Take that shot anywhere

Now available in the Middle East are the Sanyo VPC-WH1, the world’s first waterproof camcorder with 30x zoom camera, and the Sanyo VPC-CA9, the world’s first waterproof high-definition (HD) dual camera. The microphone and speaker parts in these waterproof cameras are covered with a porous sheet, which allows sound, but not water, to pass through.

The VPC-WH1 features a compact design, an easy-to-use interface, and comes fully loaded with a 30x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, 2-megapixel sequential shot system, 1280 x 720p HD video (30 fps) capability and battery life of up to 200 minutes. The camcorder also features an HDMI output and a pre-installed 12-face detection scanner.

Sanyo’s VPC-CA9 can capture 9-megapixel images and can deliver 720p HD-quality videos. The device is ergonomically designed to allow maximum usability. It has an optical 5x zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor and is pre-installed with a high-speed sequential shot system and a face detection-scanning program.

Listen here!

Dolby Laboratories will offer a limited beta release of its new Dolby Axon desktop client software that brings surround sound voice technology to a chat room environment. Both in game and out, the software will enable gamers to naturally discern who is talking by the direction of the voice, and moreover, selectively listen to one of many conversations by focusing attention in a particular direction.

The surround sound software minimizes the sensation that all voices seem to come from the same location. The new software is well-suited for chat room features in online multiplayer games, and has an easy-to-use graphical interface that allows users to interact in visual chat rooms. Register for the beta release at http://axon.dolby.com

Not lost in translation

Transatlantic Translations is offering LangCommLingo, an on demand interpreting service designed with the traveler in mind. LangCommLingo provides interpreting assistance through the telephone, enabling anyone, anywhere, to communicate instantly with a person who does not have a working knowledge of English.

Customers have the choice of two tariffs — European Languages or Worldwide Languages — and subscribe through www.LangCommLingo.com for the most appropriate solution based on their travel plans. There is an additional set “per minute” cost, irrespective of the language or the time of day, when the services of an interpreter are actually being used. LangCommLingo charges the customer’s credit card directly for these minutes. Customers are able to be connected with an interpreter instantly over the telephone by dialing either a US or UK based phone number. LangCommLingo’s service can be accessed via a fixed telephone, cell phone or VoIP. Depending on the situation, the interpreter can be heard via the phone’s speaker, or via a 3-way connection in a remote situation.

VoIP marries social media

The Grandstream Networks GXV3140 IP Multimedia Phone is a broadband IP multimedia phone that marries Web and social multimedia applications with free, real-time IP video and voice calling over a high speed Internet connection. The GXV3140 allows its users to harness the power and cost-effectiveness of Voice-and-Video-over-Internet-Protocol (VVoIP) to make free video calls worldwide. In addition, the always-on GXV3140 comes with an integrated web browser giving users one-touch access to personalized RSS feeds of real-time online information services, thousands of Internet radio stations, social networking sites and popular streaming Internet entertainment sites such as YouTube.

The GXV3140 won the Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) 2009 Innovation and Next Generation Network Product of the Year Award. The IP Multimedia Phone is available through Grandstream’s worldwide channel partners, retailing for $299.