GW-153

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J@pan Inc Magazine Presents:
G A D G E T W A T C H
The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan
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Issue No. 153
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
(Long URLs may break across two lines, so copy to your browser.)

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Name: Canon IXY DV M3 KIT
Category: Digital video camera
Price: Open. 123,800 yen according to Bic Camera.
Release date in Japan: mid-July.

The Gist: The IXY DV M3 KIT is an updated version of the DV M2 KIT, which
hit the shelves way back in September 2003. An ultra mini-10x Canon zoom
lens has made the new model a good deal smaller -- a mere 53mm wide,
107mm high and 101mm deep. It can record 90 consecutive minutes when
using a viewfinder and 75 minutes when using an LCD monitor. Users can
also print digital images by simply pushing the "Easy Direct Button,"
provided they have a printer compatible with the PictBridge standard.
Canon expects worldwide sales of digital video cameras to have increased
35 percent to 8.62 million units last year, and to reach a
whopping 10 million units this year.

More info:
http://cweb.canon.jp/newsrelease/2004-06/pr_ixydvm3.html

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Name: Canon CP-330
Category: Compact photo printer
Price: Open. 31,290 yen according to Bic Camera.
Release date in Japan: mid-July.

The Gist: The CP-330 can print photos taken by mobile phones
via microwave communication, a function that the current CP-300 model
doesn't have. The CP-330 can also produce massive photos: 100 x 200mm
wide. The CP-330 is compatible with the PictBridge standard -- one of
the most common today -- so it can print from digital cameras
digital video cameras made by a variety of other makers. Photo
resolution is 300 x 300dpi, and the camera itself measures 170mm wide,
123mm deep and 55mm high.

More info:
http://cweb.canon.jp/newsrelease/2004-06/pr_pss60.html

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Name: Panasonic NV-GS400K
Category: Digital Video Camera
Price: Open. 165,900 yen according to Bic Camera.
Release date in Japan: July 20.

The Gist: The NV-GS400K produces 4-megapixel still images -- the highest
quality available worldwide, according to Panasonic's Web site. It has
three CCDs (semiconductors that digitize picture images), one for
capturing red light, one for green and one for blue. The NV-GS400K also
has a function to correct blurriness caused by shaky camera hands.
The NV-GS400K can take still photos of 1.2-megapixels while recording
moving images -- making it the first video camera in the world to
perform both tasks at once. It also has "Professional Cinema Mode,"
"Smooth Color Night View," "Beautiful Skin Mode" and other customized
features. It stores images on SD memory cards.

More info:
http://matsushita.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/jn040615-1/jn04...

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Subscribers: 6,004 as of July 20, 2004

STAFF
Written by: Minoru Matsutani
Edited by: J@pan Inc editors (editors@japaninc.com)

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