Multi-Pattern Auto White Balance (sets white balance based on the light sources of segregated areas of the image) and Multi-Target AF (shoots consecutive images at seven focal distances automatically defined by the camera) enable the new CX1 to create beautiful images giving an almost naked-eye impression.

This is a digital camera that takes the design concept "A tool you will want to use every day" to a new level of perfection.

New Features

1. Enhanced high-speed continuous shooting functions - Don't miss the decisive moment.
  • Smooth continuous shooting*. High-speed continuous shooting at approx. 4 frames/sec. *Continuous shooting speed will vary depending on shooting conditions, card type, card condition, etc.
  • Continuous shooting at overwhelming speed. 120 frame/sec. Ultra-high-speed continuous shooting. With ultra-high-speed continuous shooting, the CX1 shoots 120 images (120 frames/sec.) during an interval of about one second after the shutter release button is pushed, or 120 images (60 frames/sec.) during an interval of about two seconds. *Image size is fixed at N640 (VGA). *The consecutively shot images are recorded as a single MP file (a file format with multiple still images in a single file).
  • Don't miss your target. M continuous shooting plus. The M-continuous plus shooting function does continuous shooting that saves the 30 images (30 frames/sec.) taken during the one second or so before the finger is removed from the shutter release button or the 30 images (15 frames/sec.) taken during the two seconds before. By taking your finger from the shutter release just after the decisive moment has passed, you can be sure that you have caught the exact image. *Image size is fixed at N1728 (2M). *The consecutively shot images are recorded as a single MP file (a file format with multiple still images in a single file).
2. Dynamic Range Double Shot Mode - Decisive reduction of overexposure/underexposure. It can be difficult to photograph scenes in which the level of brightness varies greatly. With dynamic range double shot mode, the CX1 shoots, consecutively at high speed, two still images with different exposures, and then it records an image that combines the properly exposed portions of each. Expanding the dynamic range up to a maximum equivalent to 12 EV makes it possible to record images that give an almost naked-eye impression. You can select the expansion effect from 4 types, Very Weak, Weak, Medium and Strong on the menu.

3. Multi-Pattern Auto White Balance - A dramatic transformation for people photography.
For scenes with both sunlight and shadow and scenes mixing flash and natural light (or fluorescent light, etc.) during flash photography, this function can define white balance to fit the light source of each segregated area of the image. This new capability is very powerful for people photography in scenes which could not be adequately handled by past auto white balance functions, which used an average setting for the entire image.

The new image processing engine (SIE IV) has a specialized circuit that analyzes the image broken down into 32x27 areas. The white balance correction factor is defined for the light source of each area. This makes it possible to do white balancing correction for multiple light sources.

4. Multi-Target Auto Focus - Shoot seven images with different focal distances.
Multi-target AF does high-speed consecutive shooting of seven images with different focal distances determined by the camera. It is effective for scenes (such as flowers) where there is a narrow range for a sharp focus. The camera automatically decides the seven focus points and does the high-speed consecutive shooting of seven images while shifting the focus to each point. After shooting, you can select the image with the preferred focus.

5. Smooth Imaging Engine IV+CMOS sensor - superb image quality.
The CX1 features the highly evolved image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine IV together with a CMOS sensor that enables high-speed image processing. For maximum enhancement of image beauty, the CX1 has the imaging power to brilliantly isolate one instant in time, and for high-sensitivity shooting it achieves sharp resolution and noise reduction without compromising colour reproduction.

6. Pixel output interpolation algorithm
The addition of a customized circuit to the image processing engine has made it possible to include a pixel output interpolation algorithm that minimizes whiteout in high-contrast situations, thereby enabling you to faithfully capture the excitement seen by your eyes. With techniques that use R (red) and B (blue) information to interpolate G (green) information (which is prone to saturation), the CX1 expands dynamic range by up to +1 EV over previous method.

Price and Availability
The CX1 will be available at SRP £299.inc VAT from 13th March – pre-orders will be taken prior to this date. For further sales information, please contact Ricoh on 0208 261 4031

Media Contact
Kathryn Lamb
Email: kathryn@klassociates.com
Telephone: 01327 844880

Contact Information
  • Ricoh UK LTD. (PMMC UK): Ricoh House, 1 Plane Tree Crescent, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 7HG, United Kingdom
  • Media Contact UK: KL Associates, 5 Hall Drive, Long Buckby, Northants NN6 7QU, United Kingdom