T-Mobile may have at least a short-term shortage of its G1 Android-powered phone as customers flood the company with preorders.

T-Mobile said it has already sold its presale inventory of the first Google Android phone.

(Guess the service is working better, too.) 

T-Mobile declined to disclose the number of phones initially available, but Strategy Analytics predicted T-Mobile could sell as many as 400,000 of the G1s this year.

What is known is that the devices are now back-ordered until November 10 so take your place in line.

More at NewsFactor Network.

German-based Digital Imaging Systems (DIS)  has introduced a camera module for cell phones that for the first time includes 9-megapixel technology.

(Remember when 1 MP was a lot?)

The module delivers image data with a max resolution of 3488 x 2616 pixels through either a parallel interface or optional MIPI interface. Full production is scheduled to begin later in the year.

The unit also contains an array of advanced photographic features, according to the DIS. These include auto-focus, high quality lenses, mechanical shutter and ND-filter with integrated actuators and an easy-to- access platform software, enabling high-end digital still camera quality in mobile phones.

The announcement was made at Photokina, the huge European trade show.

More at Cellular-news. 

Krusell is expanding its product portfolio with a new line of camera cases designed in Sweden.

The Sirius and Polaris camera cases, which come in high quality leather with five different color combinations, fit most compact cameras. The Coco camera case in diamond quilted leather comes in four different colors; it's more suitable for glamorous events and late nights.  Finally, the Radical camera case comes in unique designed embroideries to match the already existing laptop messenger bags in the Krusell assortment.

Check them out for your digi.

www.krusell.se

SanDisk has introduced a 32-GB CompactFlash card, the company's largest CF storage device for professional digital photographers and videographers.

The latest Extreme III CompactFlash is twice the size of SanDisk's previous largest product. The new card has read and write speeds of 30 MBps.

The higher-capacity card is aimed at people who use Hi-Def camcorders, enabling users to store as much as 80 minutes of 100 MBps, 10-bit, 4:2:2 HD video, which is of sufficient quality for today's professional video applications, according to SanDisk.

For photographers, the additional capacity is useful for storing pictures shot in RAW format. The format uses 10 times the storage space as regular JPG images, but provides higher-quality images.

The card can operate under temperatures ranging from minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pricing: 2 GB, $45; 4 GB, $70; 8 GB, $130; and 16 GB, $240; 32 GB, $300.

Availability: October.

Get more at Information Week.

Samsung has announced free recycling for all Samsung-branded consumer electronics in all 50 states, beginning October 1.

Samsung has just announced its Recycling Direct, a program that will enable consumers in all 50 states to recycle Samsung-branded consumer electronics devices like televisions, monitors, DVD players, home theater systems, cameras, camcorders, printers, peripherals -- essentially, all Samsung-branded consumer electronics.

(Look for the one in the photo above at a recycling center sometime this century ...0

The exception will be home appliances (too bad about my washer and dryer when that day comes), which can't be accepted at the drop-off points, although a growing number will be accepting them.

Recycling for Samsung-branded electronics will be free; consumers can also drop off non-Samsung electronics for recycling and safe disposal for a nominal fee. The program will include a number of collection sites, including permanent drop-off centers in all 50 U.S. states.

Samsung is working directly with recycling companies rather than intermediaries and claims it is only working with operations that meet Samsung's criteria and are a good match with its environmental philosophy: Samsung says it is utilizing recyclers that do not incinerate, landfill or export toxic waste to developing economies, and that it will be tracking and monitoring all the recycled electronics to ensure they're disposed of properly. The company plans to publish the results of the program on its Web site. 

Now if everybody else will please get in line ...

Microsoft is putting its touchy-feely side to the test at the Sheraton Hotel.

The software giant recently showed off its new Surface technology at five Sheraton hotels nationwide. The demonstration allowed the public to get a feel for Microsoft's first fully touch-screen computer.

The table-like Surface computer operates entirely through a 30-inch interactive screen, which works along the same lines as Apple's iPhone. But the Surface also recognizes and interacts with objects such as iPods and digital cameras that it comes in contact with, allowing users to edit photos or play music on the spot. The display, which rotates, can also recognize multiple hands or fingers. 

NewsFactor's got more.

If you make cases for mobile phones, then why not make cases for cameras?

At least that's what Krusell may have been thinking with the announcement that they will roll out their first line of camera cases next month at the huge Photokina trade show in Germany.

If they are anything as interesting and practical as the existing product line, they will be sure to attract attention.

And will there be a monthly list of best selling cameras based on case sales?

www.krusell.se

Getting your great candid pictures off your camera phone is no easy matter -- it should be so simple!

CNET gives us a couple of ways to do it. One of them has got to work!

The least labor-intensive way to rescue your pictures from being trapped on your phone is to send them to an e-mail address in a multimedia message. But as you know, this costs money, so you'll be pleased to hear there are alternatives.

If your phone accepts a memory card, you can save your pictures to the card, then use the card to transfer the images. Most cell phones use smaller memory cards in a Micro SD or Mini SD card format, so if you don't have an adapter, the cards won't fit in most readers.

If you don't have a memory card slot, you can use Bluetooth or an infrared port to send shots to another capable device. But be wary, because some carriers block some Bluetooth transfers on its phones.

Still another method is to use a USB cable that connects your cell phone with your computer. Not all phones have USB capability, so check to see if yours does. Also, USB transfers on some phones require software from the carrier or the manufacturer.

If your phone doesn't come with any of the features, don't despair, as you're not out of luck. A final method is to invest in cell phone-syncing software. Although these products require an initial investment, it's not an ongoing one, and you'll be able to not only transfer photos but also sync your calendar, your contacts list, and your messages.

Logitech today unveiled its first Mac-compatible webcam with premium autofocus technology and Carl Zeiss optics - the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac. The new Logitech webcam of course works with iChat and Skype and features a 2-megapixel camera sensor.

The new Logitech webcam uses a voice coil motor for its autofocus system, instead of a stepper motor. According to the news, "Focusing is fast and fluid - crisp even in extreme close-ups only 10 cm from the camera lens. Logitech's autofocus system compensates for changes in image-edge sharpness and refocuses images in less than three seconds"

What I don't get is why Logitech chooses to make operating system specfic webcams. Isn't USB supposed to be an industry standard? I should be able to take any USB device and plug it into a Mac, Windows XP, or Vista, and it should have drivers available that just work. I have plenty of headsets and USB VoIP devices that work on multiple operating systems. I just don't get the point of operating system specific webcams.

In any event, similar to the Logitech Quickcam Orbit AF I reviewed, the new Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac leverages Logitech's RightLight 2 Technology, which enables the webcam to adjust intelligently in dim or harshly backlighted situations.

Features:

• VGA-quality video at up to 30 frames per second
• the QuickCam Vision Pro records sharp video clips in the 720p high-definition (HD) video format (960-by-720 pixels).
• Complementing the style of your Mac computer, the new webcam for Mac computers presents a black-and-silver profile with a prominent built-in silver microphone.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in July. The suggested retail price to buy one in the U.S. is $129.99.

SmugMug has always allowed everyone to upload an unlimited number of web-displayable files (JPEG, GIF, PNG, and MP4), but hasn't until now been able to accept the RAW files generated by digital cameras.

Now SmugVault is a new SmugMug product that lets you upload all the RAW, PSD, BMP, and TIFF files you'd like.  And not just those -- how about XMP sidecars, PDF files, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, video archives, and anything else you might want to store with your photos.

To read more about it, click here.

Check SmugVault out and let us know ...