Press Release: Samsung Introduces High Performance Platform for Camcorders

Samsung’s new platform significantly enhances the video quality, recording times and the battery life of its camcorders

Seoul, Korea, July 31, 2008 ? Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announces the new platform with high video quality and high performance for camcorders as well as other mobile devices such as personal navigation devices (PNDs), portable multimedia players (PMPs) and portable DVD players.

“With its best-in-class semi-conductor chips and image processing technology, Samsung’s new platform offers high video quality, longer recording times and low power consumption for camcorders.” said Sang Ryong Kim, senior vice president of Camcorder Business Team, Samsung Electronics. “With the new powerful features Samsung is able to secure a competitive edge in the global market by providing variety of camcorders that meet customer’s demands.”



The new platform is the first to apply H.264 CODEC to SD camcorders. Supporting multi-CODEC from MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 to H.264, the platform improves recording times and video quality by more than doubling the high compression ratio.
Focusing on high video quality, Samsung’s new platform features advanced face detection technology that automatically detects faces and optimizes the diaphragm and focus of the camcorders.

In addition to face detection technology, the platform is packed with powerful technologies such as 3-D noise reduction algorithm for smooth video, Samsung’s own edge filter for stunning video details and clarity, and the color control technology for the original and natural colors.


Samsung’s new platform enhances the compatibility for camcorder users with ease. The platform allows consumers to easily get their memories from camcorders to multi-media devices such as MP3 players and PMPs supporting H.264 format - without having to transcode the files.


Designed and manufactured using 65-nanometer process technology on an ARM11 core, the new platform enhances camcorder’s performance and reliability significantly. By integrating its seven sub-chips including LCD controller and video encoder into one powerful chip, the power consumption level has been exceptionally lowered from 1.1 watts to 0.4 watts so that Samsung camcorders have almost twice the battery life.


Samsung’s MX-20 camcorder with the new platform featuring higher video quality, longer recording times and superb battery life will be available in August.

# # #

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of four main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Review by VideoEmotion: Samsung SC-HMX20C

The VIDEO EMOTION magazine which is a professional A/V magazine in Netherlands reviewed Samsung's SC-HMX20C full HD camcorder. It has been tested in various areas and had a good reputation.

In case of magazines in Europe, the way of testing AV devices is so difficult. Although the products are famous brands, every details of the product functions can not escape from the testers.

In such hard circumstances, SC-HMX10C received good result in the image quality as well as internal flash memory, design, memory compatibility, etc.

Here is the translation of the results, and Pros & Cons.

Test results Samsung HMX-20c (from 0 __ 10):

- Performance & Styling: 9
- Ease of use: 9
- Image quality: 10
- Sound quality: 8
- Possibilities: 9
- Automatic functions: 9
- Price/Quality: 9

Pro
- Internal flash memory
- To extend with memory card
- Compact design

Disadvantage
- None

For the reference, followings are the scans of the review from the VideoEmotion magazine.

Review by GOITWORLD: Samsung YP-U4 - “Litmus” MP3 Player Product Review

It has been a while since YP-U3, the last “U” series of Samsung’s MP3 player, was launched last year. Now, YP-U4 is on the market. The concept of this model is “Litmus”. The color is purple and the color gradation looks like Spreading Lights. The concept of previous model for “S2” was for Spreading Sound, and “S3” for Spreading Colors. It seems that the concept of new models also evolves. In this review, let me call YP-U4, “Litmus”.

The features of Litmus are very similar to those in U3. However, the appearance is totally different.

Let’s check out the package first.


Gift Package

The gift package is made of transparent plastic and it is as compact as I can cover it by my palm.
Since the Litmus has a built-in sliding USB plug, the USB cable is not necessary.


Specification
To help you understand Litmus, the product specification is described below.

Model name: YP-U4
Battery: 300mAh / DC 3.7V
File support: MPEG1/2/2.5 Layer3 (8Kbps~320Kbps, 8Khz~48KHz)
WMA (48Kbps~192Kbps, 8KHz~48KHz)
OGG (Q0~Q10)
Max. files / folders: 3,000 files / 1,000 folders
Earphone output: 20mW/Ch. (@ 16 ohm)
Output frequency: 40Hz~20KHz
Playback time: 16 hours (@ MP3 128Kbps, Volume 15, Normal sound, LCD off)
Weight: 27.5g
Dimension: 27mm x 83mm x 13mm (H x W x D)


Major Features of Litmus

*** Easy to Use ***
A separate USB cable is not necessary. Charging the battery and data transfer is done at once.

*** Playlists ***
Favorite music files that you often listen to can be collected in a playlist.

*** Various music formats supported ***
MP3, WMA and OGG can be played.

*** Touch buttons ***
By touching the touch button areas by your finger softly, the menu and its features can be controlled easily.

** Long playback & short file transfer ***
With a full charge, up to 16 hours can be played continuously. And the USB 2.0 allows a fast file transfer between the PC and Litmus.

*** 3D sound effect ***
DNSe (Digital Natural Sound Engine), which is a Samsung’s own sound effect, provides sufficient sound quality.

*** Slim design ***
Litmus is small and sleek.

*** Datacast ***
Using Media Studio, the PC software provided by Samsung, the registered RSS data from news, blog, UCC, etc. can be transferred and viewed by Litmus.


Practical Earphone

The earphones of Litmus are designed to be fit in human ears. Since the provided sponges cover the earbuds, they keep the earbuds stay firmly in my ears and keep the sound quality good.

The splitter between two earphone lines is also a useful component and prevents the lines from being entangled.


Simple Design and Slide-Out USB Plug

Litmus looks so simple. Unlike Samsung’s other MP3 players, Litmus does not use the 24-pin plug for charging and data transfer. Only the built-in USB plug does two functions at once, charging the battery, and transferring the data. The USB unit slides out and in very smoothly.

There are only a few physical buttons used for power on/off, hold and record. All other buttons are hidden but operated only by touching the appropriate location on the touch pad next to the LCD. The touch pad is a good feature. But the touch pad is so sensitive. Since the player is small, I sometimes miss-operate the buttons. I had to spend a while to adjust myself to the touch pad.


Easy-to-Use User Interface and Graphics

There are only 6 touch buttons on the touch pad. The six buttons are enough to browse, navigate and control all the functions easily.

Pressing the return arrow symbol on the touch pad, one of the top menus is displayed. The menus are Music, FM Radio, Voice Recoding, Datacasts, File Brower and Settings.

Three LEDs are lit for a while when a touch button is applied. The LED lights should be one of the reasons that caused to name the YP-U4 player to Litmus. The design of Litmus looks gorgeous.


Enhanced Sound Quality

DNSe is a 3D sound effect that Samsung developed for MP3 players. I could easily distinguish various sound effects provided by Litmus including DNSe. The provided earphones with 20mW and 16Ω also helped enjoying the sound quality.


Voice Recording and FM Radio Recording
The FM recording feature is another useful one. While listening to an FM radio, I could record favorite music or interesting stories by touching the Record button simply. The recorded quality seemed to be better than the original sound. The voice recording feature is also useful during a conference and when recording a lecture at school.


Datacast Support
Datacast should be a very useful feature. Unfortunately, I could not transfer Datacast data to Litmus using Samsung Media Studio. There must be some problems with the Media Studio and my Litmus. I am sorry I could not specifically explain about the Datacast feature.


Pros
Good design, nice color gradation, simple design
Good FM radio recording quality
Good voice recording quality
The LEDs make the Litmus look alive.
Convenient built-in USB plug


Cons
Touch pad is so sensitive.
The LCD looks a little small.

In conclusion, the features of Litmus are quite similar to U3. But the design and appearance have been changed a lot. Still, Litmus is compact and easy to use. In general, I am quite satisfied with Litmus.

Thank you!

Reviewed by Sean.
Date: July 27, 2008

Review by PCMag.com: Samsung YP-S2 "Pebble"

The PCMAG.COM has reviewed Samsung's YP-S2, the Pebble as bellow:

Samsung YP-S2
REVIEW DATE: 07.17.08


** SPEC DATA **
Radio: No
Recording, Voice: No
Recording, Line In: No
Video Recording: No
Music Playback Formats: MP3, OGG, WMA
Audio Battery Life: 9.5 Hr
Storage Capacity: 1 GB
Dimensions: 1.62 x 1.66 x 0.65 inches
Weight: 7.68 oz

** BOTTOM LINE**

Awfully similar to Creative's ZEN Stone in looks, price, and performance, the Samsung YP-S2 is an excellent alternative to the iPod shuffle.

** PROS**
Small and lightweight. Cheap. Gym-friendly earphones. Can create playlists on the go.

** CONS **

Earbuds lack bass. Necklace earphone design not for everyone. Cable-free PC connection is awkward.

** REVIEW **
First there was the Creative ZEN Stone, and now we have the "Pebble," Samsung's YP-S2 (also known as the S2). I'm not sure why the inexpensive MP3 player market has adopted geological names, but it's true that both the Stone and the S2 are rock-solid devices. A screenless, diminutive MP3 player, the $39 S2 has 1GB of flash memory and some other laudable features, including a button for editing playlists on the go and gym-friendly earbuds. Is it a fantastic player? Well, it's a cheap player, and it does its simple job well.

At 1.7 by 1.6 by 0.7 inches (HWD) and a pebble-esque 0.5 ounces, the device has smooth contours that call to mind the ZEN Stone. A color-coded light on top of the S2 tells you what the player is up to Blue stands for repeat-all mode, green-to-blue-to-magenta means random, and magenta signifies that the S2 is running through a playlist. The controls are on the bottom panel, with each button serving different functions depending on how long you press it and what mode you're in. Power and play/pause occupy the same button, volume up and down buttons double as add-song-to-playlist controls, and there are skip forward and backward buttons as well.
The S2's earbuds stay in place well enough to qualify as gym-friendly, and the cable has an integrated neck strap, as well as a loop for a lanyard. Not everyone will love the around-the-neck design of the earbuds (they look a bit like a necklace), but you shouldn't have any trouble keeping them in place, whether you're working out or just commuting.

Less convenient is the fact that instead of using a cable, the computer connection is achieved with a small adapter that connects the player's 3.5mm headphone jack to your PC's USB port. Folks with crowded USB areas may not like having it there, since the player may block other ports on your computer while it charges or loads content.

The S2 offers support for WMA, MP3, and OGG files. Though this isn't an overwhelming collection of formats, I am glad to see that the Pebble plays nice with OGG tracks. Of course, the lack of a screen means no photo or video playback—the Pebble is simply a music player.

As befitting a simple music player, creating a playlist is a snap. When you hear a song you want to add to your playlist, press the "+" button (in repeat or random modes) and it's added to the list. Switching to playlist mode immediately starts the device playing tracks you've selected in this way. Obviously, we're not talking about managing a bunch of different playlists here, just one that can be created easily. In other words, it's a handy way to create one subset of your music for one specific mood or purpose, like when you're feeling emo, or for when you need a boost to keep you jogging.

There's not much use in obsessing over this device's audio quality. While the included earbuds don't sound great due to a lack of bass presence, they're a big part of the player's design. Replace them with a better pair and you'll likely lose the ability to wear the S2 around your neck. If you don't mind losing this gym-friendliness, however, the recently released Ultimate Ears Loud Enough and Radius Atomic Bass Earphones are decent $40 'phones.

Don't plan on marathon listening sessions with this player; its battery life is as low as its profile. Samsung itself rates the S2's battery life at a modest 13 hours of playback. My test results were even less impressive. I got 9.5 hours of playback—disappointing, but comparable to the ZEN Stone's roughly 8 hours of playback time.

Which is better, the ZEN Stone or the S2? It depends on what's important to you. If price is the key factor, the ZEN Stone is available for less (as low as $35). But for just a little bit more money, the S2 has its cool button for switching play modes and creating playlists. The S2 looks a little snazzier, too. In any case, either player is a better buy than the 1GB iPod shuffle, which sells for $50 and brings only iTunes-friendliness to the table. If you're not locked into iTunes and need a solid, cheap gym player, the S2 and the ZEN Stone are both very good buys.

The article above is from

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2325907,00.asp

Silver Award by Accelenation.com: Samsung YP-T10

Samsung's YP-T10 has received a Silver award from Accelenation.com. Its article is described below.

Introduction
Samsung has long been a player in the MP3 market along with the likes of companies such as Creative. However, most of these companies have been relatively unsuccessful in breaking into the market the way that Apple has with the iPod. Now with iPods everywhere, Samsung is trying to attract part of this market with the YP-T10, a slim, video-enabled, digital audio player. How does it stack up?

The Test
Let's go through a list of features offered by the YP-T10.

The Samsung YP-T10 comes in various storage capacities, including 2GB, 4GB and 8GB. The 8GB version was the one tested here. It also comes with a small QVGA screen (320 x 240) for the UI and for playing videos.
Some "extra" features from the basic set include support for FM radio, voice recording as well as Bluetooth compatibility.

The rated battery life is 30 hours for audio and 4 hours for video, which is quite impressive for a digital media player. It also takes only 2.5 hours to charge up the battery. Play speed can be adjusted (i.e. increased by several factors) as well as EQ presets (and user adjustments) courtesy of DNSe.

The YP-10's front is finished with a glass plate to give it a sophisticated and clean look. Under the glass panel, you'll find the QVGA screen along with a light up control pad. The control pad dims off when there is no user feedback. The display does not span the whole front of the player and it is not a touch-screen UI, but nevertheless an interesting concept.

The power button is located on the right hand side of the player. You slide and hold that position to turn it on. Upon power up, you'll be greeted by a cartoon dog appropriately named "Sammy". Afterwards, the keypad lights up with the controls and once the music starts playing, the dog starts jumping around on screen.

As previously mentioned, if there is no user input, then both the keyboard light and the screen turn off to conserve the battery.
The UI on the YP-T10 provides the user with many options to adjust. The "Sound Effect" options allow the user to turn on "Street mode" and adjust "Clarity" for a better experience when out and about.

There also a range of DNSe EQ presets such as: Normal, Studio, Rock, Classical, Jazz, Ballad, Club, Rhythm & Blues, Dance, Concert Hall as well as a User mode. The User mode allows adjustments of EQ, bass as well as 3D.

Play speed can be adjusted anywhere from 0.7x to 1.3x although listening to an MP3 at 1.3x speed sounds like the Chipmunks singing.

In terms of audio quality, the default settings with the provided headphones seem to deliver a rich sound that is better in my opinion to the defaults of other audio players I have tested. The bass is acceptable and the 3D effect is fairly apparent.

The touch pad looks nice although sometimes the response lags a bit and because the keys are close together, people with larger fingers might find it hard to press the desired key.
When holding the player in the hand there is the possibility that one of the keys may be pressed accidentally. A useful feature would have been a keypad lock to reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Transferring files to the player is quite easy with the supplied USB 2.0 cable. You treat the player as a storage device in Windows and drag the files directly to it. The player supports MP3 and WMA.

In terms of video support, the formats are limited to mostly WMV (no DiVX). Even so, some WMV files I downloaded didn't seem to play.
Watching the pre-loaded trailers on the screen gave fluid playback, although watching a movie on a 2.5" screen takes some getting used to.

Conclusion

Although a nice concept, the touch pad still needs to be tweaked for better responsiveness. I'd prefer manual buttons versus these controls because on occasion I found it hard to press the right key. The screen is also quite small for watching video. This could be increased but I guess at the expense of battery life.

Overall, the Samsung YP-T10 offers plenty of features, good storage capacity and a reasonable interface all in a small, stylish package. Support for Bluetooth, direct USB file transfer and audio EQ DNSe, give this player a leg up on the competition. The 4GB version of the YP-T10 is available for around $119 Canadian.

Images of SC-MX20 Digital Camera

Samsung released some impages of Sc-MX20 digital camcorder. Followings are the images. Please note that some colors posted here may not available in some countries. You should check your local electronic shop or shopping mall to make sure what colors are available.

Panasonic Camcorder Exploded

It is a misfortune for Panasonic. One of the Panasonic camcorder has exploded in Korea. I found some sites that posted stories about the Panasoic camcorder explosion. The explosion caused by a battery.

The Panasoic camcorder has been purchased in an electronic shop in Korea 4 ~ 5 years ago. Recently, while being charged for 30 minutes, the the battery exploded. There was a huge explosion sound, pieces were all around the floor, and the bed cover was on fire. While putting out the fire, there was another explosion of the battery. Fortunately, the user and his family could put out the fire.

The user reported this fact to the A/S center in Panasonic Korea. Two of the Panasonic employees visited the user's home and examined the exploded battery. Theny mentioned that the battery was not the orignial one. It was made in China which did not guarantee the quality.

Although "For Panasonic" was written on the exploded battery, Panasonic Korea did not want to be responsible for the explosion because the battery was not original.

The user replied "Although the battery is not original, the battery used the 'Panasonic' name. Then, Panasonic should have followed up to find illegal factories that manufactured such batteries and should have done not to allow them to sell thoes batteries."

As I am one of the consumers, we should be more cautious when purchasing products whether it is officially imported or not in order to get the warrantee.

The "For Panasonic" was written on the battery. Who can distinguish if this is original or not?

Exploded battery

Burned blanket

Followings are the sites that posted the Panasonic explosion stories.

http://sports.chosun.com/news/ntype2.htm?ut=1&name=/news/life/200807/20080711/87k76101.htm

http://www.consumernews.co.kr/news/view.html?gid=main&bid=news&pid=100215

Review by Engadget.com: Samsung announces YouTube friendly SC-MX20

The Crunchgear.com has posted a review for SC-MX20, "Samsung announces YouTube friendly SC-MX20"
Following is the news.


Announced this morning is the next incarnation of the MX10. Say hello to the SC-MX20, Samsung’s latest little vixen of a camcorder. The MX20 features an optimized recording mode for YouTube, a Schneider lens with 34x optical zoom, advanced noise reduction, image stabilization and face detection. This one doesn’t have internal flash storage like it’s older HD brother, the HMX10, but accepts SD/SDHC up to 32GB and MMC+ memory cards. The little guy can shoot up to three hours, shoots at SD and kicks ass with H.264 video compression. Look for it next month in four colors, including red, blue, silver and black for $279.99.

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., July 9, 2008 – Today, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. unveiled the SC-MX20, the successor to the company’s popular SC-MX10 compact digital camcorder. The ideal camcorder for the exploding generation of consumers uploading video content to the Internet, the SC-MX20 features a customized recording mode optimized for YouTube™ or multi-media devices, further simplifying the way users integrate the camcorder into their digital lifestyles.
Featuring a high-performance 680K pixel CCD sensor which delivers a resolution of 720×480, the Samsung SC-MX20 captures video with stunning color and clarity. The new model features a powerful Schneider lens with 34x optical zoom and advanced noise reduction (3-D Noise Reduction) technology to provide superb video quality. It also features Samsung’s improved Advanced Image Stabilization, assuring that consumers will be able to record blur-free memories both near and far, as well as Face Detection, which can automatically detect up to five faces and adjust focus to ensure better composition.
The SC‑MX20 features a slot for SD/SDHC (up to 32GB) and MMC+ memory cards and utilizes H.264 compression for longer record times and enhanced video quality. Samsung’s H.264 technology more than doubles the compression ratio so that it takes less time to send video files via email or upload them onto the Internet.
Thanks to H.264 compression, when in full resolution and when set to fine mode, users can record up to four hours of footage using an 8GB memory card, eight hours using a 16GB memory card, and up to 16 hours using a 32GB memory card. Furthermore, the SC-MX20 features the longest battery life in its class, lasting up to three hours.
For added convenience, and to enhance the consumer’s experience when shooting video, the new SC-MX20 features Samsung’s exclusive swivel hand-grip which effortlessly adjusts for regular and low angle shooting. The camcorder features a large 2.7 inch LCD to help users frame their subjects and review footage even in sunlight.
“The SC-MX20 is a camcorder that offers a host of advanced features at an impressive price point,” said Tony Sorice, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Digital Imaging at Samsung Electronics America. “Sharing many of the same advanced features as our higher-end digital camcorders, including the head-turning design of the SC-HMX20C, the SC-MX20 is sure to stand out from the crowd of ‘me-too’ camcorders.”
The SC-MX20 features a unique shooting mode that allows users to select a resolution and format that are perfect for uploading content to YouTube™ or multi-media devices. By selecting the Web & Mobile mode, the camcorder’s resolution is automatically adjusted to 640×480 (H.264 / AAC / MP4) and optimized for use on Web sites. Unlike other camcorders, users can easily import video from the SC-MX20 and play it on MP3 players and other portable multimedia players supporting H.264, without having to convert the files. The SC-MX20 also comes bundled with CyberLink software for the additional editing and customization of video files.
The SC-MX20 features Samsung’s useful iCheck and iScene modes. iCheck allows the user to effortlessly check remaining battery life and memory capacity with the touch of a button, while iScene allows the user to select up to 10 automatic scene modes for capturing the best footage no matter what environment they may be in.
Appealing to a variety of consumers, the SC-MX20 will be available in four colors, including black, red, white, and blue, all with silver trim. The SC-MX20 will be available in August 2008 with an estimated selling price of $279.99.

Review by Engadget.com: Samsung's $280 SC-MX20 Camcorder

The Engadget.com has posted "Samsung's $280 SC-MX20 camcorder is YouTube friendly."
It is explained below:

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 9th 2008 at 11:02AM

We won't fault you for forgetting all about Samsung's SC-MX20 -- after all, it was crammed deep beneath a host of other Sammy camcorders when announced at CES earlier this year. Nevertheless, we've received a few more vital details about said shooter today, and aside from boasting a 680K pixel CCD sensor (720 x 480 resolution), this one also features a 34x optical zoom, Advanced Image Stabilization, face detection, an SD / SDHC card slot, a battery good for three hours, a 2.7-inch LCD monitor (on a swivel, no less) and ten automatic scene modes for extra good times. Additionally, the unit packs a special shooting mode that captures in a resolution and format perfect for YouTube, so those terrified of converting will surely be breathing a sigh of relief. Expect this one to land next month in red, white, black and blue for a very manageable $279.99.
Gallery: Samsung's $280 SC-MX20 camcorder is YouTube-friendly

For more information, please link to http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/09/samsungs-280-sc-mx20-camcorder-is-youtube-friendly/

Samsung's new YouTube-friendly camcorder: SC-MX20

Posted by David Carnoy Post a comment

The SC-MX20 will be available in August for $279.99.(Credit: Samsung)
Each month seems to bring a new YouTube-centric digital camcorder and July is no exception: Samsung has announced the SC-MX20, a $279.99 model that's the successor to the SC-MX10. It'll arrive in stores in August and come in blue, black, red, and white.

According to the news release, the camcorder has a 680,000-pixel CCD sensor that delivers a 720x480-pixel resolution that allows the SC-MX20 to capture video with "stunning color and clarity." That may be a slight exaggeration, but the new model does feature a Schneider lens with 34x optical zoom, a 2.7-inch LCD, advanced noise reduction (3-D Noise Reduction), Samsung's allegedly improved Advanced Image Stabilization, and Face Detection, "which can automatically detect up to five faces and adjust focus to ensure better composition." According to Samsung, the value priced SC-MX20 shares some features found in its higher-end SC-HMX20C, including its design.

What makes the SC-MX20 YouTube-friendly is a special Web and mobile-shooting mode that simply tells the camcorder to shoot video with YouTube-optimized video settings. According to the release, "By selecting the Web & Mobile mode, the camcorder's resolution is automatically adjusted to 640x480 (H.264 / AAC / MP4) and optimized for use on Web sites. Unlike other camcorders, users can easily import video from the SC-MX20 and play it on MP3 players and other portable multimedia players supporting H.264, without having to convert the files." Some CyberLink software is thrown ... Read more

Who is Luis Figo?

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, (born 4 November 1972 in Almada, Portugal) is a professional Portuguese footballer. In his homeland Figo is considered by many second only to Eusébio as Portugal’s greatest player ever. He plays as a midfielder and winger, currently for Internazionale.

Figo was the 2000 European Footballer of the Year, the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, and was named amongst the FIFA 100. Known for his exceptional trickery and dribbling skills on either wing (though he predominantly plays on the right), Figo is one of the few footballers to have played for both the Spanish rival clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Personal information
Full name: Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo
Date of birth: November 4, 1972 (1972-11-04) (age 35)
Place of birth: Almada, Portugall
Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position: Right Winger

Club information

Current club: Internazionale
Number: 7

Youth clubs

Os Pastilhas

Sporting CP

Senior clubs
Year: 1989–1995 1995–2000 2000–2005 2005–

Club: Sporting CP FC Barcelona Real Madrid Internazionale
Appearance(Goals): 137 (16) 172 (30) 165 (36) 83 0(8)

National team
1991–2006 Portugal 127 (32)

You may link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu%C3%ADs_Figo for more information about Figo.

Samsung Electronics, "Thanks! Figo"

In addition to the previous post of this web site, The Donga.com, one of the top 3 newspapers in Korea, explained that the reason that Samsung's SD digital camcorder became the No.1 category in quantity in Italy was because Samsung has raised Samsung's branding image by utilizing Luis Fio, who is a world famous Italian soccer player at Inter Milan soccer professional team, as a model. With this upward trend, Samsung's strategy is to be the No. 1 in the world market in the digital camcorder category. On the other hand, based on the sold quantity of the digital camcorder market in Italy from January to May, Sony was No.1 with 30.3% and Samsung was No. 2 with 26.9%.

Followings are some screens shots that Samsung used Figo as a model in its advertisement.

This is an image used with a stand such as an X banner.

This seems to be taken at a Samsung booth participated in an electronic exhibition in Italy.

This picture is a Figo & Samsung camcorder image that was taken from the real display at Media Mart which is a German digital distributor company, one of the largest digital markets in Europe.

Samsung Camcorder Sweeps Away Italy

I found an interesting topic in The Digital Times, one of the popular Internet sites of newspapers in Korea.

The topic of the news was "Samsung Camcorder Sweep Away Italy." Following is a translated information of the news.

Using a famous world soccer ball player, Samsung Electronics has become No. 1 in the digital camcorder market in Italy for the first time, and started to take over the European market. Samsung mentioned on July 8, 2008 that Samsung took the first place for two consecutive months in April and May in the SD camcorder market which took 96% of the digital camcorder market in Italy.

This was the first time for Samsung to become the first place in a country in the digital camcorder business. Specially, in case of LCD TV category which is now the #1 business of the world, Samsung became #1 in the LCD TV market in Italy in 2005. With this as a momentum, Samsung took over the Europe market and finally became #1. Although the camcorder category has not yet become the top business currently, Samsung was sure that, like the LCD TV case, the Samsung's digital camcorder business would grow as the top business if Samsung attracted European consumers of very difficult tastes by providing a sensitive design and star marketing. According to GfK, a market research organization, the market share in quantity in the SD camcorder category in Italy from Jan. to May this year was listed as Sony took 29.9%, Samsung 28%, JVC 16.1%, Cannon 14.1%, Panasony 10.5%, etc.

However, in April, Samsung took the first place for the first time with 29.1% market share that was 1.2% more than Sony's. Then, Samsung also took 28.8% market share in April that was 1.4% more than Sony's. With the help of the SD camcorder market, Samsung reduced the market share gap to the No. 1 company in all digital camcorder market in Italy to 0.1%.

The main reason that Samsung could become the top in the camcorder market in Italy was analyzed as, since last year, Samsung used a star marketing strategy such as using Louis Figo, a famous soccer player, as a model.

Mr. Park, a director of Samsung Electronics, said that "Samsung camcorder has been getting a great attention from consumers in Italy which is well known as the hometown of Fashion.", and "Samsung will get more attention from the Italian consumers by providing such marketing activities for its full HD camcorder and other new products."

Review by Futurelook.com: Samsung SC-HMX20C

The Futurelook.com reviewed Samsung SC-HMX20C as below. The Futurelook.com

Earlier this spring, we reviewed Samsung’s SC-HMX10A, an HD camcorder that gave us a 1080i resolution, touch screen controls and photo functionality, all in a package not much bigger than a Coke Can. Although we were fairly impressed with the HD quality of the playback, especially via the built in HDMI port, we found the camera function to be a fairly useless feature that ended up being a “miss the moment” rather than “capture the moment” feature. Has Samsung succeeded in improving on their previous work with the introduction of the Samsung SC-HMX20C? Let’s find out!

What’s New in the SC-HMX20C?

Compared to its predecessor, the SC-HMX10A, the SC-HMX20C moves up to a full 1080p, which seems to have no affect on it’s recording time compared to 1080i on this unit. Both resolutions give you approximately 71 minutes of maximum quality HD on the 8GB of internal memory vs the 4GB of internal memory on the SC-HMX10A. The SC-HMX20C also ads in a slow motion capture feature that allows you to take 10 second clips at 60 fps for those more dramatic slow motion moments. When you play back a 10 second clip, it actually stretches itself back out to 50 seconds. The results look very similar to some cameras that record 300 fps clips.

I was curious to see if they improved the somewhat limited camera functionality. Although you still can’t push the button to immediately take a picture (it just beeps at you saying no now), they did implement something called “Dual Recording” which essentially allows you to take a still capture while recording in any of the video recording modes. Of course, this means you are limited to the resolution that you are recording and you can’t just hit the photo button without recording. Still limited, but at least they’re trying to improve it. Samsung also adds a real flash to the camera and a Megapixel upgrade from 1.61 to 6.4 (4.0 effective) gives the camera improved resolution for stills.

More specific information can be found in the Samsung SC-HMX20C manual which can be downloaded here.

What’s Inside the Box?

Compared to the SC-HMX10A, the packaged essentials are identical. Samsung still doesn’t throw in an HDMI cable for you, but they have included the regular AV cables, component video cables, Cyberlink HD Software CD and manual CD, power adapter, cradle, remote control, carrying bag and of course, the SC-HMX20C itself.

One notable addition to the bundled package was the inclusion of these core filters that were not included with the SC-HMX10A. The instructions ask you to attach them to the power adapter, AV Cable and the non existent HDMI cable. Although I never did end up using them, I guess they are nice to have.

Click here for more inforamtion:

http://www.futurelooks.com/samsung-sc-hmx20c-high-definition-digital-camcorder-review/

IT News

Below are highlights of the latest IT news:

HDTV News:
· CNET – Photos: Extremely sexy tech (LN52A750) - http://www.cnet.com/4326-13938-6625933-2.html?tag=ss_thmb
· TWICE - Panasonic Adds LCD TVs To 'Concierge' Program - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574675.html?nid=2402
· CrunchGear - Sony to boost production of TVs with FED technology - http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/07/02/sony-to-boost-production-of-tvs-with-fed-technology/
· Electronic House - LG Introduces “Frameless” Plasma TV - http://www.electronichouse.com/article/lg_introduces_frameless_plasma_tv/
· Yahoo! Tech - Most viewers sticking to their TV sets despite online video popularity - http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/hughes/32778


HDTV FYI:
· Engadget HD - Samsung to include free Foxtel iQ2 HD DVR with flat-panel purchase - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/samsung-to-include-free-foxtel-iq2-hd-dvr-with-flat-panel-purcha/
· HiddenWires - TDVision Systems Showcase Optimum HD-3D Stereoscopic Experience (Samsung mention) - http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesnews2008/news20080702-03.html


Blu-ray / DVD / Home Theater News:
· CNET - Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray Player review - http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/samsung-bd-p1500/4505-6463_7-32815244.html?tag=prod.txt.1
· Engadget HD - Sony's $400 BDP-S350 Blu-ray player shows July 15th ship date - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/sonys-400-bdp-s350-blu-ray-player-shows-july-15th-ship-date/
· Engadget HD - Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray players start to see the light of day - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/panasonic-dmp-bd50-blu-ray-players-start-to-see-the-light-of-day/
· TG Daily - PS3 expected to remain the driving force behind Blu-ray sales - http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38213/113/
· Engadget HD - Blue Ray Technologies opening America's largest Blu-ray Disc mastering facility - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/02/blue-ray-technologies-opening-americas-largest-blu-ray-disc-mas/
· Gizmodo - Toshiba's Internet Connected DVD Download DL Seems Like a Bad Idea - http://gizmodo.com/5021306/toshibas-internet-connected-dvd-download-dl-seems-like-a-bad-idea
· Philadelphia Daily News - Jonathan Takiff: The latest buzz on Blu-ray - http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/jonathan_takiff/20080702_Jonathan_Takiff__The_latest_buzz_on_Blu-ray.html
· Engadget HD - Blockbuster CEO to Studios: Make more copies of Blu-ray films - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/blockbuster-ceo-to-studios-make-more-copies-of-blu-ray-films/


MP3 Player / PMP / Camcorder News:
· The New York Times - A Fresh Start for iRiver (Samsung mention) - http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/a-fresh-start-for-iriver/?hp
· Yahoo! Tech - Flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody: A good thing gets better - http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/24399
· Engadget - Creative's Zen X-Fi player gets right with the FCC - http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/creatives-x-fi-player-gets-right-with-the-fcc/
· Gearlog - Getting the Most Out of Your Low-End Camcorder - http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/getting_the_most_out_of_your_y.php
· Gearlog - DIY: A Macro Lens and Microscope for Your Flip Mino - http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/diy_macro_lens_and_microscope.php


Home Appliance News:
· CNET - KitchenAid's energy-saving refrigerator has bottom freezer, advanced controls - http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13553_1-9970548-32.html
· SlashGear - The Jot Dry-Erase Refrigerator - http://www.slashgear.com/the-jot-dry-erase-refrigerator-0112337.php


General Industry / Trade / Competitor News:
· Gizmodo - Apple Orders a Few Flash Chips...Like 50 Million of 'Em (Samsung mention) - http://gizmodo.com/5021394/apple-orders-a-few-flash-chipslike-50-million-of-em
· Gizmodo - Sony Goal: 90% of ALL Our Products Networked By 2010 - http://gizmodo.com/5021343/sony-goal-90-of-all-our-products-networked-by-2010
· TG Daily - Verizon: "Steve Jobs has no monopoly on innovations" - http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-38205-128.html
· TWICE - Blockbuster Nixes Circuit City Deal - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574996.html?desc=topstory
· TWICE - Panasonic Makes Imaging Promotions - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574866.html

Review: Samsung SC-HMX20C

Various sites has commented Samsung SC-HMX20C as below:

Samsung's SC-HMX20C high-definition camcorder can see images better than you can. When set on high-speed mode, the camcorder can record 300 frames in 10 seconds of video. When you play back the action in slow motion, the recording allows you to study details of the action -- be it a pitch windup or a tennis swing -- not normally detectable to the human eye.

The sites are:

http://mydesert.gns.gannettonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/TECH03/703080564/1001/TECH

http://brevardcountymoms.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/LIFE/80617043/-1/archives

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/LIFE/80617043

http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880619092&source=rss

Production Notes: I’ve Found a New Baby

The DV.COM reviewed Samsung SC-HMX20C Full HD camcorder. Stefan Sargent, the reviewer wrote an interesting story.

I’m thinking it’s about time I write a column without getting on a soapbox. No ranting. I promise. Just plain, straightforward, honest, true-blue journalism.

Let’s just talk about my new baby.

Samsung SC-HMX20/XAAC

She’s a Samsung SC-HMX20C/XAA camcorder. Records FULL 1920 x 1080 at either 60i or 30p on its own internal 8GB of memory or on a push in SDHC Flash Card. This is not 1440x1080 HDV, this is the real thing. OK, the VBR compression is high but the result is terrific. Oh, I forgot, she also shoots slo-mo at 300fps; however the image size drops to a miserable 448x336. Perfect for golfers but not for PLUs (people like us).

You can buy 8GB Transcend SDHC cards at 30 bucks each at NewEgg here. That will give you 71 minutes of true HD recording — actually 142 minutes if you use the built-in memory as well. Compare $30 for a 8GB SD card with the cost of a SXS Sony 8GB EX1 card @ $487 here. That’s $30 vs. $487! Unreal.

Dear techie freaks, the link to all of the groovy Samsung data is here.

Here are stills from my Sony HVR-V1U vs. Samsung SC-HMX20C shoot out. The Sony V1U is roughly $4,500, weighing in at 4 lbs — the new Samsung is $850, weighing in at 1 lb.

Now spot the difference! Hmmm. Samsung is cheaper and lighter. Sony wins on picture detail but not by much. You can download 105 MB of 1920x1080 ProRes QuickTime files here.

But that name SC-HMX20C/XAA! Poor dear. Whatever happened to real names like Tahoe, Ranger, Impala, Edsel? Did the car manufacturers steal them all? (Not a rant. Just a passing comment.)

How would you like to be called, SC-HMX20C/XAA? I guess “SC” would do for short. But wait, Samsung have a SC-HMX10. So we can’t call you just plain “SC”. Maybe, “SC 20.”

“Good morning SC 20. Nice to meet you.”

“I am not a number - I am a free cam!”

“I agree. You are not a number. I name you SUSIE. My Little Black-Eyed Susie.”

“Free! Free! Free at last! Be seeing you.”

“Come back Susie, you’re not that free. But I’ve got to say I’m glad that you’re here. I’ve always had a small, cheap camera to throw around. In my days of film, it was a Bell and Howell Autoload.

Bell and Howell Autoload 16mm camera

The Autoload takes 50ft pre-loaded 16mm film cartridges. Mount it on a helmet for chase sequences and parachute jumps. Put it on conveyor belts with an assistant ready to catch it at the other end. Leave it in the middle of The Avenue of Americas and cars drive right over the top of it. Despite all the adventures, my 16mm Autoload never got hurt.” “

Wow! Am I going to have fun with you!”

Casio EX-F1 still camera/camcorder

“Hope so, Susie. I was interested in the Casio EX-F1. But it’s really a still camera that does movies. Then I discovered you with the same Sony IMX017CQE CMOS chip inside, but a real movie camera.”

“I know the Casio EX-F1, my cousin, sort of.”

“Susie, here’s the plot: we’re sending you up in a helicopter tomorrow.”

“Noooooo! Perhaps we could start with a conveyor belt shot.”

“Conveyor belts?! No such luck. The local San Rafael quarry isn’t talking to me since I let NBC News use my quarry explosion shots.”

San Rafael Rock Quarry hillside blast.

We are alone. I’ve left Susie in the edit suite, she can’t hear me. First her good points. Her movies look almost as good as my Sony HVR-V1U. Stunning. I was blown away. Better pictures than the overrated Canon HV20 (eBay for you my girl).

I did a three-camera shoot off here. At first glance Sony and Susie are equal — if you look really hard, the Sony V1 is a tad sharper but that could be just a sharpness setting. To the average viewer they look the same — the big difference is Susie’s zoom is nowhere near wide enough.

Susie with an aspheric RedEye wide angle. She’s cozy on a REDpod.

Susie needs a wide angle lens attachment for run and gun shooting. With the help of a 49mm to 62mm ring, I’ve added a RedEye aspheric. It’s a trade off between picture quality and getting a usable wide angle. On many shots, wide is better than pin sharp.

The viewfinder is bright. In low light Susie outperforms the Sony V1. Flipping from 60i to 30p gives an extra boost to low light performance.

Switching from 60i to 30p is simple. Changing the shutter speed is a pushover. There’s manual exposure and focusing. Mike audio in is a mini jack with no level control.

If you’re as confused as I am about how Susie’s 1/1.8” sensor compares with Canon’s HV20’s 1/2.7” or a 1/2” sensor, try reading this. I could be wrong, but it seems Susie’s sensor is bigger than 1/2”.

Now the bad.

First off, the REALLY bad. When I transfer the files from the card or her internal memory to my MacPro disc drive, QuickTime can’t read them. I emailed Samsung USA and they know nothing.

A passing good Samaritan, Mei Lai Wah, saw my video on Vimeo and posted:

By installing the avc1Decoder QuickTime component by MyCometG3, available free on Apple's download page, I can view 1080 60i clips from the Casio EX-F1 on a MacBook Pro.

I found MyCometG3 using Version Tracker and installed it. Bingo. How I love instant success. I could actually see the files in QuickTime. Whoo hoo! I can even import into FCP at a full 1920 x 1080. But editing ain’t easy. Susie’s timeline in FCP hates any other format. Perhaps I’m doing something wrong.

I’m lucky, I have a nanoConnect box and a BlackMagic HD-SDI card. I feed HDMI from Susie into the nanoConnect — then to the BM card. I can import right into FCP. It’s a real time transfer but it works and I get a normal ProRes timeline.

The camera is well designed but the docking cradle for HDMI out and power in╔ sucks.

HDMI comes out from a docking cradle. Whoever designed this gismo should go back to college and wear a DUNCE cap for a week. The camera sits at a crazy angle and the unit only works on mains power.

The manual comes on a CD. I had to print out 133 pages and get them bound at Kinkos. Shame on you Samsung, $850 bucks and you can’t print a $5 manual? And it’s not very good manual either. Says that a shutter speed of 1/30 will make the action appear slower. Huh? Will 1/250 make it go faster?

Here’s another classic from the manual, copied and pasted for your enjoyment: Face Detect might be displayed even if the subject to be recorded is a person like although its not a person.

Come on, Samsung. Hire a good technical writer who can speak and write in English.

Susie loves to ride on my Jeep. Today she wanted the Raynox DCR-FE180PRO lens.

All cameras have their good and bad features. Love the good and forgive the bad ones. Susie’s REALLY GOOD feature is her weight. She weighs just 1 lb.

You don’t want to put a heavy camera on an auto suction mount nor at the end of a 20ft. polecam. As for flying your new Sony EX1 up in a model helicopter — forget it. Susie to the rescue. She’ll go anywhere. Yes, today it’s the helicopter ride.

“Noooooo!”

“Susie, you’ll love it. I promise you.”

Last minute check out from Mars. Hang on tight, Susie!

I’ve teamed up with Oscar and Mars from Stratus Vision.

Mars, who designed and built the 'copter, is mounting Susie onto a lightweight aluminum plate. The neat thing is that Susie’s video output goes to a tiny transmitter so that Oscar, who is controlling the camera mount’s pan and tilt servos, can see exactly what Susie is shooting.

I switch her on — press the record button — and she starts instantly (so unlike my Sony V1). We’re good for 71 minutes of record time at 1080i. I run back to my Sony on a monopod, ready to shoot the takeoff.

The moment of truth. Susie takes off for the first time. “Wheeee! Geronimo!”

Mars spins up the electrically powered rotor blades — choof, choof, choof, and then, sheer magic — Susie takes flight. The video coming from the air is great and vibration free. Amazing! Better and cheaper than shooting from a real 'copter.

Oscar, Mars and I are excited. We are shooting an HD movie from the air and what we’re seeing is silky smooth. Good girl Susie. We love you madly.

Oscar controlling the camera, me (white shirt) shooting the flight, Mars piloting the chopper.

Susie is my third video camera. I wouldn’t use her as my prime camera, but for shoots that need an HD camera weighing almost nothing, she’s perfect. Now to fire her out of a cannon.

“Nooooo! I love the chopper but please not the cannon!”

Stefan Sargent has a production company in San Francisco. He has made a zillion TV commercials, pop videos and corporate films. Stefan's docs have been screened on the BBC, the Discovery Channel and somewhere else. You can find Stefan's Web site here.

If you would like to read the original script, please link to http://www.dv.com/columns/columns_item.php?articleId=196604125