ASUS Eee Box EB1007

ASUS has quietly added a new entry nettop to its mix. The Eee Box EB1007 carries a 1.66GHz Atom desktop processor using Intel's newer Pine Trail platform but, stepping below the EB1501, just uses Intel's integrated graphics. It still carries 802.11n Wi-Fi and the usual complement of expansion, although the simpler graphics limit it to VGA for video output.

Just one trim level is available so far and carries 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and Windows XP. Pricing and a US ship date haven't been mentioned, but the system is likely to cost closer to $300 than $400 given the pricing of ASUS' netbooks.

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Sony water-resistant Walkmans

Sony  introduced two new Walkman series portable media devices, including the water-resistant W250 and entry-level B150. The former can be had in 2GB or 4GB capacities and can even be worn in the shower or during a workout. The B150s can be had in the same capacities, and both share features, including ZAPPIN technology that plays a short sample of each song to let listeners pick based on audio cues.

The W250 has no display, while the B150 gets a 3-line LCD screen. An FM radio with a voice and FM recorder is built into the B150.

The devices can also be charged to provide 90 minutes of listening time in just three minutes, while a fully charged battery will endow the W250 with up to 11 hours of listening time. The B150 can last as long as 18 hours on a full charge.

The W250 will ship in late May in Europe. Available colors will include white, black, green and pink. The B150 can be had in black, blue, pink and red, with shipments starting in June in Europe, though pricing has not been revealed.

The W250 will arrive in North America before month's end, priced at $60 and only available in the 2GB capacity. There is no word on a North American launch for the B150.

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Panasonic Micro Four Thirds pro camcorder

Panasonic took an uncommon turn in its pro video cam lineup tonight by launching the first-ever Micro Four Thirds camcorder. The AG-AF100 uses the mirrorless capturing but SLR-sized sensor to shoot 1080p30 video with the same depth of field and wide angles as a 35mm film camera but in a much smaller size than either film or most digital cameras. Choosing MFT provides an extra perk for optics: movie makers still have the option of interchangeable lenses, including adapters to use lenses from Leica or even rivals like Canon and Nikon.

Unlike the home-oriented Lumix G2, the AF100 packs pro input and output with HD-SDI for relaying uncompressed video and two XLR inputs that can generate Dolby AC3-ready audio. Its sensor isn't a direct echo of the still-oriented MFT range and shoots natively in a cinema-friendly 16:9 ratio. Video is captured directly to AVCHD at up to the spec's maximum 24Mbps bitrate and allows for 60FPS shooting at either 1080i or 720p. Equally new to the camera format are timecodes on video and dual SDXC slots that, combined, can handle at least 128GB of total storage and more as larger memory cards ship.

As with many of its more recent introductions, Panasonic isn't supplying a price and has only said that the AF100 will ship before the end of 2010. Costs are likely to be relatively low as the company is aiming the camera at "independent filmmakers" and others with tight budgets.

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