Nikon Coolpix AW110 and S31 deliver ruggedized shooting at vastly different price points

Nikon Coolpix AW110 and S31 deliver ruggedized shooting at vastly different price points

Looking to snap some frames from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam? Nikon’s got you covered, with a pair of ruggedized point-and-shoots. The high-end model here, dubbed the Coolpix AW110, will set you back a whopping 350 bucks, while the S31 will run you about $120. Clearly, you’ll be making some compromises if opting for the (significantly) lower-priced model. The AW110 sports waterproofing to depths of 60 feet, compared to 16.5 feet for the less-ambitious S31 — the former will work just fine at many scuba depths, while the other model should have you covered for casual snorkeling expeditions.

That $350 price tag will also net you built-in WiFi and GPS, a 3-inch OLED display, 1/2.3-inch 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and a 5x (28-140mm), f/3.9-4.8 optical zoom lens. The $120 S31, however, includes the same sensor as its predecessor, the S30, with a 1/2.9-inch 10-megapixel CCD. It also includes a 2.7-inch LCD and it can sustain drops from up to 3.6 feet (compared to 6.6 feet for the AW110). It does include a rechargeable battery, however, while the previous-generation model required AAs. Both cameras will hit stores at the end of February, with the AW110 available in black, blue, camouflage and orange, and the S31 shipping in blue, brown, pink, white and pink. Catch a few more details in the press release after the break.

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THE NEW FAMILY-FRIENDLY NIKON COOLPIX S31 AND THE ACTION-ORIENTED COOLPIX AW110 ARE READY TO TAKE ON LIFE’S ADVENTURES

MELVILLE, N.Y. (January 28, 2013) – Today, Nikon Inc. introduced both the COOLPIX AW110 and COOLPIX S31, two innovative yet durable compact cameras for those who want to preserve every fun and action-packed moment as well as share them with friends and family. Waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof1, the rugged AW110 is built to handle the elements, whether hiking up a mountain, hitting the slopes or riding the surf. Nikon’s newest tough camera also offers built-in Wi-Fi(R) connectivity2 for sharing, Full HD 1080p video capabilities and a slew of advanced features that adventurers covet, including GPS and underwater shooting modes. The COOLPIX S31 provides the reliability that allows every member of the family to preserve their own special memories. Complete with fun shooting modes and a simple yet intuitive user interface, the resilient S31 is a family camera that can be confidently carried to the pool or around the jungle gym.

“The COOLPIX AW110 and COOLPIX S31 are exciting new additions to the COOLPIX camera lineup; both are uniquely designed to complement the needs of different consumers. The COOLPIX AW110 is designed to cater to outdoor enthusiasts who need a camera that can keep up with their active lifestyle, while the COOLPIX S31’s easy-to-use interface is great for family members young and old who seek to capture lasting memories,” said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. “Whether conquering your desire for exploration while snorkeling or simply capturing a family day at the park, Nikon’s newest cameras offer the performance, features and image quality users have come to expect from the COOLPIX line.”

The Nikon COOLPIX AW110: Durable Performance for the Outdoor Adventurer
The COOLPIX AW110 is the ultimate point-and-shoot camera for the outdoor enthusiast that demands exceptional image quality and sharp, clear HD video from a compact body. Ready for the toughest conditions, this rugged camera sports a fun and innovative feature set designed to capture, preserve and share every moment of a user’s active lifestyle. Waterproof (up to 59 feet), shockproof (up to 6.7 feet) and freezeproof (down to 14° F), the AW110 is a versatile and feature-rich companion, above and below sea level. GPS technology is also enabled, allowing a traveler to track his or her adventure from beginning to end, down to the exact longitude and latitude where an image or video is captured. The COOLPIX AW110 also features built-in Wi-Fi(R) connectivity2, allowing the image data transfer of any outdoor adventure to compatible smart devices for upload to social networking services or sharing with friends and family through the Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility2 application. Wireless remote camera control is also possible using a compatible smartphone or tablet when using the application.

Beneath its rugged exterior, the AW110 features a 16-megapixel backside illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor that helps create sharp, beautiful images and HD video even in challenging lighting conditions. The camera also has a NIKKOR 5x optical zoom lens with lens-shift Vibration Reduction (VR) that allows the photographer to get close up to a subject from a distance, as well as the ability to record Full HD (1080p) movies with stereo sound. The COOLPIX AW110 features a 3-inch, OLED display for easy menu access and precise image preview, alongside an intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) that makes it easy to navigate several fun and intelligent shooting modes, including Easy Auto Mode and the Smart Portrait System, while Special Effects can be easily applied to still images and HD video.

The Nikon COOLPIX S31: Every Family Member Can Capture Beautiful Images, Worry Free
Ready for every precious family moment, the 10.1-megapixel COOLPIX S31 allows every family member young and old to capture beautiful photos with ease, whether on vacation or at the pool. Housed in a compact, durable body that is waterproof (up to 16.5 feet), shockproof (up to 3.6 feet) and dustproof1, this point-and-shoot takes the worry out of photography regardless of the setting or situation. Clear and precise images or HD video are made possible with the help of a 3x optical zoom (29-87mm equivalent) NIKKOR lens, and a dedicated video record button creates an effortless transition from stills to video.

A 2.7-inch LCD display supports an enhanced easy and intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) that allows for simple navigation and several shooting and playback modes designed to make photography simple and fun when using the S31. The camera allows the user to instantly show off his or her favorite family moments using unique playback options including in-camera slide shows and photo albums. Image editing and playback filter effects can also be applied to both stills and video, offering the opportunity to add a personal touch to every family memory. The COOLPIX S31 features functions that make shooting simpler than ever before.

Pricing and Availability:
The COOLPIX AW110 will be available in Orange, Black, Camouflage and Blue in February 2013 for a suggested retail price of $349.95*. The COOLPIX S31 will be available in White, Blue, Pink, Brown and Yellow, also in February 2013, for a suggested retail price of $119.95*.

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Panasonic’s new Lumix and camcorder lineup arrives at CES

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Panasonic may not have dedicated much time to its 2013 Lumix and WiFi camcorder lineup in its CES 2013 press conference, but we’re going to break it down for you.

  • The HC-X920, HC-V720 and HC-V520 comes with built-in Wifi, a level shot function and real-time broadcasting, letting you relay the images straight to a smartphone.
  • The HC-V210 and V210M have 72x optical zoom, optical image stabilization and a F/1.8 lens.

On the Lumix side, it’s announcing the Lumix DMC-TS5, a ruggedized model with a 16.1 megapixel sensor that can dive to depths of 43 feet and is shockproof from a height of 6.6 feet.

  • The LZ30 bridge camera has a 35x optical zoom and a 35mm lens
  • The XS1 has a 14mm thick body and a 14.-4 megapixel sensor.
  • The ZS30 has an 18.1-megapixel sensor, 20x optical Zoom and integrated WiFi and NFC.

The company is also shuttling out a GoPro rival in the form of the HX-A100 wearable HD camcorder, which we’ll try to get our greasy mitts upon to show you more.

Continue reading Panasonic’s new Lumix and camcorder lineup arrives at CES

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Panasonic outs new Toughbook C2 running on Windows 8 Pro

Panasonic introduced last Friday in the US its new 12.5″ convertible with the Toughbook C2. Designed for professional the new C2 comes by default with Windows 8 Pro, a nice 5-point capacitive multi-touch 12.5″ 500 nit LCD IPS display, 4GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5-3427U vPro CPU, USB 3.0, WiFi, Bleutooth, LTE or 3G and a battery life announced for 11h! The Panasonic Toughbook C2 is available this December from authorized Panasonic resellers starting at $2949. The Toughbook C2 …

Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949

Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949

The Wire’s Lester Freamon was never too far away from his Panasonic Toughbook, and we’d bet he’d be able to handle plenty more wiretaps with one of these. This is the Toughbook C2, the company’s latest 12.5-inch convertible notebook for Windows 8 Pro that’s designed for healthcare professionals and daring explorer types. On the hardware side, there’s an Intel Core i5-3427U vPro CPU, 11 hours of battery life and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. You’ll be staring into a 500 nit, LCD IPS display (and a 720p webcam) that offers five-point multitouch and a digitizer so you can scrawl down your notes with a stylus. Connectivity options include 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth and a choice of either LTE or Gobi global 3G. As you might have guessed from the name, it’ll withstand a 30-inch drop and can take up to six ounces of freshly-brewed coffee being spilled over its magnesium alloy body. The Toughbook C2 starts shipping from December, with the base model setting you, and the Baltimore PD, back $2,949 with a three-year warranty.

Continue reading Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949

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Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honeywell unveils Dolphin 70e Black: a ruggedized smartphone that can take a wallop

Honeywell unveils Dolphin 70e Black: a ruggedized smartphone that can take a wallop

Honeywell’s pulled back the curtains on its Dolphin 70e Black smartphone for folks in jobs where hardware needs to endure some rough and tumble. Pricing or detailed specs weren’t revealed, but the handset packs a 4.4-inch capacitive touch screen, an area-imaging scanner, up to 12 hours of battery life, weighs in at 7 ounces and measures up at 0.75-inches thick. Boasting an IP67 rating on its resume, the phone is dust-proof and can survive a dunk in water. When the ruggedized device ships in February, it’ll come pre-loaded with your choice of unspecified versions of Windows or Android.

Continue reading Honeywell unveils Dolphin 70e Black: a ruggedized smartphone that can take a wallop

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Honeywell unveils Dolphin 70e Black: a ruggedized smartphone that can take a wallop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alcatel One Touch Shockwave reaches US Cellular, takes your bumps and scrapes for $50

Alcatel One Touch Shockwave reaches US Cellular, takes your bumps and scrapes for $50

Those of us picking budget smartphones in the US seldom have the choice of a toughened smartphone, and it’s even more of a challenge when we’re not signed on to one of the top four carriers. US Cellular is offering the cost-conscious a (hardened) olive branch by shipping the Alcatel One Touch Shockwave. Skip past the creaky Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera and 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 display — a shock- and water-resistant shell as well as Dragontrail-based glass should keep the smartphone working through most forms of casual abuse. We also don’t mind having preloaded Amazon Appstore and media apps, although the frugal 2GB microSD card in the box won’t leave much room for any downloading. We’d at least keep the Shockwave on the short list when the $50 price and long-lasting design will leave ample funds for just about everything else.

Continue reading Alcatel One Touch Shockwave reaches US Cellular, takes your bumps and scrapes for $50

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Alcatel One Touch Shockwave reaches US Cellular, takes your bumps and scrapes for $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bell may get Samsung Galaxy Rugby LTE on November 1st, give Canadians rough and tumble 4G

Bell poised to get Samsung Galaxy Rugby LTE on November 1st, give Canadians rough and tumble 4G

Americans won’t get to keep the Galaxy Rugby Pro all to themselves. As long as internal documents gleaned by MobileSyrup prove true, Bell should be carrying Samsung’s ruggedized 4G phone as the Galaxy Rugby LTE on November 1st. Other than the name change, it’s likely to be a match for the AT&T version down to the very wide frequency support we saw at the FCC, when it appeared as the SGH-i547. You’re looking at a modest 4-inch screen, 768MB of RAM and 5-megapixel rear camera, but also a quick 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.0 and that dust- and waterproof body. Pricing is an unknown, although the partly toned-down features imply that the Galaxy Rugby LTE will skew well below the $160 contract price for a Galaxy S III on Bell’s network.

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Bell may get Samsung Galaxy Rugby LTE on November 1st, give Canadians rough and tumble 4G originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic releases the Toughbook SX2, a laptop that’ll take no prisoners at the quarterly conference

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If you’re in the market for a laptop that won’t buckle if you start flinging it across the room, Ballmer-style, then Panasonic’s “business ruggedized” Toughbook SX2 might be for you. Resembling one of the company’s Let’s Note units, the 12.1-inch unit boasts of a difficult-to-believe 14.5 hours of battery life, a slim yet sturdy magnesium alloy body and a 3.3 GHz Intel Core i5-3320M Turbo-boosted CPU. It’ll arrive later this month, with the base model making a $2,649 sized hole in your company’s procurement budget — and if you’d like to know more, there’s the obligatory hairy-chested press release after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic releases the Toughbook SX2, a laptop that’ll take no prisoners at the quarterly conference

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Panasonic releases the Toughbook SX2, a laptop that’ll take no prisoners at the quarterly conference originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Polaroid XS7, XS20 and XS100 Sports Cameras run $69 and up, we snap away at Photokina (sample video)

Polaroid may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of adventure-friendly video cams — Contour and GoPro own that space, with Sony now making a heavy push of its own — but the insta-film maker turned camera manufacturer now has a rugged lineup of its own. First off the assembly line is the XS7, a $69 cam that packs a waterproof housing (rated to 10 meters), 720p video capture and a 2-inch touchscreen. This model is as entry level as they come, and Polaroid reps said to expect to see it in stores like Toys ‘R’ Us. If you’re slightly more serious about image quality, you might opt for the XS20, which packs a “professional” CMOS sensor, 720p shooting, a waterproof housing (20 meters) and a battery that’s rated for up to 3 hours of use. It also includes a fixed lens with a 120-degree viewing angle that’s surrounded by eight LCDs, for shooting in the dark. Finally, The XS100 is what you might consider to be Polaroid’s flagship, with support for 1080p video, an adjustable frame rate, a 170-degree lens, an orientation sensor for auto rotation and a $200 price tag. All three cameras use microSD cards, but the XS100 also includes 32MB of internal storage, letting you store a small collection of 5-megapixel stills.

The sports-shooting trio may not blow you away spec-wise, and we also weren’t floored by the design, but they weren’t created to lead the market from a performance perspective — Polaroid is playing up the cost angle here, and we don’t blame them. Based on our quick test of the XS7, image quality was passable, but you’re not going to want to use it for close-up shots as we did here. Even with the underwater housing removed, frames were either under or overexposed, generally unsharp and audio wasn’t terribly clear. It’s worth noting that we played with a pre-production sample, that’ll run you just shy of $70 when it does hit stores. That said, if quality is key and you don’t mind dropping a few hundred bucks, you’ll probably be happier with a more established model. Because we’re at a photo show and Polaroid was generous enough to let us take the XS7 for a spin, we figured there’s no better way to demonstrate this camera’s capabilities by using it to film our hands-on — you’ll find that video tour just past the break.

Continue reading Polaroid XS7, XS20 and XS100 Sports Cameras run $69 and up, we snap away at Photokina (sample video)

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Polaroid XS7, XS20 and XS100 Sports Cameras run $69 and up, we snap away at Photokina (sample video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia details new ruggedized shells for Lumia 820

Nokia details new ruggedized shells for Lumia 820

Nokia’s Lumia 820 was firmly stuck in the Lumia 920’s shadow — in fact it barely figured in Nokia’s big presentation. But one thing it holds over its bigger, publicity-hungry brother is the ability to switch covers, so while the 820 won’t get its wireless charging built-in, a specific case can add the same functionality. Well, we knew that already, but Nokia’s now revealed the phone’s own range of dedicated ruggedized cases. These covers, arriving in green, yellow and orange, will measure in at the same length and width as the others, but will protrude marginally more, offering some protection to that 4.3-inch screen when it comes into contact with surfaces. A “rubber-like” trim will afford some extra protection to those glossy corners too. Expect the toughened cases to appear alongside the Lumia 820 at launch — whenever that is.

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Nokia details new ruggedized shells for Lumia 820 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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