Also: Qosmio notebooks get new Media Center software; Sharp launches new ultraportable
Sony last week launched its DVDirect device (Model VRD-VC10), which lets users transfer video from a camcorder or a videotape from a VCR and burn it onto a DVD without connecting to a PC. The DVDirect device will ship in November for about $300, Sony says.
The system can burn up to 12 hours of MPEG-2 video onto a compatible, double-layer DVD+R DL disc, or up to six hours onto a standard, single-layer DVD+R or DVD+RW disc, Sony says. The system can connect to a PC via a USB 2.0 connection if users want to do additional DVD authoring, through bundled software; or to create data, music, CDs or other video DVDs. But if users just want to transfer videotapes or camcorder recordings to discs without having to use a separate capture card or computer, they can with the DVDirect unit.
The device connects to a video source through composite cables or an S-video cable.
Qosmio notebooks get new Media Center software
Toshiba’s Digital Products Division last week launched new models in its Qosmio line of multimedia notebooks, which now includes the Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (also launched last week). The Qosmio G15-AV501 (about $3,000) and F15-AV201 (about $2,600) combine consumer electronics features such as DVD player, personal video recorder, TV tuner, stereo and computer into one device. The AV501 includes a 17-inch widescreen display, and the AV201 includes a 15.4-inch widescreen display.
The notebooks have increased hard disk space (up to 100G bytes through a 60G- and 40G-byte drive) and integrated Harman/Kardon speakers that include SRS Wow and TruSurround XT technology, Toshiba says. The systems also can play DVDs or CDs, or display television programming without a user having to boot up the notebook.
On the computing side, the notebooks include a 1.8-GHz Pentium M Processor 745, 512M bytes of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5700 graphics card with 128M bytes of memory, and integrated 802.11g wireless LAN connectivity. Other features include four USB 2.0 ports, i.Link (IEEE 1394) port, 10/100M bit/sec Ethernet and a V.92 modem interface. A Bridge Media Adapter can read memory cards, including Secure Digital, Memory Stick (and Pro), MultiMedia Card and xD-Picture cards.
Sharp launches new ultraportable
Sharp Systems last week launched the newest version of its Actius notebook computer line, the MP30. The successor to the company’s MM20 notebook, the MP30 adds multimedia features while keeping the thin and light form. The notebook costs about $1,900 and is available through Sharp’s Web site.
The notebook uses the Transmetta Efficeon TM800 (1.6-GHz) processor, weighs 2.8 pounds, and has a 1-inch-thick profile. It includes a 32M-byte graphics card (the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500), and has a built-in CD-RW/DVD combination drive. The MP30 includes 802.11g wireless LAN connectivity, a 40G-byte hard drive, a 10.4-inch LCD (supports 1,024-by-768-pixel XGA resolution), and offers about 4.6 hours of battery life.
The notebook also can be attached to a desktop computer and act like an external hard drive through Sharp’s DirectHD technology. This can make switching files between the notebook and another computer as easy as dragging and dropping files between the MP30 and another system.
